54 
THE HISTORY OF 
forded a larger stream, which we called Lowland creek, by reason of the 
great breadth of low grounds inclosed between that and the river. 
The high land we travelled over was very good, and the low grounds prO“ 
mised the greatest fertility of any I had ever seen. At the end of four miles 
and three hundred and eleven poles from where we lay, the line intersected 
the Dan the fifth time. We had day enough to carry it farther, but the sur- 
veyors could find no safe ford over the river. This obliged us to ride two 
miles up the river in quest of a ford, and by the way w^e traversed several 
small Indian fields, where we conjectured the Sawroes had been used to plant 
corn, the town where they had lived lying seven or eight miles more south- 
erly, upon the eastern side of the river. These Indian fields produced a 
sweet kind of grass, almost knee-high, which was excellent forage for the 
horses. It must be observed, by the way, that Indian towns, like religious 
houses, are remarkable for a fruitful situation ; for being by nature not very 
industrious, they choose such a situation as will subsist them with the least 
labour. The trees grew surprisingly large in this low ground, and amongst 
the rest we observed a tall kind of hickory, peculiar to the upper parts of the 
country. It is covered with a very rough bark, and produces a nut with a 
thick shell that is easily broken. The kernel is net so rank as that of the 
common hickory, but altogether as oily. And now I am upon the subject of 
these nuts, it may not be improper to remark, that a very great benefit might 
be made of nut-oil in this colony. The walnuts, the hickory-nuts, and pig- 
nuts, contain a vast deal of oil, that might be pressed out in great abundance 
with proper machines. The trees grow very kindly, and may be easily 
propagated. They bear plenty of nuts every year, that are now of no other 
use in the world but to feed hogs. It is certain there is a large consumption 
of this oil in several of our manufactures, and in some parts of France, as 
well as in other countries, it is eaten instead of oil-olive, being tolerably sweet 
and wholesome. The Indian killed a fat buck, and the men brought in four 
bears and a brace of wild turkeys, so that this was truly a land of plenty, 
both for man and beast. 
17th. We detached a party of men this morning early in search of a 
ford, who after all could find none that was safe ; though, dangerous as it was, 
we determined to make use of it, to avoid all further delay. Accordingly 
we rode over a narrow ledge of rocks, some of which lay below the surface 
of the water, and some above it. Those that lay under the water were as 
slippery as ice ; .and the current glided over them so swifty, that though it 
was only water, it made us perfectly drunk. Yet we were all so fortunate 
as to get safe over to the west shore, with no other damage than the sopping 
some of our bread by the flouncing of the horses. The tedious time spent 
in finding out this ford, and in getting all the horses over it, prevented our 
carrying the line more than two miles and two hundred and fifty poles. 
This was the last time we crossed the Dan with our line, which now began 
to run away more southerly, with a very flush and plentiful stream, the de- 
scription whereof must be left to future discoveries, though we are well 
assured by the Indians that it runs through the mountains. We conducted 
the baggage a roundabout way for the benefit of evener grounds, and this 
carried us over a broad level of exceeding rich land, full of large trees, with 
vines married to them, if I may be allowed to speak so poetically. We 
untreed a young cub in our march, that made a brave stand against one^of 
the best of our dogs. This and a fawn were all the game that came in our 
way. In this day’s journey, as in many others before, we saw beautiful 
marble of several colours, and particularly that of the purple kind with white 
streaks, and in some places we came across large pieces of pure alabaster. 
