12 
THE HISTORY OF 
missioners of North Carolina, we embarked very early, which we could the 
easier do, having no temptation to stay where we were. We shaped our 
course along the south end of Knot’s island, there being no passage open on 
the north. Further still to the southward of us, we discovered two smaller 
islands, that go by the names of Bell’s and Church’s isles. We also saw a 
small New England sloop riding in the sound, a little to the south of our 
course. She had come in at the new inlet, as all other vessels have done 
since the opening of it. This navigation is a little difficult, and fit only for 
vessels that draw no more than ten feet water. The trade hither is engrossed 
by the saints of New England, who carry off a great deal of tobacco, without 
troubling themselves with paying that impertinent duty of a penny a pound. 
It was just noon before we arrived at Coratuck inlet, which is now so shal- 
low that the breakers fly over it with a horrible sound, and at the same time 
afford a very wild prospect. On the north side of the inlet, the high land 
terminated in a bluff point, from which a spit of land extended itself towards 
the south-east, full half a mile. The inlet lies between that spit and another 
on the south of it, leaving an opening of not quite a mile, which at this day 
is not practicable for any vessel whatsoever. And as shallow as it now is, it 
continues to fill up more and more, both the wind and waves rolling in the 
sands from the eastern shoals. 
About two o’clock in the afternoon we were joined by two of the Carolina 
commissioners, attended by Mr. Swan, their surveyor. The other two were 
not quite so punctual, which was the more unlucky for us, because there 
could be no sport till they came. These gentlemen, it seems, had the Caro- 
lina commission in their keeping, notwithstanding which, they could not for- 
bear paying too much regard to a proverb — fashionable in their country — not 
to make more haste than good speed. 
However, that we who were punctual might not spend our precious time 
unprofitably, we took the several bearings of the coast. We also surveyed 
part of the adjacent high land, which had scarcely any trees growing upon it, 
but cedars. Among the shrubs, we were showed here and there a bush of 
Carolina tea called Japon, which is one species of the Phylarrea. This is an 
evergreen, the leaves whereof have some resemblance to tea, but differ very 
widely both in taste and flavour. We also found some few plants of the 
spired leaf silk grass, which is likewise an evergreen, bearing on a lofty stem 
a large cluster of flowers of a pale yellow. Of the leaves of this plant the 
people thereabouts twist very strong cordage. 
A virtuoso might divert himself here very well, in picking up shells of va- 
rious hue and figure, and amongst the rest, that species of conch shell which 
the Indian peak is made of. The extremities of these shells are blue and the 
rest white, so that peak of both these colours are drilled out of one and the 
same shell, serving the natives both for ornament and money, and are es- 
teemed by them far beyond gold and silver. 
The cedars were of singular use to us in the absence of our tent, which 
we had left with the rest of the baggage for fear of overloading the periaugas. 
We made .a circular hedge of the branches of this tree, wrought so close to- 
gether as to fence us against the cold winds. We then kindled a rousing fire 
in the centre of it, and lay round it, like so niany knights templars. But, as 
comfortable as this lodging was, the surveyors turned out about two in the 
morning to try the variation by a meridian taken from the north star, and 
found it to be somewhat less than three degrees west. 
The commissioners of the neighbouring colony came better provided for 
the belly than the business. They brought not above two men along with 
them that would put their hands to any thing but the kettle and the frying- 
pan. These spent so much of their industry that way, that they had as little 
spirit as inclination for work. 
