56 
THE HISTORY OF 
great falls, the blowing up a few rocks would open a passage at least for 
canoes, which certainly would be an unspeakable convenience to the inhabit- 
ants of all that beautiful part of the country. The Indian killed a very fat 
doe, and came across a bear, which had been put to death and was half devour- 
ed by a panther. The last of these brutes reigns absolute monarch of the 
woods, and in the keenness of his hunger will venture to attack a bear; 
though then it is ever by surprise, as all beasts of the cat kind use to come 
upon their prey. Their play is to take the poor bears napping, they being very 
drowsy animals, and though they be exceedingly strong, yet their strength is 
heavy, while the panthers are too nimble and cunning to trust themselves 
within their hug. As formidable as this beast is to his fellow brutes, he never 
has the confidence to venture upon a man, but retires from him with great 
respect, if there be a way open for his escape. However, it must be confest, 
his voice is a little contemptible for a monarch of the forest, being not a great 
deal louder nor more awful than the mewing of a household caf^ 
In South Carolina they call this beast a tiger, though improperly, and so 
they do in some parts of the Spanish West Indies. Some of their authors, a 
little more properly, compliment it with the name of a leopard. But none of 
these are the growth of America, that we know of. 
The whole distance the surveyors advanced the line this day amounted 
to six miles and thirty poles, which was no small journey, considering the 
grounds we had traversed were exceedingly rough and uneven, and in many 
places intolerably entangled with bushes. All the hills we ascended were 
encumbered with stones, many of which seemed to contain a metallic sub- 
stance, and the valleys we crossed were interrupted with miry branches. 
From the top of every hill we could discern distinctly, at a great distance 
to the northward, three or four ledges of mountains, rising one above 
another; and on the highest of all rose a single mountain, very much resem- 
bling a woman’s breast. 
19th. About four miles beyond the river Irvin, we forded Matrimony creek, 
called so by an unfortunate married man, because it was exceedingly noisy 
and impetuous. However, though the stream was clamorous, yet, like those 
women who make themselves plainest heard, it was likewise perfectly clear 
and unsullied. Still half a mile further we saw a small mountain, about 
five miles to the north-west of us, which we called the Wart, because it ap- 
peared no bigger than a wart, in comparison of the great mountains which 
hid their haughty heads in the clouds. We were not able to extend the line 
farther than five miles and one hundred and thirty five poles, notwithstanding 
we began our march early in the morning, and did not encamp till it was almost 
dark. We made it the later by endeavouring to quarter in some convenient 
situation, either for grass or canes. But night surprising us, we were obliged 
to lodge at last upon high and uneven ground, which was so overgrown 
with shrubs and saplings, that we could hardly see ten yards around us. The 
most melancholy part of the story was, that our horses had short commons. 
The poor creatures were now grown so weak that they staggered when we 
mounted them. Nor would our own fare have been at all more plentiful, 
had we not been so provident as to carry a load of meat along with us. 
Indeed, the woods were too thick to show us any sort of game but one wild 
turkey, which helped to enrich our soup. To make us amends, we found 
* Some authors, who have given an account of the southern continent of America, 
would make the world believe there are lions ; but in all likelihood they were mistaken, 
imagining these panthers to be lions. What makes this probable is, that the northern 
and southern parts of America being joined by the Isthmus of Darien, if there were 
lions in either they would find their way into the other, the latitudes of each being 
equally proper for that generous animal. 
