THE DIVIDING LINE. 
69 
the Irvin, (which were swelled since we saw them before,) that we could feach 
but five miles this whole day. In the evening we pitched our tent near Miry 
creek, (though an uncomfortable place to lodge in) purely for the advantage 
of the canes. Our hunters killed a large doe and two bears, which made all 
other misfortunes easy. Certainly no Tartar ever loved horse-flesh, nor 
Hottentot guts and garbage, better than woodsmen do bear. The truth of it 
is, it may be proper food perhaps for such as work or ride it off, but, with our 
chaplain’s leave, wlp loved it much, I think it not a very proper diet 
for saints, who do not mortify the flesh by toil. And now, for the good 
of mankind, and for the better peopling an infant colony, which has no 
want but that of inhabitants, I will venture to publish a secret of importance, 
which our Indian disclosed to me. I asked him the reason why few or none 
of his countrywomen were barren 1 To which curious question he answered, 
with a broad grin upon his face, they had an infallible secret for that. Upon 
my being importunate to know what the secret might be, he informed me 
that, if any Indian woman did not prove with child at a decent time after 
marriage, the husband, to save his reputation with the women, forthwith en- 
tered into a bear-diet for six weeks, which in that time produces such healthy 
effect, that it is great odds but his wife becomes a mother in nine months. 
And thus much I am able to say, besides, for the reputation of the bear 
diet, that all the married men of our company were joyful fathers within 
forty weeks after they got home, and most of the single men had children 
sworn to them within the same time, our chaplain always excepted, who, 
with much ado, made a shift to cast out that importunate kind of devil, by 
dint of fasting and prayer. 
November 1st. By the negligence of one of the men in not hobbling his 
horse, he straggled so far that he could not be found. This stopped us all 
the morning long ; yet, because our time should not be entirely lost, we en- 
deavoured to observe the latitude at twelve o’clock. Though our observa- 
tion was not perfect, by reason the wind blew a little too fresh, however, by 
such a one as we could make, we found ourselves in thirty-six degrees twenty 
minutes only. Notwithstanding our being thus delayed, and the uneveness 
of the ground, over Which we were obliged to walk, (for most of us 
served now in the infantry,) we travelled no less than six miles, though as 
merciful as we were to our poor beasts, another of them tired by the way, 
and was left behind for the wolves and panthers to feast upon. 
As we marched along, we had the fortune to kill a brace of bucks, as many 
bears, and one wild turkey. But this was carrying our sport to wanton- 
ness, because we butchered more than we were able to transport. We 
ordered the deer to be quartered and divided among the horses for the lighter 
carriage, and recommended the bears to our daily attendants, the turkey- 
buzzards. We always chose to carry venison along with us rather than 
bear, not only because it was le^s cumbersome, but likewise because the peo- 
ple could eat it without bread, which was now almost spent. Whereas the 
other, being richer food, lay too heavy upon the stomach, unless it were light- 
ened by something farinaceous. This is what I thought proper to remark, 
for the service of all those whose business or diversion shall oblige them to 
live any time in the woods. And because I am persuaded that very useful 
matters may be found out by searching this great wilderness, especially the 
upper parts of it, about the mountains, I conceive it will help to engage able 
men in that good work, if I recommend a wholesome kind of food, of very 
small weight and very great nourishment, that will secure them from starving, 
in case they should be so unlucky as to meet with no game. The chief dis- 
couragement at present from penetrating far into the woods is the trouble of 
carrying a load of provisions. I must own famine is a frightful monster, and 
K 
