THE DIVIDING LINE. 
87 
and pretend to exercise a dictatorial authority over them. These petty rulers 
do not only teach the honester savages all sorts of debauchery, but are unfair 
in their dealings, and use them with all kinds of oppression. Nor has their 
behaviour been at all better to the rest of the Indian nations, among whom 
they reside, by abusing their women and evil-entreating their men ; and, by 
the way, this was the true reason of the fatal war which the nations round- 
about made upon Carolina in the year 1713. Then it was that all the neigh- 
bouring Indians, grown weary of the tyranny and injustice with which they 
had been abused for many years, resolved to endure their bondage no longer, 
but entered into a general confederacy against their oppressors of Carolina. 
The Indians opened the war by knocking most of those little tyrants on the 
head that dwelt amongst them, under pretence of regulating their commerce, 
and from thence carried their resentment so far as to endanger both North 
and South Carolina. 
16th. We gave orders that the horses should pass Roanoke river at Moni- 
sep ford, while most of the baggage was transported in a canoe. We landed 
at the plantation of Cornelius Keith, where I beheld the wretchedest scene of 
poverty I had ever met with in this happy part of the world. The man, his 
wife and six small children, lived in a pen, like so many cattle, without any 
roof over their heads but that of heaven. And this was their airy residence in 
the day time, but then there was a fodder stack not far from this inclosure, 
in which the whole family sheltered themselves at night and in bad weather. 
However,- it was almost worth while to be as poor as this man was, to be as 
perfectly contented. All his wants proceeded from indolence, and not from 
misfortune. He had good land, as well as good health and good limbs to 
work it, and, besides, had a trade very useful to all the inhabitants round 
about. He could make and set up quern stones very well, and had proper 
materials for that purpose just at hand, if he could have taken the pains to 
fetch them. There is no other kind of mills in those remote parts, and, there- 
fore, if the man would have worked at his trade, he might have lived very 
comfortably. The poor woman had a little more industry, and spun cotton 
enough to make a thin covering for her own and her children’s nakedness. 
I am sorry to say it, but idleness is the general character of the men in the 
southern parts of this colony as well as in North Carolina. The air is so 
mild, and the soil so fruitful, that very little labour is required to fill their bel- 
lies, especially where the woods afford such plenty of game. These advan- 
tages discharge the men from the necessity of killing themselves with work, 
and then for the other article of raiment, a very little of that will suffice in 
so temperate a climate. But so much as is absolutely necessary falls to the 
good women’s share to provide. They all spin, weave and knit, whereby 
they make a good shift to clothe the whole family ; and to their credit be it 
recorded, many of them do it very completely, and thereby reproach their 
husbands’ laziness in the most inoffensive way, that is to say, by discovering 
a better spirit of industry in themselves. 
From hence we moved forward to colonel Mumford’s other plantation, 
under the care of Miles Riley, where, by that gentleman’s directions, we 
were again supplied with many good things. Here it was we discharged 
our worthy friend and fellow traveller, Mr. Bearskin, who had so plentifully sup- 
plied us with provisions during our long expedition. We rewarded him to 
his heart’s content, so that he returned to his town loaded with riches and 
the reputation of having been a great discoverer. 
17th. This being Sunday, we were seasonably put in mind how much we 
were obliged to be thankful for our happy return to the inhabitants. Indeed, 
we had great reason to reflect with gratitude on the signal mercies we had 
received. First, that we had, day by day, been fed by the bountiful hand of 
