A JOURNEY TO 
US with a grim sort of a welcome, which I did not expect, since I brought 
her husband back in good health, though perhaps that might be the reason. 
It is sure something or other did tease her, and she was a female of too strong 
passions to know how to dissemble. However, she was so civil as to get us 
a good dinner, which I was the better pleased with because Col. Cock and 
Mr. Mumford came time enough to partake of it. The colonel had been sur- 
veying land in these parts, and particularly that on which Mr. Stith’s copper 
mine lies, as likewise a tract on which Cornelius Cargill has fine appearances. 
He had but a poor opinion of Mr. Stith’s mine, foretelling it would be all 
labour in vain, but thought something better of Mr. Cargill’s. After dinner 
these gentlemen took their leaves, and at the same time I discharged two of 
of my fellow travellers, Thomas Wilson and Joseph Colson, after having 
made their hearts merry, and giving each of them a piece of gold to rub 
their eyes with. We now returned to that evil custom of lying in a house, 
and an evil one it is, when ten or a dozen people are forced to pig together 
in a room, as we did, and were troubled with the squalling of peevish, dirty 
children into the bargain. 
12th. We ate our fill of potatoes and milk, which seems delicious fare 
to those who have made a campaign in the woods. I then took my first 
minister, Harry Morris, up the hill, and marked out the place where Blue 
Stone Castle was to stand, and overlook the adjacent country. After that I 
put my friend in mind of many things he had done amiss, which he promised 
faithfully to reform. I was so much an infidel to his fair speeches, (having 
been many times deceived by them,) that I was forced to threaten him with 
my highest displeasure, unless he mended his conduct very much. I also 
let him know, that he was not only to correct his own errors, but likewise 
those of his wife, since the power certainly belonged to him, in virtue of his 
conjugal authority. He scratched his head at this last admonition, from 
whence I inferred that the gray mare was the better horse. We gave our 
heavy baggage two hours’ start, and about noon followed them, and in twelve 
miles reached John Butcher’s, calling by the way for master Mumford, in 
order to take him along with us. Mr. Butcher received us kindly, and we 
had a true Roanoke entertainment of pork upon pork, and pork again upon 
that. He told us he had been one of the first seated in that remote part of 
the country, and in the beginning had been forced, like the great Nebuchad- 
nezzar, to live a considerable time upon grass. This honest man set a mighty 
value on the mine he fancied he had in his pasture, and showed us some of 
the ore, which he was made to believe was a gray copper, and would cer- 
tainly make his fortune. But there is a bad distemper rages in those parts, 
that grows very epidemical. The people are all mine mad, and neglecting 
to make corn, starve their families in hopes to live in great plenty hereafter. 
Mr. Stith was the first that was seized with the frenzy, and has spread the 
contagion far and near. As you ride along the woods, you see alHhe large 
stones knocked to pieces, nor can a poor marcasite rest quietly in its bed for 
these curious inquirers. Our conversation ran altogether upon this darling 
subject, until the hour came for our lying in bulk together. 
13th. After breaking our#fast with a sea of milk and potatoes, we took 
our leave, and I crossed my landlady’s hand with a piece of money. She 
refused the offer at first, but, like a true woman, accepted of it when it was 
put home to her. She told me the utmost she was able to do for me was a 
trifle in comparison of some favour I had formerly done her ; but what that 
favour was, neither I could recollect, nor did she think proper to explain. 
Though it threatened rain, we proceeded on our journey, and jogged on in 
the new road for twenty miles, that is as far as it was cleared at" that time, 
and found it would soon come to be a very good one after it was well 
