THIC LAND OF EDEN. 
119 
grubbed. About nine miles from John Butcher’s, we crossed Allen’s creek, 
four miles above Mr. StitlVs mine. Near the mouth of this creek is a good 
body of rich land, whereof Occaneeche neck is a part. It was entered for 
many years ago by Col. Harrison and Col. Allen, but to this day is held 
without patent or improvement. And they say Mr. Bolling does the same, 
with a thousand acres lying below John Butcher’s. After beating the new 
road for twenty miles, we struck off towards Meherrin, which we reached 
in eight miles farther, and then came to the plantation of Joshua Nicholson, 
where Daniel Taylor lives for halves. There was a poor dirty house, with 
hardly any thing in it but children, that wallowed about like so many pigs. 
It is a common case in this part of the country, that people live worse upon 
good land ; and the more they are befriended by the soil and the climate, 
the less they will do for themselves. This man was an instance of it, for 
though his plantation would make plentiful returns for a little industry, yet 
he wanting that, wanted every thing. The woman did all that was done in 
the family, and the few garments they had to cover their dirty hides were 
owing to her industry. We could have no supplies from such neighbours as 
these, but depended on our own knapsacks, in which we had some remnants 
of cold fowls that we brought from Blue Stone Castle. When my house 
was in order, the whole family came and admired it, as much as if it had been 
the grand vizier’s tent in the Turkish army. 
1 4th. The sabbath was now come round again, and although our horses 
would have been glad to take the benefit of it, yet w'e determined to make 
a Sunday’s journey to Brunswick church, which lay about eight miles off. 
Though our landlord could do little for us, nevertheless, we did him all the 
good we were able, by bleeding his sick negro, and giving him a dose of 
Indian physic. We got to church in decent time, and Mr, Betty, the parson 
of the parish, entertained us with a good honest sermon, but whether he 
bought it, or borrowed it, would have been uncivil in us to inquire. Be that 
as it will, he is a decent man, with a double chin that sits gracefully over his 
band, and his parish, especially the female part of it, like him well. We were 
not crowded at church, though it was a new thing in that remote part of the 
country. What women happened to be there, were very gim and tidy in 
the work of their own hands, which made them look tempting in the eyes of 
us foresters. When church was done, we refreshed our teacher with a glass 
of wine, and then receiving his blessing, took horse and directed our course 
to major Embry’s. The distance thither was reputed fifteen miles, but ap- 
peared less by the company of a nymph of those woods, whom innocence, 
and wholesome flesh and blood made very alluring. In our way we crossed 
Sturgeon creek and Q.ueocky creek, but at our journey’s end were so unlucky 
as not to find either master or mistress at home. However, after two hours 
of hungry expectation, the good woman luckily found her way home, and 
provided very hospitably for us. As for the major, he had profited so much 
by my prescription, as to make a journey to Williamsburg, which required 
pretty good health, the distance being little short of one hundred miles. 
15th. After our bounteous landlady had cherished us with roast beef and 
chicken-pie, we thankfully took leave. At the same time we separated from 
our good friend and fellow traveller, major Mayo, who steered directly home. 
He is certainly a very useful, as well as an agreeable companion in the 
woods, being ever cheerful and good-humoured, under all the little crosses, 
disasters, and disappointments of that rambling life. As many of us as re- 
mained jogged on together to Sapponi chapel, where I thanked major Mum- 
ford and Peter Jones for the trouble that they had taken in this long journey. 
That ceremony being duly performed, I filed off with my honest friend, Mr. 
Banister, to his habitation on Hatcher’s run, which lay about fourteeen miles 
I 
