A 
PKOGRESS TO THE MINES, 
IN THE YEAR 1732, 
September 18th. For the pleasure of the good company of Mrs. B5n'd^ 
and her little governor, my son, I went about half way to the falls in the 
chariot. There we halted, not far from a purling stream, and upon the 
stump of a propagate oak picked the bones of a piece of roast beef. By 
the spirit which that gave me,, I was the better able to part with the dear 
companions of my travels, and to perform the rest of my journey on horse- 
back by myself. I reached Shacco’s before two o’clock, and crossed the 
river to the mills. 1 had the grief to find them both stand as still, for the want 
of water, as a dead woman’s tongue, for want of breath. It had rained 
so little for many weeks above the falls, that the Naiades had hardly water 
enough left to wash their faces. However, as we ought to turn all our mis- 
fortunes to the best advantage, I directed Mr. Booker, my first minister 
there, to make use of the lowness of the water for blowing up the rocks at 
the mouth of the canal. For that purpose I ordered iron drills to be made 
about two feet long, pointed with steel, chisel fashion, in order to make 
holes, into which we put our cartridges of powder, containing each about three 
ounces. There wanted skill among my engineers to choose the best parts of 
the stone for boring, that we might blow to the most advantage. They 
made all their holes quite perpendicular, whereas they should have humoured 
the grain of the stone for the more effectual execution. I ordered the points 
of the drills to be made chisel way, rather than the diamond, that they might 
need to be seldomer repaired, though in stone the diamond points would 
make the most despatch. The water now flowed out of the river so slowly, 
that the miller was obliged to pond it up in the canal, by setting open the 
flood-gates at the mouth, and shutting those close at the mill. By this con- 
trivance, he was able at any time to grind two or three bushels, either for his 
choice customers, or for the use of my plantations. Then I walked to the 
place where they broke the flax, which is wrought with much greater ease 
than the hemp, and is much better for spinning. From thence I paid a visit 
to the weaver, who needed a little of Minerva’s inspiration to make the most 
of a piece of cloth. Then I looked in upon my Caledonian spinster, who was 
mended more in her looks than in her humour. However, she promised 
much, though at the same time intended to perform little. She is too high- 
spirited for Mr. Booker, who hates to have his sweet temper ruffled, and will 
rather suffer matters to go a little wrong sometimes, than give his 
righteous spirit any uneasiness. He is very honest, and would make an 
admirable overseer where servants will do as they are bid. But eye-servants, 
who want abundance of overlooking, are not so proper to be committed to 
his care. I found myself out of order, and for that reason retired early ; yet 
with all this precaution had a gentle fever in the night, but towards morning 
nature set open all tier gates, and drove it out in a plentiful perspiration. 
