old Indian field to be seen, which shows it was formerly inhabited by them, but I believe not within these fifty years, for there is scarce one of the Cape Fear Indians, or the Waccumaws, that can give any account of it. There is plenty of deer, wild turkeys, geese, and ducks, and fish in abundance; we shot sufficient to serve forty men, though there was but six of us. We went almost round it, but there is on the north-east side a small cypress swamp, so deep that we could not go through it; we returned back again on a direct line, being resolved to find how far it was on a straight course from the north-west branch of Cape Fear river, which we found did not exceed ten miles.

We returned back to Mr. More's that same night, having satisfied our curiosity, and the next morning set out with an intent to take a view of the north-east branch, on which there is a great deal of good land, but not in my opinion, for the generality, so good as on the north-west, but I think the river is much more beautiful. We lay that first night at Newtown, in a small hut, and the next day reached Rocky Point, which is the finest place in all Cape Fear. There are several very worthy gentlemen settled there, particularly Colonel Maurce More, Captain Herne, John Swan, Esq., and several others. We stayed there one night, and the next morning set out on horseback to take a view of the land backwards, imagining that there might be only a skirt of good land on the river, but I am sure I rode for above twenty miles back, through nothing but black walnut, oak and hickory; we returned the same night to Rocky Point, and the next morning set out for a plantation belonging to Mr. John Davis, within six miles of Brunswick, where I was a second time taken ill, so that I thought I should have died; but by the providence of God, and the care of good Mrs. Davis, I recovered in a fortnight's time, so that I was able to set out on my journey to South Carolina. I took leave of that worthy family on the 10th of August, when she was so kind as to force me to take a bottle of shrub, and several other things with me. I reached Mr. Roger More's the same night, where I was again handsomely received, but being resolved to set out on my journey the next morning, he generously offered me a horse to carry me to the house where I was obliged to leave mine on the road, as likewise a servant to attend me, which I refused. I left his house the next

morning, being the 11th of August, at half an hour after seven, and reached Brunswick by eight. I set out from thence about nine, and about four miles from thence met my landlord of Lockwood Folly, who was in hopes I would stay at his house all night. About two I arrived there with much difficulty, it being a very hot day, and myself very faint and weak, when I called for a dram, and to my great sorrow found not one drop of rum, sugar, or lime juice in the house, (a pretty place to stay all night indeed,) so was obliged to make use of my own bottle of shrub, which made me resolve never to trust the country again on a long journey. About five I ferried over in order to proceed to Captain Hernes's; but about half way between that and Charlotte met him going to Brunswick. About eight I reached little Charlotte, where I waited for the ferry-boat till nine, in which time I had like to have been devoured by musquetoes; about half an hour after I arrived at Captain Hernes's, and, thank God, met with good entertainment. I slept very well all the night, and in the morning, about ten, set out on my journey to Little river, and reached there about three. I met with a very prating fellow there, that diverted me very much. I immediately ordered my horse to be got up, but to my great grief found him in a worse condition than when I left him, the negroes having rode him to that degree without a saddle, that he had a swelling in the middle of his back as big as my double fist, which hindered my proceeding in my journey that night as I intended; but by applying things to his back, it broke before morning, which in some measure eased him. At seven the next morning I left his house, and by eight reached the Long bay. When I was about half way over the bay, I intended to stop at the next spring and take a tiff of punch; but by some unfortunate accident, I know not how, when I came within sight of the spring, my bottle unluckily broke, and I lost every drop of my shrub; but examining my bags, I accidentally found a bottle of cherry brandy, with some gingerbread and cheese, which I believe good Mrs. More ordered to be put up unknown to me. I drank two drams of that, not being willing it should all be lost in caseit should break, and mounting my horse, took some gingerbread and cheese in my hand and pursued my journey, and by eleven reached Bulloyns, or the end of the bay; by eight I reached Murrels, where I met with plenty of rum,

sugar, and lime juice, and a good pasture for my horse, but no corn. The next morning I set out from thence, and by noon reached Masters's, or Winneaw ferry; but the ferry-boat being gone adrift, could not get over till near ten at night, after I had supped upon a wild turkey. The next morning I set out from Shingleton's, or the ferry on the other side, and the same night reached Daubuth's. The next morning I set out from thence, and about two miles from the house met with a possum, which is very like a little pig; it has a false belly, so that when they have young ones, if you fright them, they immediately run into the bag, which closes up immediately. I reached Witton's by noon, and had my possum dressed for dinner; the same night I reached Mr. More's in Goose creek, and the next night I arrived at Charleston, on the 7th day of August, where I remained till the 23d of November, when I set sail for England, and arrived safe in London on the 3d of January, 1734-5.

A CURIOUS ACCOUNT OF THE INDIANS.

BY AN HONORABLE PERSON.

THERE seems to be a door opened to our colony, towards the conversion of the Indians. I have had many conversations with their chief men, the whole tenor of which shows that there is nothing wanting to their conversion, but one, who understands their language well, to explain to them the mysteries of religion; for as to the moral part of Christianity they understand it and do assent to it. They abhor adultery, and do not approve of a plurality of wives. Theft is a thing not known among the Creek nations, though frequent, and even honorable, amongst the Uchees. Murder they look on as a most abominable crime, but do not esteem the killing of an enemy, or one that has injured them, murder. The passion of revenge, which they call honor, and drunkenness, which they learn from our traders, seem to be the two greatest obstacles to their being truly Christians. But upon both these points they hear reason, and with respect to drinking rum, I have weaned those near me a good deal from it. As for revenge, they say, as they have no executive power of justice amongst them, they are forced to kill the man who has injured them, in order to prevent others from doing the like; but they do not think that any injury, except adultery or murder, deserves revenge. They hold that if a man commits adultery, the injured husband is obliged to have revenge, by cutting off the ears of the adulterer, which if he is too sturdy and strong to submit to, then the injured husband kills him the first opportunity he has to do it with safety. In cases of murder, the next in blood is obliged to kill the murderer, or else he is looked on as infamous in the nation

where he lives; and the weakness of the executive power is such, that here is no other way of punishment but by the revenger of blood, as the Scripture calls it. For there is no coercive power in any of their nations. Their kings can do no more than to persuade. All the power they have is no more than to call their old men and captains together, and to propound to them the measures they think proper. After they have done speaking, all the others have liberty to give their opinions also; and they reason together with great temper and modesty, till they have brought each other into some unanimous resolution: then they call in the young men, and recommend to them the putting in execution the resolution, with their strongest and most lively eloquence. And, indeed, they seem to me, both in action and expression, to be thorough masters of true eloquence. In speaking to their young men, they generally address to the passions: in speaking to their old men they apply to reason only. Tomo Chichi, in his first set speech to me, among other things, said, here is a little present; and then gave me a buffalo's skin, painted on the inside with the head and feathers of an eagle. He desired me to accept it, because the eagle signified speed and the buffalo strength. That the English were as swift as the bird, and as strong as the beast; since, like the first, they flew from the utmost parts of the earth over the vast seas, and, like the second, nothing could withstand them. That the feathers of the eagle were soft, and signified love; the buffalo's skin warm, and signified protection; therefore he hoped that we would love and protect their little families. One of the Indians of the Cherokee nation being come down to the governor, told him, that he need fear nothing, but might speak freely. He answered smartly, I always speak freely; what should I fear? I am now among my friends, and I never feared even among my enemies. Another instance of their short manner of speaking was, when I ordered one of the Carolina boatmen, who was drunk, and had beaten an Indian, to be tied to a gun, till he was sober, in order to be whipped; Tomo Chichi came to me, to beg me to pardon him, which I refused to do, unless the Indian, who had been beaten should also desire the pardon for him. Tomo Chichi desired him so to do, but he insisted upon satisfaction; upon which Tomo Chichi said, O Fonseka, (for that was his name) this Englishman being drunk, has beat you; if he is whipped