A Tour in the United States of America [2]

Citation preview

A

'

TO 1

U

R

N T H E

JNITED STATES O

F

AMERICA. VOL.

11,

•In ftruggling with misfortunes Lies the true proof of virtue.

Shakspeare,

——Cold, hunger, prifons, ills without a cure All thefe men muft, and guiltlefs, oft endure. Permitted laurels grace the lawlefs brow, rais'd, the worthy caft below.

Th'unworthy

Faith flies, and Piety in exile mourns, Andjuftice, here opprefs'd, to Heav'n returns.

DRrDE>?

;

IN

THE

UNITED STATES O F

AMERICA: CONTAINING

An Account of the Present Situation

of

that Country ;

The Population, Agriculture, Commerce, Customs, and Manners of the Inhabitants of feveral Members of the CONGRESS, General Officers in the American Army ;

Anecdotes and

AND Many

other very lingular and interefting Occurrences.

WITH A

INDIAN

NATIONS, the general Defcription of the Face of the Country, Mountains, Forefts, Rivers, and the moft beautiful, grand, and pidturefque Views throughout that vail Continent.

LIKEWISE Improvements

in

Husbandry

By

may be adopted with Europe.

that

great Advantage in

x^< \\o

^:.a -z/"^^

N T

O

C

N

E

CHAP. Harhours.

The Manner

Number

St. Auguftine.

Apalache.

-

-

CHAP.

St.

gular Floors

Stone

to the

^larry

Mufquitto River. =

Loyalifs take Refuge in

LI.

?iear St.

Prices of

it.

Rates of travelling.

Co;:i7;2odiiies

Figure. hahitants.

Produce.

India?!

War.

23

The FJvers The Town

Georgians made a poor

Number of hiValue of Land. Staple Commodities and Rates of travelling. Value of annual Ex-

Flourifjing State of Georgia.

-

and Imports.

CHAP. giifa, Ninety-Six, II.

-

40

,

Set out for CharleS'Town.

Vol.

and

LIT.

Alatarnaha, Great Ogetchee, and Savannah.

of Savannah.

Si/i-

thin!\^Jl'tlled.

Leave Ecfr Florida.

Sicknefs.

Cul-

Augufine.

-

CHAP. Recover from

ports

U

»

Eaf Florida

Houfes.

I

John' s-River.

male Sugar on Mufqultto-River failed.

ture of Sugar.

Stock.

Page

Defcription of the

and Difances.

Indian Towns.

to

Prodigious

L.

Journey by Land.

Country,

Rivers,

Heads.

Difances of Places.

Rivers.

Florida.

Their

they flatten their

CHAP.

Attempts

Great Extent

\jfc.

of Inhabitants in IVef Florida.

Fertility of the Soil.

S.

Beautiful Coruitry and

Choclaw Nation, or Flat-headed Indians.

Coaf.

Difpofition.

Eaji

,

XLIX.

Remarkable Places, Rivers, Bays, of the Rivers.

T

\S'c.

LIII.

Afterwards proceed Culture of Indigo. a

to

Au-

Culture

of

CONTENTS. Culture of Cottan.

of Rrcc.

Of

try.

of the

tility

Dcfcription of the Count,

Of

the Sea-Conjl.

Excellence of the Climate^

Soil.

CHAP. Method of

in

Toivn.

North-Carolina.

Sonml.

C

A

PI

Difagreeahle

Tar and

Vajl Profit in snaking

"77

and unhealthy.

Turpentine.

for making Pitchy Tar^ and Turpentine. North-Carolina.

Bath-

Albemarle

LV.

P.

Dcfcription of the Country.

Fort Jchn-

Neivbern.

Edinton.

-

Sound.

5i

Wil-

George-Toiun. Brunf^uick.

General Hoxve.

Pamphlico

Fer-

Page

Vajl Herds of Cattle.

Port-Royal.

j^niericati

fon.

Isfc.

LIV.

Land.

clearing the

Charles-Toivn.

mington

Back Country.

the

Proccfs

Exports of

South-Carolina and Virginia flmre

The great great Part of the Trade of North-Carolina. Swamp. The Great Difmal. HarAlligator. Difnial bour for luild Becfis and

C

PI

runaway Negroes.

A

Arrive at

.Leave Edinton.

Virginia.

Dc-

Pagan's Creek.

Crofs

in

Suffolk

Srnithfield.

fcription of Suffolk.

94

LVI.

P.

Arrive at Williamffames-River at Hog-Ifland. Part with Mr. Morris. College of William

hurg.

and

Mary

Return

to

in it

In threjhing the Chaff.

it

In getting

out of the

103

it

Straw.

in

wnd facking

In cleaning

it

A Machitie for that Purpcfe defcribed. C

PI

A

Improvements in cropping. vjith only the

4

-

LVIL In the Culture of Wheat.

Farrning.

down.

Edu-

it.

former favage and

-

CHAP. Improvements

their

-

uncivilized State.

In cutting

Foundation of

at Willi.- mfburg.

cation of Indians.

P.

it.

from llo

LVIII.

Three Crops from one Field

Labour ufed

in one.

Virginia

Method

CONTENTS. cf cultivating Tobacco.

Commencement of

Infpecl'wg

Dtfiifed at the

it.

Great Frauds and Im-

the Revolt.

now praSfifed in the Tobacco Trade. Different of Tobacco. Annual Exports of Virginia and Maryland. Annual Imports. Page 123

pofitions

Species

CHAP. Set out

of

071

The Potomach, a

another Journey.

A

it.

LIX. Defcription

General Wajlnngton*

mojl beautiful River.

A?i Account of him and Airs. Wa/hington-.

Falmouth.

Chota?ih,

named Dr. Mercer^ an Ame" The Rappahannock. The Northern Ati

Frederick/hurg.

Innkeeper^

fVeeden^ an American General. '

rican

General.

Creek of Virginia.

and

in

The Great Kanhaivah

Bufj-Fighting.

trates into the

Towns y

Green Briar River.

War.

The Earl of Dunmore -

atid concludes a Peace.

io Colonel

Lewis's.

Iron JVorhs.

Colchefer.

LX. Dumfries.

Gcquaquan-River.

General

Port Tobacco.

mofl elegant Situation and Seat belonging to a Catholic Priefl:

Their

A profligate

of beautiful Slaves.

of landed Propert'^.

St.

Mary's,

Annapolis. Baltimore. Its fourfjjing Condition. ber of Inhabitants in

Maryland.

CHAP. The

A

Roman

Eflabli/Jjments of the Jefuits in Jllary-

Harams

Eflimation

Priefl.

their

141

Frederickfhurg.

Pifcatiaiva River.

Wafljifigton.

land.

pene-

Heart of 'the Indian Country, burns

CHAP. Return

A Stra-

Indians defeated.

Severe AElion.

Ohio.

tagem

Stanton.

Indian

Colonel Leiuis.

-

NufJi-

174

LXL

Haraffmehts on account of Political Opinions^ Sefitiments^ and Impart

Rebellion breaking out.

Loyalty. tiality

of the Author.

The Alanner of forming the frfl and the Perfons nvho coin-

Congrefs's Co?7lmittees, isfc.

pofed

ther/ji

Againf

the private Inclinations of a great

a 2

Majority

CONTENTS. People.

Maj'jrity of the

Stroke or Meafure,

Politic

Alex~

Severe Perfecutions and extreme Hard/hips, andria.

CHAP. A

to

LXII.

Lower

Elli Ridge.

Itiver.

London Tavern.

A Hurricane.

Severn River.

Examined hy

Taken

to fly

a?id ten

Li extreme Pain.

Rebels.

the '

C H A Set out for the Miffiffippi.

Taken very

Mof

Refcued. -

-

Efcape.

Miles on Foot

P.

perilous

-

204

LXIII.

hi a miferahle State of Health,

Character of the Inhabitants.

Port-Royal.

ill.

Betrayed by a falfe Friend.

Situations.

by

My

Obliged

Exhaufted and overcome

Nottingham.

Fatigue.

Dangerous

Patapjco-

the Committee.

killed.

Travel an hundred

Safety.

Annapohs.

Baltimore.

Servant tarred^ featheredy and

in t^uQ Days.

Upper Marl-

Mnrlhoroiigh.

^leen Anne.

borough,

Patuxent River.

tarred and feathered.

Loyalifl

ivith

83

countenance the general Revolt of the Colonies.

Benedi& Town.

for

1

The Place where General WuJlAngton firjl

Alexaituria,

began

Page

-

-

Anecdote

of an wfortunat'e young Gentleman. Arrive at BlandRoyal Standard erected at Norfolk. Repair to

ford.

upon

Seized

it.

nioiith.

Wait

at^ainfl as

a Spy,

my

take

'^tion

of

Court-Hoife.

on the

Efcape.

Arrive at Portf-

Earl of Dunmore.

Leave Portfnouth.

Lformed Over-

Suffolk.

Taken Prifoner.

Sit out again for Norfolk.

Country alarmed.

Refuge

culties.

Surry

People^ t^c. at Alaherren.

EfcTipe.

Tidie

at

on Nanfemond-River.

Sleepy PIols

in the

Great Difmal Swamp.

Dreadful Conflagration.

it.

Arrive again at Port/mouth.

for a Spy.

A Dejcrip"

Afloni/hlng Diffi-

SufpeBed again

Servant carried on Board the Governor's

Ship by a Guard.

6

Servant examined cvid aa^uitied. 224

C

fI

A

P.

CONTENTS. CHAP. Mtnhark on an Expedition ceed up the Potonmck. derich '

Town^ a

LXIV.

Pafs through Maryland.

Great Valley.

Nature of

of our Money.

Manner

Danger at Frederick To%un.

the Ice

and ivade

Robbed

by a

to

deep Rivers.

Freak

Wounded and

lame.

pufh fortvard for Detroit and P^omantic Situation.

in.

Con-

Illi?wis.

Fort

Crofs the Alleo-anv

Retaken by mere Accident on the Tohiogeny-

Mountains.

-

River.

LXV.

Caufe of Life being preferved.

Iiifiances offingular

Bound with

treatment and Barbarity. before

Page 243

-

CHAP.

Mal-

ExaTown. A Committee and their Examina-

the Committee

curious Defcription of the tion.

and

Deep Snoiu.

Man that I had placed Confidence

Cumberland.

rnijied

Fall through

Efcape.

Aftotiifhing Danger's

Flv into the Mountains.

Fatigue.

curious

Confined and in great

of fecreting Papers.

the Ice into the Potomack.

Robbed

A

the Expedition.

Taken

Connigo-

Extremely ahufed and maltreated.

cheaguc.

tinue

Funks Town.

Defcription of it.

Hagar's Toivn.

Prijoner.

Pr^ Frf

Bach Country .

the

to

Cords.

at Frederick

Great Danger of being murdered.

Coffined in

Xork Toivn Gaoly where a mofi worthy Loyal fi Dr. Kerf.ey was the?! a Prifo?ier. His SufieringSy and tragical Fate.

Crofs the Sufquehannah

c?i

the Ice.

An

Accpunt of Lancafier^ York Town, and the Sufquehannah. Arrival at Philadelphia. Carried before the dmgrefs. barity.

ficed.

Sent

to

Prifon.

Suffer

unparalleled

Health declining fofi^ and expeEl IVrote fome Verfes upon the

coal.

-

Xnfupportable

Promifed

Wall with Char-

-

CHAP. Severity. better

-

270

LXVI.

Brought

Treatment.

Bar-

to be facri-

before

the

Congrefs,

Captain Campbell and

General

CONTENTS. General Pre/cot

ill

Their

viftt us.

Thrown

Subfi/lcd only on

Dungeon tuhere

Philadelphia expected

Congrefs fly

marched

and

the

Head of

attacked by the Britifh

Newport^

OpidencCy

Trade, and -

tants in Pennfylvania.

CHAP. Their Behaviour.

A curious

and thrown

teery

Number of InhabiPage 286

LXVII.

The Captain

Guard.

Defcription of the

Rebels.

Chriflecn-Bridge^

Elk.

Shocking Infance of Brutality Defcription of Philadelphia and the De-

at Nenvport.

ter.

ive ahnofl perifhed.

Army. Twenty Britip Prifoners through Derby ^ Marcus Hooh^ Branto be

Wilmington^

laware.

Greater Seve-

Bread and Water.

Baltimore.

to

in Irons

dywincy

and Abufe.

Illiberality

into the

hy

A Committee of the Cohgrejs fent to

than ever.

rities

Our Lives endangered

treated.

rigid Confinement.

Scene.

into the

by

Trade a Por^

Meet feveral Companies of Put on board of a PrivaHold in IrOns. Infidtcd and

maltreated by two American Colonels, by Trade, one a-

Hatter, the other a Lighterman.

Congrefs difapprove of this Lenity, change

Inhabitants.

the

Guard, and order us

rity.

^f^

Eff^^

Chefapeak.

Arrive at Baltimore.

Kindly and generoufly treated by the

Irons taken of.

to be

Efcape,

Land on

o?ie

treated luith great Seve-

retaken.

the Eaftern Shore.

-

come Reception.

down

Mof

Meet with a

Find Friends.

ing Situation.

Set fail

alarm-

mofl wel-

-

-

tbe

3^^

CHAP.

Offered

and

LXVIII. a Guard of two hundred Men.

accept of

tiut)

Decline

Receive the kindefl Afjiff-

Guides.

ance from many of the principal hihabitants. at Indian River.

The Roebuck

Falcon touched there,

Cruel

left

Arrive

that Station.

The

but luould not take us on board.

Difappoiniment.

Loyalifts.

if,

InfurrcEiion

Ardour and Zeal of of

the

Loyalifls.

the

Perfuade both

.

.CONTENTS. Fnendjlnp and Kindnefs of the of the Women. CharaEler

hoth Sides to difperfc. Jlden,

and great

Goodiiefs

Deep Snoiu. Difcover of the American Ladies. fame Ships. Set out in a Canoe. Driven out to Sea in a dark flormy Night.

Dreadful

Prefon

dentally difcover the

Acci-

Situation.

in a prodigious thick Fog.

Received on board by Commodore Hotham and all the

A

of the Prejlon.

Officers

Canoe, and blows the Ship out

CHAP. Capture.

"Toiu.

on board the Daphne.

Excellent

Regu-

Bard.

AffeBing Story of a beautiful young Set fail for New Tork with the Prize Ship in

lations on

Lady.

Page 325

LXIX.

Singular Circumfa?zce attending the

^ake a fine Prize.

Go

Hurricane defrays the to Sea.

New

Arrival at

miral and General.

Wait upon

Tork.

Meet with

-

-

Acquaintances

the

CHAP.

Ad-

Friends and

inafiy

349

LXX.

Vift the BritfJj Pofs and the Works thrown up by the ^

Danbury

America^ns.

Inhofpitality

Hartford.

and

Connecticut^

Defcription of

New

fcription of Strait.

it.

Tork.

Sand Banks. Staten Ifland.

361

and advantaLong Ifand. De-

Its delightful

Hell Gates

.^

Defcription thereof.

AccouJit of them.

Bofon.

-

LXXI.

Fort Wajhington.

geous Situation.

Bay and

Providetice. -

CHAP.

Their

of Inhabitants in

MaJJachufets

Newport.

Portfmouth.

England.

k^c.

ConneBicut River.

Number

Haven.

Rhode Ifand^

Neiu Hampfire. Salem.

Inhabitants^

Inquiftivenefs.

New

Neiv

Expedition.

Accotmt of the Country^

a dreadful a?id dangerous

Hampfead Plains.

A very fngular InfeEl.

An

Dangerous

Lofs of the Liverpool. Defcription of Account of the North River. Mohaivks

Rivery and Hudfon^s River.

Alban"^.

Trade of Neiu Tork,

CONTENTS. Tork.

Dutch

Fire.

C H A

Neiu York and has

of

Prince Town,

lington.

New

LXXIL

P.

Defcripfujn

Jerje'j.

jsifsy-

Produce Jrjipped froi^

Philadelphia.

Different

395

The Winds and Wea-

North America.

Particular Defcrip-

Number of Inhabitants

of the Mountains.

"Jerfey.

in

War. LXXIII.

during the

Climate extremely cold in Winter.

tion

Towns

This Province

CHAP. to

Bur^

Perth-Anihoy.

it.

iD'c.

Pemarhahle Cataract.

fu-ffered greatly

ther peculiar

of Souls

Page 372

-

~

in the Province.

New

Number

Inhabitants.

The whole Number

in

New

United States of Great Proportion of Negroe Slaves. Aflo-

America.

in all the

and alarming Decreafe in Population. Extreme Weahiefs of the American States, and their Wa?it of

niPping

Refources.

Ahfolutel^ unable to defend themfelves in any -

-

future War.

C

A

li

Brief Account of what

402

LXXIV.

P.

befel feveral

of the Perfons for-

The FelThe poorfriend-

merly mentioned in the Courfe of this Work.

me

in the

Englifj Girl.

The

low who lefs

robbed

Mountains.

tyrannical barbarous Gaoler.

The brutal Dutch Guard. changed. grefs

and

Cameron ex-

Captain

Extraordinary Refolve of the America?i Conthe

Anfwer

to

Col. Connolly in

it.

quence thereof returned a Prijoner of

changed>

-

Confeqiiences

4^^

LXXV.

Watal Termination of the War. Countries.

Confe-

and ex-

-

-

CHAP.

War

to

Inaufpicious

to

both

America of Separation

from Great Britain, and of Independence. Confequcnces of their Conneaions and Alliance with France. Op" preffion. Depopulation,

of Reftdence.

^c. of America.

Refections

concerning

hcyalifs of every Defcription,

Unft Place the

-

American 445

OUR IN T H

£

iJNITtD STATES of AMERICA.

CHAP.

XLIX.

Remarkable Places, Rivers, Bays, cf the Rivers,

Great Extent

ChoBaiv Nation, or Flat-headed Indians.

Coajl.

Their

tlfc.

Beautiful Country and

Harbours.

Difpofition.

The Manner

Number of

Heads.

Prodigious Fertility of the

TO

they flatten

Inhabitants Soil.

in

Wef

their

Florida.

Diflances of Places.

Weft Florida on the

return to

eaftern fide of the Mifliflippi, after

this long digfeffion

conclufion of the

on the

firft

weft,

volume,

at it

the

may

not be improper to mention moft of the

remarkable places, rivers, bays, &c. be-

VoL,

II.

B

gining

A

2

ginning eaflern

The

Tour

in the

Apalachicola River, being the

at

boundary of the province. Apalachicola derives

its

fource, in

the province of South Carolina,

near the

heads of the rivers Alatamaha, Savannah, Santee, and Cherokee or Holfton

;

it

is

formed by two large branches, the eafiern River, and

the Flint

is

the weftern

is

Cattahouachee River.

Each of

thefe branches

have feveral very

large water- courles falling into them, and

on

banks are the different towns

their

of the upper, middle, and

lower Creek

nations, a particular defcription and even

the recapitulation of the

names of which

v/ould be only tirefome and difagreeable.

From and

the fource of the

Flint

River,

Cattahouachee River, to the mouth

of the Apalachicola

is

about fix hundred

miles in a direct line, and perhaps feven

hundred and

The

fifty

including the meanders.

Apalachicola enters the

Mexico

in

min. N.

lat.

twenty-nine deg.

and

Cape Efcondido,

fifteen miles

gulf of

forty-three

N. E. from

or St. Bias.

There

of America*

tJnited States

There

Is

fome

g

difficulty In finding this

opening, becaufe of the number of iflands

and lakes before and about it

is

it,

and although

whofe mouth forms

a noble river,

a fpacious harbour, yet

it

has

not

more

than the depth of two and a half, or three

fathoms of water but within

The

it

is

at moft,

over the bar,

very deep and large. higher up in this river

tide flows

than in any other on the

coaft, viz.

about

fifty miles*

The country here

is

a perfect level,

and

perceived a double current on this

there

Is

coaft,

one from the weft, and another from

the fouth, in the gulf of Mexico.

Proceedmg weft from hence, the next is

Andrew

the bay of St.

St. Jofeph,

which

;

then the bay

long, and eight wide, and has very

anchorage in four,five or

Weft of this which

is

The which

the

fix

good

fathoms water.

bay of Santa Rofa,

large and extenfive.

next is

is

of^

about thirteen miles

is

is

road of Penfacola,

the

one of the

B

beft in all the gulf

2

of

Mexico^

,

4

^

Mexico,

and

Tour

in the

can

veflels

in

lie

fafety

therein againfl every kind of wind.

The bottom and

fhells,

bay

is

is

fandy,

is

but mixed vvith

excellent for anchorage

capable of containing a great

of {hips, and

ha:s fufficient

there being never

lefs

feet over the bar,

in

:

the

number

depth of water,

than

twenty-one

the middle of the

channel.

The upon

tides are

all

irregular here, as well as

the reft of this coaft.

has been remarked

is,

All

that

that in the fpace of

twenty-four hours the tide ebbs out of the

harbour from eighteen to nineteen hours,

and

is

from

five to fix

hours flowing back

again, and the greateft difference that hath

been found between high and low water is

about three

feet,

on

certain days lefs, at

other times without increafe or diminution,

although the currents are changing

daily, but with

no regularity.

The town of ina fandy

Penfacola

fterile foil,

and

is

is

fituated

a fmall dif-

agreeable place.

9

But

^

United States of America,

But the

fined:

bay

5

in all Tlorida, or in-

deed in the gulf of Mexico,

that of

is

Mobile, which forms a moft noble and fpaclous harbour,

miles broad, run-

fix

ning thirty miles north, and to the feveral

mouths of the Alibama or Mobile River, and the Alibamous. anchorage, and

whole

very good

capable of containing the

Britifh navy.

The by

is

It affords

river

Mobile or Alibama

five confiderable rivers,

their rife

among

is

which

formed

alfo take

the Chickefaws,

Upper

Creeks, and Cherokee nations, running three hundred and fifty miles in a direct courfe,

and with

meanders above

its

fix

hundred. river confifts of

This

two large

pal branches, each of which

is

divided into,

The Weftern

or formed

by many

branch

is

properly the Mobile

which

is

the largeft,

others.

is

princi-

;

named

the Eaft,

the Ali-

bama, or Alibamous,

The Mobile or weftern branch by the l:iicbe,

rivers

is

formed

Sookhanatcha, the

Tum-

and the Tafcaloofa, the two

B3

laffc

of

A

6

Tour in the

of which take their

rife in

the Chickefaw

nation.

Weft of

the

is

firft

a ridge of

moun-

running nearly north and fouth,

tains,

parallel to the river.

And tains

is

which

weftward

to

Dog

fall

ftill

of thefe

moun-

River and Roebuck River,

into

the Mobile,

about

fifty

miles below the jundion.

The Alibama

is

formed by the Cabo,

the Pataga Nahchee, the Great Koofah,

and the Okwhufke Rivers, which take their rife in the country of the Upper Creeks, and Over-hills Cherokees.

The conjundion of thefe large is

branches

above eighty or ninety miles

above

point Mobile.

The only Mobile

is

confiderable rivers weft of the

the

Pafquagoula River, and

Pearl River, both of which are navigable for a great diftance,

and take

Chodaw

and

their

Chickefaw

between

the

nations,

being compofed of a

pf

beautiful

fivulets,

branches,

and

running through

rife

number

delightful

the

richeft

landsj

United States of America, lands,

y

and moft charming country

in the

world.

The Chodaws, live

on

thefe

or Fkt-headed Indians,

laft

mentioned

have a vaft number of

tion

and

towns and

fine

excellent plantations, being to agriculture than

rivers,

more

inclined

any other Indian na-

They

on the continent.

are a ftrong

^nd powerful nation, for Indians, but not war, and are very peaceable

addided

to

and well

difpofed.

However they

are generally at variance

with the Creek nations, betwixt

and thefe there has long

fubiifted

whom an he-

reditary enmity.

They

are

more numerous than the

Creeks, being able to bring five thoufand warriors into the field

;

but the Creeks are

much the moll warlike nation. The Cho^taws or Flat-heads fo

named

from having their foreheads flattened

in their infancy, ,

are

by

a fmall

bag of fand

compreffed on their foreheads while they are at the breaft,

when they

are tied

board with a hole cut tlirqiigb

B4

it

on a

for the

back

8

A

'

back parts of

in the

I'our

and while the

their heads,

enough

to

be fufceptible of

the impreflion, which

is

continued con-

cranium

is

foft

become of a firmer

flantly until the bones

contexture, and retain the flatnefs, occafioned

by

this preflure,

always afterwards.

This gives them a more difagreeable appearance, and

hideous afped: than

any

other nation, and they fuffer more of their

remain on

hair to

other Indians do,

pulled out

their heads

who

by the

than any

generally keep

roots,

it

all

excepting a cir-

cular fpot of about three inches diameter,

exadlly on the back part of the crown of the head,

only the

monly wear any of

their hair without pulling

all

out.

it

Weft

women, who com-

Florida

was

in a very flourifhing

condition, for an infant country

tlements increafed fo that

had

we

to Spain,

faft

;

the fet-

on the Miffiffippj,

not ceded the whole province

imagined the

it is

capital

muft

have been removed from Penfacola, to a place

named Monchack, on

the Mifliflippi

;

and had

the banks of

this

been done before

United States of America.

9

before the war, the Spaniards would cer-

have found greater

tainly

making aconqueftof which

The

is

in

this fine province, if

they had been able to have all,

difficulty

efte*3:ed

it

at

indeed extremely doubtful.

higheft of our fettlements on the

river Miffiffippi

The fertility

is

the Natches;

of the

upon

foil

this river is

indeed aftonilhing, and appears incredible to

one

fippi.

from

who

has never been on the Miffif-

Mr. Edmond Gray removed St.

John's River in

Eafl;

there

Florida in

the year one thoufand feven hundred and feventy-four, w^ith fix hands (or ilaves),

and made a crop the fame year of upwards of two thoufand bufhels of Indian corn,

with hand hoes only, and alfo cleared the

ground from the woods, befides conftrud:ing temporary habitations (log houfcs) to refide in.

Land was

alfo

at

that

time

remarkably cheap to purchafe.

Their

commodities

provifions, indigo,

are

Indian

corn,

and lumber.

Their indigo bears

a higher price than

any other, excepting that of

St.

Domingo or

A

lo

I'our in the

or Hifpaniola, from the fuperior ricbnels

and

fertility

of the

on which

foil

duced, and they generally

hundred and

of

pro-

make about one

weight a Ihare, that

fifty

Have they work

for each

it is

in

is,

the culture

it.

The

country

healthy, efpecially about

is

the Natches, with a moft delightful happy climate, the \v inters

fummers temperate, and the

mild.

There

are judged to be above

hundred families greateft part of Miffiflippi-

tions

Wefl

which

And

the

the

Florida,

are fettled

on the

mod numerous

of Indians on the continent

this part of

I

in

twelve

nain

are,

America, of feveral of which

have already given fome account. From Penfacoia to New Orleans

is

above one hundred miles, to Manchack one hundred and eighty, to Natches two hundred, to Yaflbus two twenty, and to

St.

hundred

and,

Auguftine' about three

hundred and twenty miles.

CHAP-

linked States of Amerka.

CHAP. Eaji Florida, Rivers. Apalache.

L. St.

Journey by Land.

Auguftine.

1

RiverSy Country ^ and Di/lances.

John's River. St. Defcription of the

JMufquitto River.

Indian Tcivns.

DURING

the whole of this voyage

we had been

hitherto

fo fortunate

as to be favoured with the fineft

weather

imaginable, and had fcarcely been out of fight of land; it

that one

Ihore,

fometimesindeedfovery near

might have pitched a

bifcuit

on

and fometimes remaining two or

three days in one place, at leaft with our veffel only, for

on fuch occafions we would

frequently ramble a great diftance from the fpot

where we landed.

Throughout J frequently

this

very delightful voyage

took great pleafure in con-

templating on the rich and bountiful hand

of nature

way

I

:

for let

pleafed,

I

me

caft

my

eyes which

was equally attraded

with a view of the moft ravifhing profpeds.

The

A

It

The

Tour

in the

fhore level, rifing

gradually into

eminences clothed with the

ver-

fineft

dure, and moil beautiful fpontaneous pro-

promifcuouuy interfperfed,

ductions

as

mulberry, cedar both red and white, cyprefs, cocoa, vanella,

laft

towering with their round tops

above the riority,

faf-

and cabbage-trees, &c.

fafrafs, live-oak,

the

maho, tupelo,

as if confcious of

reft,

its

fupe-

and fovereign dignity.

I alfo qbferved

plots of ground,

along

this coaft feveral

which appeared

be like clumps or

clufters

of

to

trees,

me

to

and a

kind of houfes furrounded with pleafant gardens and corn.

Soon

after,

we

arrived at St.

Mark

de

Apalache, in Eaft Florida, on the northera extremity of the bay of Apalaches, fourteen miles diftant from the fea, on the north-eaft fide of the river of Apalache, or St.

Mark's.

This place

is

exceedingly healthful and

pleafant, ftanding

on the Hope of a hill, and

has been tolerably regular, being built of ftone, excepting

fome few barackas.

There

United States of America.

13

the

appearance of the

exterior parts of the

town having been

There

mode, rather

in the Spanitli

fortified

defence

alfo

is

I

as

a

fuppofe againft the natives than

Europeans

but the whole at prefent

;

is

in

aftate of utter ruin.

From

and central

the excellent

tion of this fine port

good trade

in

its

own

it

was

it

Indeed

I

tains,

properly

might carry on a

&c. and

river,

rior parts, as far as the

fitua-

inte-

Apalachean moun-

fettled.

underftand

it

did

fo

in the:

time of the Spaniards, and was then looked

upon

to carry

on more commerce than

all

the other fettlements in Florida put together.

There was once bay, and there

is

pearl fifhery in this

faid to

fome confiderable at the foot

a

be a

diilance

filver

up

this river,

of a mountain named Yamezee.

Apalache or Ogelagena

river enters the

bay of Apalache about forty miles '

eafliward

mine

to the

of Apalachioola River, and

rifes

about one hundred and thirty miles from the fea, in the confines of Georgia. It

-^ ^our in the

14 It is

note in the

known

not

all its

bay,

to receive

courfe,

until

when one

any

it

river

of

comes near

confiderable

river

named Tagabona enters into it. The Apalache is a very fine river, and

its

entrance forms a large bay, which has

fome fhallows and rocks from the land, but five fathom water.

The Is

in the middle there

mouth of

courfe into the

north, and within

This place

is

a

from the Tortugas, and found foundings,

is

this river

good harbour.

north one quarter

lies

out

ftretching

well:

in the paflage are

at a great depth, all the

way.

A brifk

trade

was formerly

carried

on

by fmall craft between this place and the Havannah, by the Spaniards. The old Spanifh town of St. Mark de Apalache-y from whence the bay derives its name, flands exadly GarcilafTo de la

in the

Vega

fame place that

fixes as the Port d*

Aute.

The

fort

was

built

on a fmall eminence,

furrounded by marfhes, fituated in the 3

fork

Unite J States of America.

fork of the two rivers

;

leagues diftance there

and

about two

at

on

is

ij

river

this

a

village of Apalachian Indians, called Santo

Juan, as

alfo

neigh-

foine others in the

bourhood.

The

country around

well fupplied with

becomes more vance into

From

mouth of St.

we

this river

is

Machalla

Auguftine, by a road

fifteen miles

from

it

twenty-four

;

;

is

St.

;

Ayavalla (an

miles

further

thefe are lituated

branches of the Rio Vafifa, which eighty miles

in

length,

is

is

on

about

and enters the

gulf of Mexico fifteen miles

St.

Marks

and eleven miles from thence

Matheo; both

St.

pro-

as folio va's.

is

old fort)

from

and

you ad-

the higher

and ten miles beyond

is St.

water,

it.

the

Ocon

beautiful, being

wood and

fertile

ceeded by land to

which

is

fouth-eaft

Marks; twenty-five miles from

Matheo

is

San Pedro, on the fouth fide

of the river San Pedro, which

is

one hun-

dred miles long, and enters the gulf of

Mexico feventy miles from

St.

Marks

;

eleven

A

l6

Tour in the

eleven miles from

and

San Pedro

miles

in twelve

is

Utoca|

more we came

to

Nuvoalla, fituated on the eaft fide of the Carolinian River, the courfe of which has

not yet been juflly afcertained, but there is

good reafon

very

to

fuppofe that

runs a fouth courfe into the Rio fura

;

eight

Ama-

from Nuvoalla

is

and in eight miles more we

Alochua,

come

miles

it

to Jurla

Noca.

All thefe places were formerly the ancient fettlements of the

who were iifh

drivefi

fettlement St.

from them, by the Eng-

from Carolina

hundred and

Atimucas Indians^

fix,

on an

in the year feventeen

and have fixed ifland

to

their

the eaft of

John's River, stbout fixty-five miles

fouth-weft from St. Auguftine, and their chief tow^n

Twenty-fix

we came

to

fettlement,

John, a

ftore,

call

Pueblo de Atimucas, miles

from Jurla Noca

what had once been a on the banks of the

Spanifti river St^

where a Mr. Spalding now has or retail warehoufe of merchan*

dize and European goods.

Through

XJniied States of America.

Though

the river St.

two miles broad, yet that

and two

which

is

diftant

from

the

By this

John

St.

ftage,

and

is

thirty miles

Auguftine.

roadSt. Auguftine is one hundred

The province of

Mark's.

St.

Eaft Florida

is

bounded

Gulf of Mexico, Apalachicola, which is

by the

vireft

and the

Picolata,

Fort

and eighty-eight miles from

on the

here only-

is

eight miles over

it is

iflands to

lafl:

1

river

formed by the conjunction of two the Catahouachee Flint River

on the weft, and the

on the

fluence a line

eaft

drawn

5

it is

river,

Atlantic Ocean,

the

on the north

from the con-

to the fource of St.

Mary's River, and that falls into

;

rivers,

and on the

eaft

until

it

bound

it

and fouth

bounded by the ocean, and the Gulf

of Mexico,

including

all

within fix leagues of the

From Cape the mouth of

&c.

iflands,

coaft.

Efcondido, or St. Blais, at the Apalachicola river, to

the confluence of the Catahouchee Flint Rivers north,

twenty

Vol.

is

and

one hundred and

ftatute miles. II.

C

From

.

•

A Tour in the

r8 at

From

this confluence to

Mary's River

St.

the

.to

mouth

is

the fource of

ninety miles, then

in a diredl line one

hun-

dred and twenty-five miles ; which makes the greatefl breadth of this province, eaft

two hundred and

weft,

to

from

fifteen

miles. Its greateft

viz.

length from north to fouth,

from the confluence of the Catahou-

chee and Flint rivers, to the

fouthern

extremity of the Cape of Florida,

hundred and

From

St.

Auguftine to the mouth of

mouth of

John's River, in the Atlantic Ocean,

to the neareft part of the is

four

fifty miles.

the Vafifa River, or from the St.

is

Gulf of Mexicoi

an hundred and twenty miles.

From

St.

called the

Auguftine

Cape, and

is

fouthward

it

Is

generally about

eighty or eighty-five miles acrofs, from eaft to weft, viz.

to the St.

from the Atlantic Ocean

Gulf of Mexico.

Auguftine, the capital, lies in twenty-

nine degrees

fifty

minutes north latitude the

ig

United States of America, the town runs along the

fhore,

at the

foot of a pleafant eminence adorned with trees. Its

form

regular

is

oblong, divided by four croffing

ftreets,

each

other

at

right angles.

Down

by the

of the harbour,

fide

about three-fourths of a mile fouth of the

town, flood the church, and formerly a monaftery, of St. Auguftine.

The

bell

built part of the

town

is

on

the north fide, leading to the caftle which is

named

The

St.

John's Fort.

Caftle

is

a fquare building of foft

Hone, fortified with whole baftions, having a rampart twenty feet high, with a parapet

nine feet thick, and

The town baftions,

it is

alfo

is

cafe-mated.

ftrengthened with

and enclofed with a ditch

:

the

whole well furnifhed with cannon.

The end of

harbour St.

is

formed by the north

Anaftafia or Matanza's Illand,

and a long point of land, divided from

C

2

the

A Tour m

ZQ continent

the

which

by the

falls into

the river

the fea a

St.

little

Mark,

above the

caftle.

At the

the entrance of this

nortii

harbour are

and fouth breakers, forming

two channels,

whofe bars

from

have

eight to nine feet water over

them

at

low

water.

On city,

the north and fouth, without the

are

two Indian towns.

There was formerly a

fitu-

little fort,

ated at the entrance of a river into the

town

river

Matanzas (on which

of

Augufline), about four miles fouth

St.

from the town, and

at the

There was another

is

the

end of a marfli*

fort

likewife, four

miles north from St. Auguftine,

called

Fort Mufa.

The

foil

about

St.

difagreeable, fandy, is

much

better

Augufline

and barren

on the

river

St.

is ;

very

but

it

John's,

the neareft part of which, to this town, is

about twenty-feven miles due weft»

Soon

United States of America,

Soon

after

2r

we made

our arrival here,

an excurfion as far as Mufquito River,

and Of-

to TurnbuU's, Taylor's, Biffet's,

wald's

The

plantations.

land

is

better

there than, at St. Auguftine, but inferior to

on

that

banks

the

of

John's

St.

River.

The mouth of the Mufquito River

lies in

latitude twenty-eight degrees forty-eight

minutes north. There

a dired:

is

nication through this river,

Amazura,

commu-

by the Rio

Gulf of Mexico.

into the

The Mufquitoes

a tribe of In-

are

dians inhabiting both fides of this river.

There

is

another fmall Indian fettle-

ment named El Penon, on an thirteen

quito

leagues

River,

to the

fituated

ifland

north of at

the

Muf-

entrance

of the Matanzas River, through which there

is

a

communication

to

St.

Au-

guftine.

The

bar of Matanzas has eight feet

water on

it,

river, there is

On

but afterwards, within the

from ten

the north fide

C

of 3

to fifteen fathom.

the entrance

of this^

A Tour m the

22 this river

is

high land, called the land

of Rome. St.

Anaftafia

or

Matanzas

Ifland,

is

twenty-feven miles in length, reaching

from the bar of Matanzas of the harbour of it

St.

to the entrance

Auguftine, which

helps to form.

CHAP.

United States of America.

CHAP. Attempts

to

III.

make Sugar on Mtifquito River

^tarry near

Culture of Sugar.

Stone

Singular Floors

the Houfes.

fettled.

modities

23

to

Loyalijls take

and

Rates

Stock.

SOME

Refuge in

Eajl Florida thinly it.

Prices of

Com"

of travelling.

have

attempts

to cultivate the

failed*

St. Augujllne.

been made

fugar cane on the

Mufquito River, but they have not fucceeded, at leaft not fufhciently to render it

an object

;

becaufe the keen and pene-

trating north- weft

winds always nipt

this

tender plant, the fugar cane, and not -only

hindered alfo

it

from coming

prevented

its

to maturity, but

filling

which produces the

with the juice

fugar, and likev^^ife

rendered that which was obtained, of an inferior quality.

However

fugar might certainly be cul-

tivated to great advantage nearer to

Cape

Florida, where none of thefe difadvantages,

C 4

and

-^ ^^^^

24

i^^

^'^2

and Impediments that obflru6t

would

afFedt

As an valuable fhail

growth,

its

it.

account of the culture of this

commodity may be

venture

and nearly

to infert

acceptable, I place,

in this

it

the fame terms of one I

in

have already feen, which

is

certainly juft

and accurate. *

This commodity was

known though

the

to it

was made

early times, firfl:

Greeks

firft

and brought

at

all

Romans,

and

China

in

very

from v/hence we had the

knowledge of

were the

in

not

it

j

but the Portuguefe

that cultivated it

it

in

America,

into requeft, as one of the

materials of a very univerfal luxury in

Europe. '

It is

not fettled whether the cane, from

which the fubftance tive of Ameri that any thing concerning it can be little elfe

than a repetition of what has

often been mentioned by others

j

but as

fome

United States of America,

lome account of

it

will be

bnlyjufl obferve,that ty- two degrees forty

it

8i

expeded,

Ifliall

lies in latitude thir-

minutes north, and lon-

gitude eighty degrees forty liiinutes weft,

and is the only town deed in

all

in the province, or in-

the fouthern provinces, worthy

of notice. It is

the Metropolis of South Carolina, and

for fize, beauty, and trade,

dered as one of the

firft

may

be confi^

cities in

Britidi

America. Charles

Town

of land

at the

rivers,

named

one of which

is

fituated

on a point

confluence of two navigable Aftley,

is

and Cooper RiverSj

navigable forfliips twenty

miles aboVe the town, and for fmaller vef« fels

near forty.

The

fituation Is

admirably chofen, for

almoft every purpofe,

and

it

the

firft

has been

Ame-

long confidered

among

tier for ftrength,

commerce, and beauty.

The harbour is good that of a bar,

in

in every rerpedl,but

which hinders

veflels

of more

than two hundred tons burden from entering.

Vol,

II.

Q

The

A

82

The town ;

regularly, and at this time

is

very flrongly art

Tour in the

fortified,

both by nature and

the Hreets are well formed, the houfes

are large and well built,

fome of them are

of brick, and others of wood, but moft of

them handfome and

elegant,

and rent

is

extremely high.

The

flreets are v/ide

fe(5ling

ftraight, inter-

each other at right angles, thefe

running

eaft

from one

and weft extend about a mile

river to the other.

contains about a thoufand houfes,

It

and

and

is

the feat of the Governor, and the

place of meeting of the affembly.

The

principal courts of juilice are alfa

held here

ftill;

a

few years ago there were,

courts of judicature

vince pital

;

but fuch are

nowhere elfe inthepro-

now held alfo

of each of the

determine

all trifling

fix

at the ca-

prccinds, which

matters, and inferior

caufeso

The neighbourhood of is

Charles

Town

beautiful

beyond

There

a road particularly fo, that ex-

is

defcription.

tends the diflance of fix or eight miles,

9

which

83

United States of American tvhich fnrpafles every thing of the kind

iii

the world. Several handfome equipages are kept

The

here. rich,

merchants are

planters and

and well-bred j the people are (howy,

and expenfive in living

and way of

fo that every thing confpires

;

make

their drefs

the

this

and the

as

it is

one of the

America.

richeft too, in all

The

the pleafanteft,

livelieft,

politeft place,

to

large fortunes that

haVe been ac-

quired in this city, front the accellion and circulation of its trade,muft neceflarily

have

had great influence on the manners of the inhabitants

America it

for

;

is

of

all

the towns in

North

the one in which the conveni-

ences of luxury are moft to be met with.

Confiderable additions, and

have been added to the Charles

Town

at

new works,

fortifications

of

very great labour and

expence, both by the Americans and Britifh,

fmce the general revolt; a cut or

fcanal

has been formed from river to river,

acrofs the

'^hich

now

peninfula, without the town,

renders

it

an

Ga

ifland.

A»

-^ ^^lir in

84

iU

As South Carolina met with infinitely more attention from government than the provinces, the

other

commerce of

this

country alone employed an hundred and forty fhips

;

and

its

exports to Great Bri-

tain of native commodities,

on an average

of three years, amounted to more than three hundred and ninety-five thoufand

pounds

and

annual value,

fieri ing

its

imports to three hundred and fixty-five

thoufand pounds a year.

The the

trade between South Carolina

Weft

Indies

was very

and

large; that with

the Indians was likewife in a very flouriihlng condition, and they carried Briti(h

goods on pack-horfes miles into the

five or

fix

hundred

country weft of Charles

Town. Charles

Town was

computed

to contain

about fifteen or fixteen thoufand inhabitants, before tifti

;

but

now

it vv^as

it

evacuated by the Bri-

contains fcarcely half that

number, ^

The beft harbour

in this province is to

the fouthward, near the borders of Georgia,

named

Port Royal,

This

Vnked

States

of America.

8^

This might give a capacious and

fafe

reception to the largeft fleets of the greateft

bulk and burden, yet the town, which called Beaufort,

remained

at

(where

we

juft called

is

and

one night, on our journey to

Charles Town from Savannah,) built upon

an

ifland

bour,

an

is

of the fame

name with

the har-

not as yet conliderable, being only

infignificant ftraggling village.

We

remained in Charles

Town

only a

week, after our returnfrom Ninety- fix, and fet

out on our journey northward.

On at

the fecond day at night

George Town, on the weft

yah Bay, which

is

the

we

arrived

fide of Win-

mouth of

river Peedee defcribed in the

the

former vo-

lume, after croffing an inconfiderable wa-

named Sawee, and the large and very fine river Santee, which the mouth of the rivers Congaree, is ter- courfe at a ferry,

Wateree,

and Catawba, an account of

which has

alfo

George

been given already.

Town

is

the capital of a pre-

da£t of the fame name, has a good harbour

Q3

for

A 7our

86

and

for fmall veffels,

in the carries

on a confi-

iderable trade.

about twice as large as Beaufort,

It is

and may contain about an hundred houfes.

The

this place

We

from Charles

diftance is

to

about fixty-five miles.

Town

George

ftaid in

days, and then

fet

only twq

out on our journey,

which now lay very near the

On

Town

the third evening

fea fhore.

we came

to

mington, for a confiderable time the

Wil-

capita}

pf North Carolina, having dined that day vx a little

town named Brunfwick, (ituated on

the weft fide of

Cape Fear River or Bay.

and fixten miles diftantfromWilmington.

Wilmington

is

fituated

of Cape Fear River, which into the Atlantic of the

River, and

and

is

on the is

ajfo

Deep River,

Little

compofed of two principal

named

the North-weft Ri-

yer, or North-weft branch of is

the entrance

Haw River, formerly defcribed,

branches, one

which

eaft fidq

much

Cape Fear,

the largeft, the

other

is

called the North-eaft River, or the north^aft

branch of Cape Fear, the confluence

9f

United States of America,

of which

is

at

87

Wilmington, and the en-

trance of this river into the Atlantic

Cape

Fear, a remarkable

is

at

promontory on

the American coaft, a Httle diilance from Fort Johnfon which

about nine miles

is

below Brunfwick.

Wilmington has no appearance of ever having been the

of a province,

capital

being nothing better than a village, containing near about two hundred houfes, a

few of which however cind

are

pretty good

handfome.

There

is

a very excellent harbour here

for fmall veffels, but a bar

mouth

the

at

prevents large ones from getting in. It

about one hundred

is

miles

from

George

Town in

South Carolina, and one

hundred

and

from

fixty-five

Charley

Towi^.

The

land around this place

is

miferably

poor, being nothing but a fand-bank co-

vered with pines

but Wilmington not-

;

withftanding carries trade, jto

efpecially to

on the

a

confiderable

Weft

Indies,

an4

the northern colonies.

G4

The

^

P8

Tour In the

The little town

of Brunfwick ftands in

exceedingly pleafant

a

yery inconfiderable

pore than

fituation, but is

nor does

;

fifty or fixty

it

contain

houTes.

Fort Johnfon, which was intended to

defend the mouth of

this

place of no flrength, and

name of

lous to give

it

ver there

annually an

is

the

it

harbour, is

is

a

toD ridicu-

a Fort.

Howefum

eftabliflied

granted for fupporting the appearance of agarrifon in

keeping

it

it,

and

alfo

in repair.

Here Mr. Robert a

man

under pretence of

Howe commanded

eRimation,who has

;

own

of no fmall confequence in his

rank

fince arrived at the

of major general in the American army.

Mr. Howe, otherwife not an unworthy man, was always

fo

very fond of oftenta-

tion, that

he almoft ftarved his poor wife

and family

at

felf

home,

in order that he

might be able to cut

a figure

him-

everyyear

at the races in Virginia and Maryland.

js

About eighteen miles from Wilmington More's Creek Bridge, where the unfor-

tunate North Carolina loyalifts were defeated.

Thq

U?2ited States of America,

The

upon

fettlements

this

0^

river

and

branches are greatly depopulated, or

Jts

decreafed in the

number of

inhabitants,

more

fince the general revolt, in a

conil-

derable degree perhaps than any other part

of America. After two days flay in Wilmington,

purfued our journey to Newbern,

we

arrived at the end of three

we

where

more days,

being about ninety-five or an hundred miles from Wilmington.

Newbern, which

North

Carolina,

is

ence of the rivers It is

a pretty

is

now

the capital of

fituated at the conflu-

News and

little

Trent.

town, fomewhat larger

than Wilmington, and contains feveral

exceeding good and even elegant houfes.

The low grounds on

Rivers are here very wide,

Jow; being

News andTrent and uncommonly

the

fubject to be flooded, there are

fometimes inundations of feveral miles extent,

which render

this part

in.

of the cour;-

iry very unwholefome.

Newbern

is

certainly

more

central

than any other town in North Carolina,

and

A Totir

go

and on that account on

fixed

the

172

it

is

that

to be the metropolis

it

is

now

of the pro-

vince.

We

New-

remained only one day in

bern, and then

fet

out for Bath

Town,

where we arrived on the following evenbeing about thirty-two miles from

ing,

Newbern. Bath

Town is

a pretty

little

place, fitu-

ated at the extremity of a fmall bay that

comes out of the north River, which

is

the

fide

of Pamphlico

mouth of Tar

River,

and runs into Pamphlico Sound, about twenty-five miles below this place.

This the

fir ft

river has already

been defcribed la

volume.

PamphHco Sound

is

a prodigious

body

of water, lying between Cape Hatteras,

and the main land or continent, nicating with the ocean all

by

commu-

feveral inlets,

of which have dangerous bars with

fhallow water upon them

found

itfelf is

fullof

flioals,

;

and the bay or

equally hazardous,

being

and dreadful fand-banks. Althpugl^

United States of Aviertca,

Although

found contains fuch aa

this

immenfe body of water, of any note, but

j-ivers

9

Tar River, which

are

it

News

receives

no

River, and

by no means conli-

derable.

We

out from Bath

fct

Town

on the

afternoon of the next day, and on

the

following evening came to Duckenfield,

pn the

fouth fide of Albemarle found, op-

pofite

to

jniles

here

wind

is

forty- five

from Bath Town.

The leight

Edenton, v^hich

ferry being at this plaee feven

miles wide, all

we

v>^ere

or

obliged to ftay

night, and the next day alfo, the

blov^^ing too

hard for the ferry-boats

to crofs.

Duckenfield

charming as indeed

is

a moft delightful

fituation, it is

but the land

is

and poor,

every where that way, and

fhe accommodations here are miferable, as

they likewife are

along this road the

all

whole way, excepting

them your

in the towns,

and in

horfes muft fuffcr.

Neither could

we

enjoy the beauties of

ibe perfpedtive, and delightfulnefs of the fituation

A Tour

92

in the

of this place, on account of the

fituation

anxiety of our minds, and the vexation of

being detained at

even in

it,

Edenton, the place where

of

fight

we were

fo

de-

firous of reaching.

However on the fecond day the wind abated, and we were carried over this wide and beautiful found

we arrived

Roanoak River,

is

mouth of the

the

a very particular defcrip-

which has already been given

the former volume ters

Edentown, where

foon enough for dinner.

Albemarle Sound

tion of

to

•

it

alfo receives the

of the Maherren, Nottoway,

in

wa-

BlackWa'

and Chowan Rivers, and contains an immenle body of water.

ter

It

communicates with the

inlets,

fea

by

feveral

mouth

but by reafon of bars at the

of each of them only fmall vefTels and ihips of light burden can

This

is

a vaft

Edenton, and of

all

impediment

is

into

it.

to the trade

alfo the great

of

misfortune

North Carolina.

The town of Edenton :^iorih

come

fide

ftands

of Albeniarle Sound,

on the is

about the

XJ?iited States

the fize of larger,

of America.

93

Newbern, perhaps fomething

and for a confiderable time was

alfo the capital

of the province.

by far the moft pleafant and beautown in North Carolina, and drives

It is tiful

on a very confiderable commerce, although the harbour

is

but indifferent, befides the

difadvantages of the bars at the inlets to

Albemarle Sound which prevent (hips of

any confiderable burden from approaching

it.

C

HA

P,

^

94

^^^^

the

^fi

CHAP.

Dfagreeabh and unhealitp

Defer ipi'ion of the Country, Vajl Profit in inakijig

Tur and

Tar^ and

for making Pitchy

North Carolina.

LV.

Exports of

South Carolina and Virginia fliare

great Part of tho Trade of North Carolina. Alligator.

Praceft

Turpentine.

Turpentine.

The gr vt

Difnal Swamp. The Great Dtfmal.

houifot luild

Haf"

Beafs and runaivay Negroes.

^URING

all

long journey of

this

about three hundred and ninety or four hundred miles,

good land

I

have fcarce feen any

George

fnice I left

Town

in

South Carolina. It is all univerfally

bank covered with generally It is

dead

an immenfe fand-

pines,

grow very

tall

and

likewife totally a

flat,

covered in

which however lofty.

wide extended

a thoufand places

with ftagnated water, which without doubt

muft be extremely unhealthful ; this thd fallow cadaverous complexion and countenances of the inhabitants fufficiently evinces.

How-

United States of America,

However, what

is

95

very extraordinary

is,

that this land that appears, and actually

and altogether

totally barren

is,

and

unlit for

more

any kind of to the

profit

ufelefs

culture, yields

occupiers,

from the

fmalleft capital imaginable, than can well

be conceived was cated,

and

is

not fo well authenti-

it

not to be paralleled in

any

country in the univerfe.

This prodigious

making

tar,

from

profit is derived

which

is

one of the moft

eftimable ftaples of North Carolina.

In making this commodity, they have not occafion for more than two, three, or four flaves, and they can clear ihare or labourer to

from one hundred pounds,

two hundred pounds

Vv'ards,

fterling,

procefles of niaking, turpentine,

and pitch are

Being

all

as follow.

the produce of one tree, viz;

the pine, the turpentine

from

and up-

annually.

The tar,

by each

incifions, or

the tree

:

is

drawn fimply

rather notches

cut

in

they are made from as great a

height as a

man can

reach with an hatchet.

Thefe

A Tour in the

g6 Thefe

incifions

meet

at

the bottofii o£

the tree in a point, where they pour theif contents into a vefTel placed there to receive

them.

There

Tar ratus,

Is

and greater

appa-^

trouble.

prepare a circular floor of clayj

declining a is laid

which

olf

this procefsi

more confiderable

requires a

They this

nothing farther in

little

towards the center

a pipe of is

front

j

wood, the upper part

even with the

and

floor,

reaches ten feet without the circumference;

end the earth

tinder the

is

dug away, and

barrels placed to receive the tar as

Upon in

the floor

form of a

wood fplit

is

built

circular

in pieces,

up a

it

runs.

large pile^

pyramid, of pine-

and furrounded, or

ra-

ther covered over with a wall, coat, or body

of earth, leaving only a fmall aperture at the top where the

When the fire

fire is firfl

kindled.

begins to burn, they co-

ver this opening likewife, to confine fire

from flaming

fiifficient

out,

and to leave only

heat to force the tar

to the floor.

thfe

They temper

downwards the heat as

they

United States of America

97

they pleafe, by running a Hick Into the thick coat of clay, and

wall or

giving

air.

it

Barrels are placed at the end of the pipe

of wood to receive the ried

away

as

they are

and are car-

tar,

empty ones

filled,

being put in their places. Pitch

is

iron kettles

made by fet in

boiling tar in large

furnaces, or burning

it

round clay holes made in the earth.

in

Great quantities of pitch, pentine are

made

tar,

and tur-

in this province,

and of

thefe confifts a great part of their exports

by

fea.

In the fouthern parts of North Carolina they

make

confiderable quantities of rice

and indigo, the chief part of which fliipped

from South Carolina.

In the northern parts of they is

is

make

this

province

a great deal of tobacco,

chiefly tranfported

by

which

land-carriage into

Virginia, and fliipped from thence.

In the back frontiers of North Carolina they

raife a great

many

cattle

and hogs,

and make very confiderable quantities of

Vol.

II.

H

butter

98

^

A

Tour

in the

butter and flour, almoft is

all

of which alfo

carried into Virginia to market,

the greatefl part of the

"

befides

and furs

flcins

which they annually colled.

On

the fea-coaft and near

it,

they

make

large quantities of Indian corn, peas, pitch,

and turpentine,

tar,

all

of which only

is

fhipped from the ports of this province.

By this

it

may

difficult a tafk it

real

be readily perceived

would be

how

to afcertain the

annual produce of North Carolina,

confidering the great value of the produds

of

this

province which are carried every

year both to South Carolina and Virginia,

bearing the

name

of,

and adding

to the

exports of thefe provinces.

However

the apparent exports of

Carolina are computed

at

more than

North fixty-r

eight thoufand pounds fterling annually,

and her imports

at

eighteen thoufand at

leaft.

This

I

do not conceive

to be

more than

one-third of the produce of the province;

ncj one-fourth of the value of the goods

brought into

it,

the reft of

which come through

Untied States of America^

gg

through the channels of Virginia, and

South Carolina, by the means of landcarriage.

So that the annual value of the merchantible products of North-Carolina may-

be about two hundred and ten thoufand

pounds

fierling,

and her confumption of

European or foreign goods about feventy thoufand pounds*

In

this

view, deducting the proportion

of the North Carolina commodities from the exports of Virginia and South Carolina, this

province will plainly appear to

be of more confequence and

than

flie

has hitherto been held

No province nent

vs

eftimation

as in a

in.

nor colony on the conti-

more

flourifhing

condition

than North Carolina before the general revolt, but fince that fatal period, this prefent time, I believe there

more

truly miferable

The

difference

is

at

none

and wretched.

between the currency of

North Carolina and and

and

fterling

is

thirty-three

a third per cent, in favour of the latter.

The

rates

andexpence of

H2

travelling are

not

A

ICO

Tour

171

the

not materially different from thofe already

mentioned in the more fouthern provinces,

accommodations

but

are

every

almoft

where, efpecially on and near the coaft, intolerably bad,

more

dreary,

fea-

and nothing can be

melancholy

and

uncom-

fortable than the almoft perpetual folitary

dreary pines, fandy barrens, and difmal

fwampSj

that are

whole of

that part of the country.

But there

which tion,

is

met with throughout the

is

a fvvamp

province

in this

indeed difmal far beyond defcrip-

and can only be exceeded by another,

on the borders next to Virginia, actually diftinguiflied by the name of the Great "Difmal

Swamps

in

and horrid

dreadful

preheminence.

This one

firil

mentioned

Is

alfo called

the Great Alligator difmal Swamps and

between thofe two or rather feas,

vaft expanfes

lies

of water,

named Pamphlico and Al-

bemarle Sounds.

This

afioiiiihiiig

and horrible place

about forty miles in length, and about teen or twenty in breadth,

4

is

fif-

with a large lake

1

United States of America.

loi

lake In the middle feveral miles in dia-

meter.

It

reported to be

is

named from

a monftrous Alligator or Crocodile of a

moft prodigious magnitude that once was feen here, fize

ftill

As

many

infeil

of which of the

common

it.

had of

the account I

this

Dijmal

Swamp is only from the report of thofe who have been in and around it, and who refided in

vicinity,

its

farther defcription of

I it

fhall

until

mention the Great Difmal

defer I

itfelf,

any

come

to

which

examined perfonally and palled through

.1

;

as I underftand they bear fo flrong a fimilitude, that a reprefentation

of the one will

give a good idea of the other.

At prefent

1

fhall

only juft obferve

that thefe places are in a great degree inacceffible,

and harbour prodigious multi-

tudes of every kind liar to

America, as

groes,

who

perfedly lity

of wild beafts pecu-

v/ell as

run- away

in thefe horrible

fafe,

elude the

Nefwamps are

and with the greatell

mod

faci-

diligent fearch of their

purfuers,

H

3

Run-

A

102

I'our in the

Run-away Negroes have

refided

in

thefe places for twelve, twenty, or thirty

years and upwards, fubfifting themfelves in the

fwamp upon

corn, hogs, and fowls,

that they raifed on fome of the fpots not

perpetually under water, nor fubjed to be flooded, as forty-nine parts out of fifty of it

are

;

and on fuch fpots they have erecced

habitations, and cleared fmall fields around

them

5

yet thefe have always been perfectly

impenetrable to any of the inhabitants of the country around, even to thofe neareft to and beft acquainted with the

We

ourfeives travelled

fwamps.

upon the edge

of this Great Alligctor Difmal Swa?np the greater part of the

way from Bath Town

?o Duckenfield.

i

CHAP.

United States of America.

CHAP. fcription of Su^-'olk.

James River

afid

at

Part with

burg.

Mary

LVI.

Arrive at

Leave Edenton.

Stt^olh in Virginia.

T)s-

Smithfield. Pagan'' s Creek.

Crofs

Hog

Mr.

Arrive at IViHiamf'

Ifumd.

Morris.

at Williani/hurg.

cation of Indians.

103

Return

College of

William

Foundation of it.

to their

Edti-

former favage and

uncivilized State.

E

remained in Edenton only a few-

days, and then purfued our jour-

ney northward, vered with

dead

fiat,

land

through a country co-

fand and pines, a continued

infefted

every

with fwamps, and the

where

miferably

poor and

barren.

On

the fecond day after

ton in North Carolina

we

we

left

Eden-

arrived at

a

town named

Suffolk, in Virginia, having

alfo travelled

around on the edge of the

Great Difmal the principal part of this journey. Suffolk

is

water- courfe

fituated

on a fmall navigable

named Nanfimond

H4

River, a

branch

A

104

Tour

in the

branch of the James River, which ters

Crany

at

on the weft

Ifland

Hampton Roads,

oppofite to

it

en-

fide

New

of

Port-

Noofe. It

is

miles from Edenton, and

lixty

about twenty-two miles within the boun-

dary Hne of Virginia. Suffolk

contains

about

an

hundred

houfes, and carries on a pretty briik trade,

having a very confiderable fhare of the

commerce of the northern counties of North Carolina. It

thirty

is

ninety miles from Halifax, and

from Norfolk, the road

from hence

is

carried round,

to

which

and through

part of the Great Difmal.

Suffolk {lands on a that

very fandy,

in every ftep in the ftreet the fand

which renders to remedy extremely difagree^ble

comes above your it

foil fo

ancles,

;

this inconvenience in

fome

fmall degree,

near their doors they have emptied barrels

of

tar or pitch,

which fpreads wide, the

fand incorporating

v^rith

it,

and forming a hard

TJnited States

?i

hard

cf America.

fome kind of an

confiflence,

folid

105

apology for pavement, and thereby renders walking

The

much more

tolerable.

houfes in Suffolk are low, being

generally not more than one ftory high,

which

is

the river

indeed the ground ftory only;

Nanfemond

navigable at and

is

above the town, but there bridge over

a

is

wooden

here, and only fmall veflels

it

qan come up even to Suffolk.

^he

trade of this place confifts chiefly

of turpentine, v/hich

is

tar, pitch,

killed,

tobacco, and pork

faked, and barrelled

here, alfo lumber, Indian corn,

up

and fome

wheat.

We

only one day in Suffolk,

tarried

and on

through a fituated

following

the

little

upon

town

afternoon

called

a fmall branch

rode

Smithfield,

of James

River named Pagan's Creek.

This town

is

fcarcely half as

Suffolk, and carries fiderable

trade,

on but

which

is

large as

a very incon-

chiefly in to-

bacco, here being an infpedion for that

commodity, and public warehoufes

like-

wife,

A Tour m the

io6

named Pagans.

wife,

Smithfield

about

Is

eighteen or tv/enty miles from Suffolk. It

very unwholefome on account of

is

extenfive marfhes juft in

Pagan's Creek

This creek

which

is

We

is

is

vicinity,

its

and

navigable to the town.

crofied

in

a

ferry

boar,

both difagreeable and dangerous.

went about twelve miles beyond

Smithiield that night, and next arrived at

The

morning

James River.

weather being

fine,

and the

v^^ater

remarkably fmooth and calm, we had a very agreeable called

Hog

Illand Ferry,

Williamfburg

As

over at a place

paifage

and arrived

at

to dinner.

the college of William and

Mary

at

Williamfburg, being the only inftitutioa of the kind in the fouthern part of rica,

has not as yet been adverted

(hall

embrace

this

giving a fketch of

Ameto,

I

opportunity of juft its

foundation,

prefent eftablifhment, before

colony of Virginia, and

I

and

leave the

clofe this chapter.

This college was founded by the reverend Mr. James Blair, a Scots clergyman,

by

United States of America.

107

by voluntary fubfcrlption, towards which King William and Queen Mary, whofe

names

bears, gave

it

fterling

two thoufand pounds

money, and twenty thoufand

in

acres of land, with authority to purchafe

and hold lands

to the annual value

of two

thoufand pounds, and likewife granted a duty of one penny per pound on tobacco exported from Virginia other plantations. prefident,

near

fifty

There

Mr.

Blair

all

to the

was the

and continued in that

it

firft

fituation

years. is

a prefident, fix profefTors,

and

other officers, v/ho are nominated by the

governors and

viiitors.

The honourable Mr. Boyle made

a

very large donation to this college for the education of Indian children part of the inftitution

means

but this

has not by any

fucceeded.

Some experiments have thofe Indians this college,

vilized

;

and

who

evinced

that

have been educated

and thereby brought polifhed

ways embraced the

at

to

ci-

manners, have

al-

firfl;

opportunity of return-

A

io8

Hour

in the

returning to their former wild habits, and

uninformed

plunged,

diately

which they imme-

into

ftate,

and

forgetting

totally

lofing every trace of their former civiliz-

and of

ation,

all

they had been taught.

Yet notwithflanding

this,

their geniuffes

are found to be bright, and they receive

any branch of education with great

fa-

cihty.

Here

terminate this tour, which

I fhall

has included the greatefl part of the places

of note throughout the fouthern part of the Britifh Settlements in North America, after

having travelled

at leail

four thou-

fand eight hundred miles, and undergone

a multitude of dangers and extreme fatigue

accompanied, and attended almofl

;

the whole way,

and fatisfadion, wood's man, as

whom

1

to

by

my

whom

better

little

much

at

my

convenience

faithful

firft

I

back-

confidered

than a favage, but from

found more

allifiance

than

I

could pofTibly have received from the moil

complete profefled fervant in Europe. thefe

American back-wood's

men

For

can per-

form

United States of America,

form a

little

not only almoft

109 in

every

handicraft, or necefTary mechanical trade,

but they pofiefs a fund of refources, more ferviceable

for in

on fuch occafions than money

many

cure them,

places

money

;

could not pro-

nor fupply the wants which

are furniihed

by

their ready

and indeed

lingular contrivances. I

Mr. Morris about twenfrom Williamfburg who

parted with

miles

ty-five

purfued his journey northward after exad:ing

a

from

folemn promife

me

to

keep up a correfpondence with him that

was only terminated by rebellion, v^hich indeed

the

unhappy

fubverted every

thing.

Having this,

fettled in "Virginia

foon after

and being particularly attached to

planting, agriculture,

ments,

I

and

rural

amufe-

continued to employ this faith-

ful back -wood's

man

as

an overfeer, in

which capacity he acquitted himfelf well, and equally to

fatisfadion,

as

my

as

advantage and

he had done during our

journey.

C

II

A P.

A Tour

110

in the

CHAR Improvements in Farming. In cutting

In

down.

it

threjfiing

it

LVIL In the Culture of

In getting

it

in

and

In cleaning

out of the Strazu.

Wheat

flacking tU it

front

A Machine for that Ptirpofe defcrihed.

the Chaff.

"AVING

changed

my

place of reli-

dence from Virginia to Maryland^ 1 entered

largely

making tobacco fowed no

lefs

;

on farming,

and on the fecond year

than three hundred and

fifty-three acres of land fields

as well as

in wheat,

all

adjoining each other, befides fifty

acres in

buck-wheat and

in potatoes,

thirty-fix

and two hundred

oats, twelve acres

acres

in tobacco,

acres in Indian corn.

In cultivating this very large crop

only employed

fifteen labourers

which were by no means ber

;

in

but

I

I

(flaves),

a fufficient

num-

depended on hiring people in

harveft to get in

my

of Indian corn and

wheat, as the crops tobacco would en-

gage

United States of America.

ill

gage every hour of the time of

my own

people.

That year

had happened, that every

it

had

confiderable planter in the country likewife I

mean

fown large

quantities of wheat,

what they had

large in refpect to

ever done before, but in no proportion

me, although many of them had

like

more hands. Thefe gaged

all

planters having

en-

the fpare labourers that were to

be hired during harveft,

left

me

without

any

refources for getting in mine, except-

ing

my own

people, whofe hands

were

already too full of the otlier crops. It

was

this

hands that

extreme

firft

diftrefs for

induced

me

want of

to invent

and

hazard innovations, which experience has

proved to be confiderable improvements, in the ufual

methods of agriculture

as the objedt thereof

makes

fo great a part

Great Britain,

I

and give fome

of the produce of

defer ipticn as

and

was wheat, which

have ventured to

provements here,

;

they

relate,

of thefe im-

may

likewife be

adopted for any other grain cultivated in this

.

A Tour in the

112 this climate

and

j

fhall

be extremely happy

indeed, if either the pubhc, or any one individual (hould derive the lead benefit of

advantage therefrom rience alone that

;

but

it is

its utility

from expe-

can be afcer-

tained. I

to

myfelf had the ilrongeft impediments

combat with.

The

America

planters in

their old

methods ufed by

grandfathers,

are

wedded

their fathers

to ridicule

me

and improvements, w^hich compelled

me

This in-

for innovations

in fa£t neceflity

difcover and adopt, to

to

prevent the utter ruin, and entire

my

whole crop

who new and

and

and entertain the mofl vio-

lent prejudices in their favour.

duced them

to

;

lofs

of

yet thefe very perfons,

were the moft violent againft thefe methods, fuccefs,

after

they faw their utility

and examined the principles

on which they VN^ere founded, were not only ready enough to adopt the fame methods themfelves,

but alfo did

me

the

honour ofconfulting with me, and paid great attention to

my

as

fentiments and opi-

nions

tJnited States riions

I

of America.

on the fubjeds of

had been the mofl

1

1

agriculture, as i£

ikilful,

experienced^

and old eftablifhed planter. In the

firft

place, as

it

would have

beeri

my grain

with

impoflible to have cut dov^rn

common reapers and reap-hooks I

was under the

of

my

cradle,

neceffity

or Tickles,

of having nind

hands taught to ufe the fcythe and with which

had an hundred acres

I

of wheat cut down before

I

began

to get

any of it up and fecured from the weather. In the next place,

I

found that binding

would have taken up more time than cutting

it

down, and

wheat from

rain,

fo far

from fecuring the

which

in this country is

very fudden and heavy, that the flieaves fo wetted were more damaged, more- difficult to be re-dried being obliged to be

opened

again, than the wheat that lay on the ground

unbound without being gathered or raked in heaps

I

-,

therefore concluded to lay

and have

afide this operation entirely,

drawn

in

plifhing

in carts

which

difficulty, or

Vol.

II.

I

unbound

;

found very

in

it

accom-

little

lofs,

inconvenience, but thereby I

faved

114

-^ ^ouf"

in the

faved the labour of three days out of four, to

what

I

fhould have done in binding.

In the third place, as

my

houfes and barns on

all

the tobacco-

plantation

would

not have contained one-quarter of the crop

of wheat,

1

had

it

flacked out of doors,

on

eminence furrounding a large barn,

an

and contiguous to the landing on the

where from

would be fhipped

it

its

being more

unbound,

I

-,

difficult to

and

river

fo far

be flacked

found that circumflance a con-

fiderable advantage

;

became high enough

only

when

the flack

for the ufeof a pitch-

fork in throwing up the wheat, by the

ready and expeditious ufe of two cords, that alfo lofs

was

eafily

accomplifhed without any

of time.

In the next place, to prevent lofs and

wafte in the ting

rakes

fields,

down and

both from unfkilful cutcarting,

made eleven

feet

I

had wooden

in length,

with

very long teeth, and with handles fixed therein pointing towards each other at the

extremity, with a flrap of leather from one to the other, like the fhafts ofa

8

two-wheeled chaife.

XJnited States chaife. felf,

li

To each

of thefe a

and dragged

full, jufl: raifing

of America,

^

manyoked hlm-

acrcfs the lands, wheii

it

it

1 1

over the heap of wheat

thus raked together, until the whole

field

was gone over in this manner by this means none was loft, and I obtained three ;

more, containing above an

large ftacks

hundred and IV I

When

bufhels of wheat in each.

the wheat, after

was caught

•

fifty

in the rain,

mage thereby,

as

it

was cut down,

it

it

received no da-

vvas fpread thin

on the

ground, not being raked together; becaufe the fun, which

is

feldom over-call, and

very powerful in ately dried

it

this country,

again, before

it

is

immedi-

could receive

any prejudice.

And

the wheat being Hacked loofe ren-

dered the ricks or

ft^acks

firmer

more even

regular and fecure, being thereby deflitute of thofe hollow places,

and vacancies,

which frequently caufe the with (heaves to fink on one times overfet, befides ^

therein,

which admit

means often damage

liacks

fide,

and fome-

occafioning rain,

made leaks

and by that

the whole.

la

In

1

A

1

In the

Tour

tn the

fifth place,

been impoflible for

as

would have

it

my people to have been

able to threfh out this prodigious quatlty

of wheat in any reafonable time, with

flails

even had they been employed conftantly at that

work,

I

was therefore obliged

to

invent feme method to expedite this operation,

For

and

at the

fame time fave labour.

purpofe

this

I

had a

made, one hundred and

circular floor

fifty

yards in cir-

cumference, and of the width of twelve feet,

with a very gentle declivity to the

circumference every way. this a fence

of the

was made

floor,

all

On

each fide of

round the edges

with flakes and wattles, in

which were four gates oppofite other, and this floor

was made

to each

in the mofl:

commodious part of my wheat- yard,around the large barn in the center.

On wheat dred

this floor

in the ftraw as

bufliels,

horfes

I

and

down

would

as

much

yield five

hun-

and having a large flock of

cattle,

circular floor,

laid

turned them

into this

driving them round fepa-

rately, the horfes

from the

cattle,

upon th«^

Jinked States of America,

1 1

the wheat, pretty brilkly, until they trod out the grain from the ftraw, occafionally turning them off into a pen or inclofure, the uppermoft

until

from which the grain was taken

of the ftraw,

part

feparated,

was

on the

floor

off.

The wheat

being

firfl:

laid

upwards, the

floping, with the heads

cattle

and horfes were always driven one way,

which the wheat

in the direction in

that

is,

lay,

and the ftraw was

alfo

raked

oft^

in

the fame direction, without turning, until

fuch time as the horfes feet touched the

ground

in

fome

which

places,

is

after the

raking off of the ftraw, then what re-

laft

mains upon the floor

is

turned over, and the

horfes and cattle driven round in the oppofite

direction, for the laft time

the ftraw

is all

mixed with the

taken

off^,

chafl^,

;

after

which

and the wheat

which remains on

the floor, puftied up together in large heaps,

with fquare boards three

and ter

fifteen inches broad,

of which a long

feet

in length

through the cen-

ftick is faftened for a

handle. 1

The

A

liS

The whole

Tour in of

the

this operation thus

far,

offeparating the wheat from the ftraw,

performed

one day, to the quantity of

hundred budiels, with only three or

five at

in

is

moft four hands (labourers.)

But afterwards

1

found

it

a tafk equally

tedious, difficult, and troublefome, to feparate the grain

from the

chaff,

which

alfo

engage the labour of more hands

found

to

than

could fpare for that purpofe.

I

I

This again obliged

me

to

have recourfe

to invention, and,

In the

lafl;

place,

I

had riddles made of

this confiruilion,. viz. four feet long, three feet

and a half wide, and iixteen inches deep,

with the

fplits

very narrow and nearly an

way;

inch afunder each

two long handles

this

had

riddle

like a barrow,

and was

fufpended by cords and a pulley faflened to the extremity of

an

elaftic pole, or is

made

ufe

their

work

in

fpringy fpar of wood, fuch as oi

by turners for turning

their lathe.

The

long

barn in the center of the

treading ring-floor had four large doors,

one in every diredion, over each of which

one

United Slates of America.

one of thefe fpars was fixed, and ever door the wind faftened thereto,

from the

feet

A

child,

eafily

came

1

at

1

what-

in, this riddle

was

and fufpended about three

floor.

by holding the handles, could

work

it,

by only moving

it

back-

wards and forwards

;

the fpar, to which

was fufpended, gave

it

it

a play from the lead motion

perfon could

mixed with

fill it

of

for the elafticity

;

and one

from the heap of wheat

chaff.

By means of this contrivance two weak hands, or a man and a boy, could eafily perform more work at this operation, than could be done by ten ftrong the ufual It

way

in the

men with

riddles in

fame fpace of time.

was then run through Dutch

which

I

kept two, to clean

and was immediately

The

fit

it

fans,

of

perfed:ly,

for delivery.

w^hole of this fecond operation, of

feparating and cleaning five hundred bufhels

of grain from the chaff, and rendering

it fit

for market,

was

alfo

performed in

one day only. I

4

So

1

ui T^QUr in the

2Q

So

with favourable

that in four days,

weather,

I

could by this method and ma-^

out a thoufand bufhels

chinery get

wheat from the chaff,

clean

it,

ftraw, feparate

and deliver

from the

it

it,

ready for

market, with the labour only of five exclufive of thofe

who afTifted

of

flaves,

to lay

dowa

the beds of wheat on the circular treading floor, ir>

which was generally done

fo early

to begin to

the rx^orning, ^s

a

tread

little after fun-rife.

It

was very fortunate

upon

for

me

that I fell

and improvements,

thefe inventions

for thereby I faved all

my

crops, the moil:

part if not the whole of which

otherwife certainly have

I

fhould

loft.

My wheat alfo was cleaner, and fuperior in pv§ry refpe£t to any in the country

around, and

it

was rendered

fo

by the

following means,

In the

firft

place

I

had procured

Sicilian

OF forward white wheat for feed, which

of the heavy white

flinty fpecies,

and

is

ri-

pens about a fortnight fooner than the com^

moa Englifh or

red wheat, than

which

it is

alfo

United States of America, alfo heavier, the flour

makes in the

too

1

r

and

whiter,

is

2

the moft eftimable fuperfine flour

world

this

;

wheat, on that account

bearing a fuperior price to any other.

By

being more forward than any other wheat, it

likewife efcapes the ruft or fmut, fo pre-

and

judicial to this crop,

country,

common wheat

To

my

prevent

begun wheat, fait

to infeft I

my

fteeped

fo

is

very

fubje