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English Pages 460 [468] Year 1784
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