Lawson’s
History
Third psirl of a series
from
л
classic 1700
descripfion of North
Carolina.
This Evening came down some
Tolcros, (all. likely Men, having greai
Plenty of Buffaloes. Elk, and Bears,
with other sort of Deer amongst them,
which strong Food makes large, robust
Bodies
Enquiring of them if they never got
any of the Bezoar Stone, and giving
them a Description how it was found,
the Indians told me. they had great
plenty of it. and asked me. What use
I could make of it? I answered them.
That the white Men used it in Physic,
and that I would buy some of them,
if they would get it against I came that
way again.
Thereupon, one of them pulled out
a Leather-Pouch, wherein was some of
it in Powder; he was a notable Hunter,
and affirmed to me, That that Powder
blown into the Eyes, strengthened the
Sight and Brain exceedingly, that being
the most common Use they made of it.
I bought, for two or three Flints, a
large Peach-Loaf, made up with a
pleasant sort of Seed; and this did us a
singular Kindness in our Journey.
Near the Town, within their cleared
Land, arc several Bagnios, or Sweating-
Houses. made of Stone, in Shape like
a large Oven. These they make much
Use of: especially for any Pains in the
Joints, got by Cold or Traveling. At
Night, as we lay in our Beds, there
arose the most violent N. W. Wind I
ever knew. The first Puff blew down
all the Palisadoes that fortified the
Town; and I thought it would have
blown us all into the River, together
with the I louses.
Our onc-cycd King, who pretends
much to the Art of Conjuration, ran
out in the most violent Hurry-, and in
the Middle of the Town, fell to his
Nccromantik Practice; though I thought
he would have been blown away or
killed, before the Devil and he could
have exchanged half a dozen Words:
but in two Minutes, the Wind was
ceased, and it became as great a Calm
"А»
»t lo* in our bed», «here oro»e Ihc mott .iolenr N.W. Wind I c.cr fcne».'*
as ever I knew in my life. As 1 much
admired that sudden Alteration, the old
Man told me the Devil was very angry,
and had done thus because they had
not put the Sinnagcrs to Death.
On Monday Morning our whole
Company, with the Horses, set out
from the Sapona-Indian Town, after
having seen some of the Locust, which
is gotten thereabouts, the same Sort
that bears Honey.
Going over several Creeks, very con¬
venient for Water-Mills, about eight
miles from the Town we passed over
a very pretty River, called Rocky
River, a fit Name, having a Ridge of
high Mountains running from its Banks
to the Eastward, and disgorging itself
into Sapona-Rivcr. so that there is a
most pleasant and convenient Neck of
Land betwixt both Rivers, lying upon
a Point where many thousand Acres
may be fenced in. without much Cost
or Labor. You can scarce go a Mile
without meeting with one of these small.
swift Currents, here being no Swamps
to be found, but pleasant, dry Roads
all over the Country.
The Way that we went this day was
as full of Stones as any which Craven,
in the West of Yorkshire, could afford;
and having nothing but Moggisons on
my Feet. I was so lamed by this stony
Way that I thought I must have taken
up some Stay in these Parts. We went
this day not above fifteen or twenty
Miles. After we had supped and all
lay down to sleep, there came a Wolf
close to the Fire-side where we lay.
My Spaniel soon discovered him. at
which, one of our Company fired a
Gun at the Beast; but. I believe, there
was a Mistake in the loading of it. for
it did him no Harm. The Wolf stayed
till he had almost loaded again, but
the Bitch making a great Noise, at la>t
left us and went aside. Wc had no
sooner laid down, but he approached
us again, vet was more shy. so that we
could not get a Shot at him
THE BTATE. March 19. i960