LAWSON’S HISTORY IV
Continuing llio first -IuiikI ;u*<*oiiiit of ;i trip
lh rough flic Piedmont section by flic sur¬
veyor gcncrnl in 1700.
Next day we had fifteen Miles
farther to the Keyauwees. The Land is
more mountainous, but extremely
pleasant, and an excellent Place for the
breeding of Sheep. Goats, and Horses,
or Mules, if the English were once
brought to the Experience of the Use¬
fulness of those Creatures. The Valleys
are here very rich. At noon we passed
over such another stony River, as that
eight Miles from Sapona.
This is called Heighwarec, and af¬
fords as good blue Stone for Mill-
Stones as that from Cologn, good Rags,
some Hones and large Pebbles in great
abundance, besides Free-Stone of sev¬
eral Sorts; all very useful. I knew one
of these Hones made use of by an
acquaintance of mine, and it proved
rather better than any from Old Spain
or elsewhere. The Veins of Marble are
very large and curious on this River
and the Banks thereof.
Five Miles from this River, to the
N. W., stands the Keyauwees town.
They are fortified in with wooden
Puncheons, like Sapona. being a Peo¬
ple much of the same Number. Nature
has so fortified this Town with Moun¬
tains, that were it a Scat of War, it
might easily be made impregnable;
having large Corn-Fields joining to
their Cabins, and a Savanna near the
Town at the Foot of these Mountains,
that is capable of keeping some hun¬
dred Heads of Cattle. And all this en¬
vironed round with very high Moun¬
tains. so that no hard Wind ever
troubles these Inhabitants.
Those high Clifts have no Grass
growing on them, and very few Trees,
which are very short and stand at a
great Distance one from another. The
Earth is of a Red Colour and scents to
ntc to be wholly designed by Nature
for the Production of Minerals, being
of too hot a Quality to suffer any
Verdure upon its Surface. These In¬
dians make use of Lead-Ore, to paint
their Faces withal, which they get in the
neighboring Mountains. As for the re¬
fining of Metals, the Indians are wholly
ignorant of it. being content with the
Realgar. But if it be my Chance once
more to visit these Hilly Parts. I shall
make a longer Stay amongst them: For
were a good Vein of Lead found out.
and worked by an ingenious Hand, it
might be of no small Advantage to the
Undertaker, there being great Con¬
venience for smelting, either by Bel¬
lows or Reverberation, and the Work¬
ing of these Mines might discover some
that are much richer.
At the Top of one of these Moun¬
tains is a Cave that one hundred Men
may sit very conveniently to dine in.
whether natural or artificial I could not
learn. There is a fine Bole between this
Place and the Saps. These Valleys, thus
hemmed in with Mountains, would,
doubtless, prove a good place for
propagating some sort of Fruits, that
our Easterly Winds commonly blast.
The Vine could not miss of thriving well
here; but we of the Northern Climate
are neither Artists, nor curious in
propagating that pleasant and profit¬
able Vegetable. Near the Town is such
another Current as Hcighwarce.
We being six in Company, divided
ourselves into Two Parties; and it was
my Lot to be at the House of Keyau¬
wees Jack, who is King of that People.
He is a Conge ree- Indian, and ran
away when he was a Boy. He got this
Government by Marriage with the
Queen; the Female Issue carrying the
Heritage, for fear of Imposters; the
Savages well knowing how much
Frailty possesses the Indian Women,
betwixt the Garters and the Girdle.
(To He Continued)
"Thcic Indian* moke use of Lcod Ore, to paint their Foec* withol . . ."
THE STATE. APRIL 16. I960
IV
