- Title
- William Byrd's histories of the dividing line betwixt Virginia and North Carolina
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-
- Date
- 1929
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-
- Creator
- ["Byrd, William, 1674-1744."]
-
- Place
- ["Virginia, United States","North Carolina, United States"]
-
- Series
- Publications of the North Carolina Historical Commission
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-
William Byrd's histories of the dividing line betwixt Virginia and North Carolina
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52
History of the Dividing Like
[March
hearted under such intolerable Drudgery. “Ye have little reason to be
merry, My Masters,” said one of them, with a very solemn Face, “I
fancy the Poeoson you must Struggle with to-morrow will make you
change your Note, and try what Metal you are made of. Ye are, to be
sure, the first of Human Race that ever had the Boldness to attempt it,
and I dare say will be the last. If, therefore, you have any Worldly
Goods to dispose of, My Advice is that you make your Wills this very
Night, for fear you die Intestate lo-Morrow.” But, alas! these frightful!
Tales were so far from disheartening the men that they serv’d only to
whet their Resolution.
9. The Surveyors enter’d Early upon their Business this Morning,
and ran the Line thro’ Mr. Eyland’s Plantation, as far as the Banks of
North River. They passt over it in the Periauga, and landed in Gibbs’
Marsh, which was a mile in Breadth, and tolerably firm. They trudg’d
thro’ this Marsh without much difficulty as far as the High Land, which
promis’d more Fertility than any they had seen in these Parts. But this
firm Land lasted not long before they came upon the dreadful Poeoson
they had been threaten'd with. Nor did they find it one Jot better than it
had been painted to them. The Beavers arid Otters had render’d it quite
impassable for any Creature but themselves.
Our poor Fellows had much ado to drag their Legs after them in this
Quagmire, but disdaining to be baulkt, they cou’d hardly be persuaded
from pressing forward by the Surveyors, who found it absolutely Neces¬
sary to make a Traverse in the Deepest Place, to prevent their Sticking
fast in the Mire, and becoming a Certain Prey to the Turkey-Buzzards.
This Horrible Day’s Work Ended two Miles to the Northward of Mr.
Merchant's Plantation, divided from N W River by a Narrow Swamp,
which is causway’d over. We took up our Quarters in the open Field,
not far from the House, correcting, by a Fire as large as a Roman-
Funeral-Pile, the Aguish Exhalations arising from the Sunken Grounds
that Surrounded us.
The Neck of Land included betwixt N River and N-Wcst River, with the
adjacent Marsh, belong’d formerly to Governor Gibbs,31 but since bis
Decease to Colonel Bladen,33 in right of his first Lady, who was Mr. Gibbs’
Daughter. It would be a Valuable Tract of Land in any Country but
North Carolina, where, for want of Navigation and Commerce, the best
Estate affords little more than a coarse Subsistence.
31 John Gibbs, of the Currituck region, who, in 1690, claimed to be Governor of
North Carolina and resisted the authority of Philip Ludwell, the appointee of the
Proprietors. His claim was probably due to an election by the Council after the
expulsion of Seth Solhel by the Assembly. Ludwell appealed to Governor Nicholson
of Virginia for intervention and Nicholson reported to the Crown that he had quieted
the controversy. Ludwell and Gibbs both went to England to lay their case before
the proper authorities, Ludwell winning.
“Martin Bladen (1680-1716), Whig politician, and member of the Board of Trade
from 1717 to his death. His wife was Mary Gibbs.
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