A New Voyage to Carolina | Page 8

Season, good Plenty of Fowl, as Curleus,
Gulls, Gannets, and Pellicans, besides Duck and Mallard, Geese, Swans,
Teal, Widgeon, &c.
{Thursday.} On Thursday Morning we left Bulls Island, and went thro'
the Creeks, which lie between the Bay and the main Land. At Noon we
went on Shore, and got our Dinner near a Plantation, on a Creek having
the full Prospect of Sewee-Bay: We sent up to the House, but found
none at Home, but a Negro, of whom our Messenger purchas'd some
small Quantity of Tobacco and Rice. We came to a deserted Indian
Residence, call'd Avendaugh-bough, where we rested that Night.
{Friday.} The next Day we enter'd Santee-River's Mouth, where is
fresh Water, occasion'd by the extraordinary Current that comes down
continually. With hard Rowing, we got two Leagues up the River, lying
all Night in a swampy Piece of Ground, the Weather being so cold all
that Time, we were almost frozen ere Morning, leaving the Impressions
of our Bodies on the wet Ground. We set forward very early in the
Morning, to seek some better Quarters.
{Saturday.} As we row'd up the River, we found the Land towards the
Mouth, and for about sixteen Miles up it, scarce any Thing but Swamp
and Percoarson, {Percoarson, a Sort of low Land.} affording vast
Ciprus-Trees, of which the French make Canoes, that will carry fifty or
sixty Barrels. After the Tree is moulded and dug, they saw them in two
Pieces, and so put a Plank between, and a small Keel, to preserve them
from the Oyster-Banks, which are innumerable in the Creeks and Bays
betwixt the French Settlement and Charles-Town. They carry two
Masts, and Bermudas Sails, which makes them very handy and fit for
their Purpose; for although their River fetches its first Rise from the
Mountains, and continues a Current some hundreds of Miles ere it
disgorges it self, having no sound Bay or Sand-Banks betwixt the
Mouth thereof, and the Ocean. Notwithstanding all this, with the vast
Stream it affords at all Seasons, and the repeated Freshes it so often
allarms the Inhabitants with, by laying under Water great Part of their

Country, yet the Mouth is barr'd, affording not above four or five Foot
Water at the Entrance. As we went up the River, we heard a great Noise,
as if two Parties were engag'd against each other, seeming exactly like
small Shot. {Sewee Indians.} When we approach'd nearer the Place, we
found it to be some Sewee Indians firing the Canes Swamps, which
drives out the Game, then taking their particular Stands, kill great
Quantities of both Bear, Deer, Turkies, and what wild Creatures the
Parts afford.
These Sewees have been formerly a large Nation, though now very
much decreas'd, since the English hath seated their Land, and all other
Nations of Indians are observ'd to partake of the same Fate, where the
Europeans come, the Indians being a People very apt to catch any
Distemper they are afflicted withal; the Small-Pox has destroy'd many
thousands of these Natives, who no sooner than they are attack'd with
the violent Fevers, and the Burning which attends that Distemper, fling
themselves over Head in the Water, in the very Extremity of the
Disease; which shutting up the Pores, hinders a kindly Evacuation of
the pestilential Matter, and drives it back; by which Means Death most
commonly ensues; not but in other Distempers which are epidemical,
you may find among 'em Practitioners that have extraordinary Skill and
Success in removing those morbifick Qualities which afflict 'em, not
often going above 100 Yards from their Abode for their Remedies,
some of their chiefest Physicians commonly carrying their Compliment
of Drugs continually about them, which are Roots, Barks, Berries, Nuts,
&c. that are strung upon a Thread. So like a Pomander, the Physician
wears them about his Neck. An Indian hath been often found to heal an
English-man of a Malady, for the Value of a Match-Coat; which the
ablest of our English Pretenders in America, after repeated
Applications, have deserted the Patient as incurable; God having
furnish'd every Country with specifick Remedies for their peculiar
Diseases.
{Rum.} Rum, a Liquor now so much in Use with them, that they will
part with the dearest Thing they have, to purchase it; and when they
have got a little in their Heads, are the impatients Creatures living, 'till
they have enough to make 'em quite drunk; and the most miserable
Spectacles when they are so, some falling into the Fires, burn their
Legs or Arms, contracting the Sinews, and become Cripples all their

Life-time; others from Precipices break their Bones and Joints, with
abundance of Instances, yet none are so great to deter them from that
accurs'd Practice of Drunkenness, though sensible how many of them
(are by it)