Life of Francis Marion | Page 5

every kind of affliction, disease, pestilence,
famine, poverty, hard labour; I have been for six months together

without tasting bread, working the ground like a slave." They cultivated
the barren high lands, and at first naturally attempted to raise wheat,
barley and other European grains upon them, until better taught by the
Indians. Tradition informs us, that men and their wives worked together
in felling trees, building houses, making fences, and grubbing up their
grounds, until their settlements were formed; and afterwards continued
their labours at the whip-saw,* and in burning tar for market. Such was
their industry, that in fourteen years after their first settlement, and
according to the first certain account of them, they were in prosperous
circumstances. In the year 1701, John Lawson, then Surveyor General
of the province, visited these enterprising people, and as there are but
two copies of his "Journal of a thousand miles travelled through several
nations of Indians", known at present to be in existence, no apology
appears to be necessary for presenting extracts of the most interesting
parts of it to the reader: --
-- * Gen. Horry states, that his grandfather and grandmother
commenced the handsome fortune they left, by working together at the
whip-saw. --
"On December 28th, 1700, I began my voyage for North Carolina, from
Charleston, in a large canoe. At four in the afternoon, at half flood, we
passed over the breach through the marsh, leaving Sullivan's Island on
our starboard; the first place we designed for was Santee river, on
which there is a colony of French protestants, allowed and encouraged
by the lords proprietors." -- After passing through Sewee bay and up
Santee, the mouth of which was fresh, he visited the Sewees;
"formerly," he says, "a large nation, though now very much decreased,
since the English have seated their lands, and all other nations of
Indians are observed to partake of the same fate. With hard rowing we
got that night (11th January, 1701,) to Mons. Eugee's*1* house, which
stands about fifteen miles up the river, being the first christian dwelling
we met withal in that settlement, and were very courteously received by
him and his wife. Many of the French follow a trade with the Indians,
living very conveniently for that interest. Here are about seventy
families seated on this river, who live as decently and happily as any
planters in these southward parts of America. The French being a

temperate, industrious people, some of them bringing very little effects,
yet by their endeavours and mutual assistance among themselves
(which is highly commendable) have outstript our English, who
brought with them larger fortunes. We lay all that night at Mons.
Eugee's,*1* and the next morning set out further to go the remainder of
our voyage by land. At noon we came up with several French
plantations, meeting with several creeks by the way: the French were
very officious in assisting with their small dories, to pass over these
waters, (whom we met coming from their church) being all of them
very clean and decent in their apparel -- their houses and plantations
suitable in neatness and contrivance. They are all of the same opinion
with the church of Geneva. Towards the afternoon we came to Mons.
L'Jandro's,*2* where we got our dinner. We got that night to Mons.
Galliar's,*3* who lives in a very curious contrived house, built of brick
and stone, which is gotten near that place. Near here, comes in the road
from Charleston and the rest of the English settlement, it being a very
good way by land and not above thirty-six miles."*4* After this, our
author gives a long description of his difficulty and danger in crossing
the Santee in a small canoe, in time of a freshet. He then goes on as
follows: -- "We intended for Mons. Galliar's jun. but were lost
*************. When we got to the house we found several of the
French inhabitants, who treated us very courteously; wondering about
our undertaking such a voyage through a country inhabited by none but
savages, and them of so different nations and tongues. After we had
refreshed ourselves, we parted from a very kind, loving, affable people,
who wished us a safe and prosperous voyage." Our traveller had now
arrived at the extreme boundary of the white population of South
Carolina, and consequently of the United States, and this was but forty
miles from Charleston. In the course of one hundred and twenty years
what a change, and what a subject for reflection! But, to return to the
French refugees. The same persevering industry and courteous manners
which distinguished the ancestors, were handed down to their children,
and are still conspicuous among their descendants of the third and
fourth generations. Most of them may be classed among