{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.
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