{Monday.}
The Next Morning Very Early, We Ferry'd Over A Creek That Runs Near The House;
And, After An Hour's
Travel in the Woods, we came to the River-side,
where we stay'd for the Indian, who was our Guide,
And was gone round
by Water in a small Canoe, to meet us at that Place we rested at.
He came after a small Time, and ferry'd us in that little Vessel
over Santee River 4 Miles, and 84 Miles in the Woods,
which the over-flowing of the Freshes, which then came down,
had made a perfect Sea of, there running an incredible Current in the River,
which had cast our small Craft, and us, away, had we not had
this Sewee Indian with us; who are excellent Artists in managing
these small Canoes.
Santee River, at this Time, (from the usual Depth of Water)
was risen perpendicular 36 Foot, always making a Breach from her Banks,
about this Season of the Year: The general Opinion of the Cause thereof,
is suppos'd to proceed from the overflowing of fresh Water-Lakes
that lie near the Head of this River, and others, upon the same Continent:
But my Opinion is, that these vast Inundations proceed from
the great and repeated Quantities of Snow that falls upon the Mountains,
which lie at so great a Distance from the Sea, therefore they have
no Help of being dissolv'd by those saline, piercing Particles,
as other adjacent Parts near the Ocean receive; and therefore
lies and increases to a vast Bulk, until some mild Southerly Breezes
coming on a sudden, continue to unlock these frozen Bodies,
congeal'd by the North-West Wind, dissipating them in Liquids;
and coming down with Impetuosity, fills those Branches that feed these Rivers,
and causes this strange Deluge, which oft-times lays under Water
the adjacent Parts on both Sides this Current, for several Miles distant
from her Banks; tho' the French and Indians affir'm'd to me,
they never knew such an extraordinary Flood there before.
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