{Indians Make Maps.}
They Will Draw Maps, Very Exactly, Of All The Rivers, Towns, Mountains,
And Roads, Or What You Shall Enquire Of Them, Which You May Draw
By Their Directions, And Come To A Small Matter Of Latitude,
Reckoning By Their Days Journeys.
These Maps they will draw
in the Ashes of the Fire, and sometimes upon a Mat or Piece of
Bark.
I have put a Pen and Ink into a Savage's Hand, and he has drawn me
the Rivers, Bays, and other Parts of a Country, which afterwards
I have found to agree with a great deal of Nicety: But you must be very much
in their Favour, otherwise they will never make these Discoveries to you;
especially, if it be in their own Quarters. {No Discovery of Mines.}
And as for Mines of Silver and other Metals, we are satisfied we have enow,
and those very rich, in Carolina and its adjacent Parts; some of which
the Indians are acquainted withal, although no Enquirers thereafter,
but what came, and were discover'd, by Chance; yet they say, it is this Metal
that the English covet, as they do their Peak and Ronoak;
and that we have gain'd Ground of them wherever we have come.
Now, say they, if we should discover these Minerals to the English,
they would settle at or near these Mountains, and bereave us
of the best Hunting-Quarters we have, as they have already done
wherever they have inhabited; so by that means, we shall be driven
to some unknown Country, to live, hunt, and get our Bread in.
These are the Reasons that the Savages give, for not making known
what they are acquainted withal, of that Nature.
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