They Make Good Flax, Hemp,
Linnen-Cloth And Thread; Which They Exchange Amongst The Neighbourhood
For Other Commodities, For Which They Have Occasion.
We have hitherto made no Tryal of foreign Herbage; but, doubtless,
it would thrive well; especially, Sanfoin, and those Grasses,
that endure Heat, and dry Grounds.
As for our Low Lands, such as Marshes,
Savannas and Percoarson-Ground, which lies low, all of them naturally afford
good Land for Pasturage.
We will next treat of the Beasts, which you shall have an Account of,
as they have been discover'd.
The Beasts of Carolina are the
Buffelo, or wild Beef.
Bear.
Panther.
Cat-a-mount.
Wild Cat.
Wolf.
Tyger.
Polcat.
Otter.
Bever.
Musk-Rat.
Possum.
Raccoon.
Minx.
Water-Rat.
Rabbet, two sorts.
Elks.
Stags.
Fallow-Deer.
Squirrel, four sorts.
Fox.
Lion, and Jackall on the Lake.
Rats, two sorts.
Mice, two sorts.
Moles.
Weasel, Dormouse.
Bearmouse.
The Buffelo is a wild Beast of America, which has a Bunch on his Back,
as the Cattle of St. Laurence are said to have. He seldom appears
amongst the English Inhabitants, his chief Haunt being
in the Land of Messiasippi, which is, for the most part, a plain Country;
yet I have known some kill'd on the Hilly Part of Cape-Fair-River,
they passing the Ledges of vast Mountains from the said Messiasippi,
before they can come near us. {Two killed one year in Virginia
at Appamaticks.} I have eaten of their Meat, but do not think it so good
as our Beef; yet the younger Calves are cry'd up for excellent Food,
as very likely they may be. It is conjectured, that these Buffelos,
mixt in Breed with our tame Cattle, would much better the Breed
for Largeness and Milk, which seems very probable. Of the wild Bull's Skin,
Buff is made. The Indians cut the Skins into Quarters
for the Ease of their Transportation, and make Beds to lie on.
They spin the Hair into Garters, Girdles, Sashes, and the like,
it being long and curled, and often of a chesnut or red Colour.
These Monsters are found to weigh (as I am informed by a Traveller of Credit)
from 1600 to 2400 Weight.
{Bear.}
The Bears here are very common, though not so large as in Greenland,
and the more Northern Countries of Russia. The Flesh of this Beast
is very good, and nourishing, and not inferiour to the best Pork in Taste.
It stands betwixt Beef and Pork, and the young Cubs are a Dish
for the greatest Epicure living. I prefer their Flesh before any Beef,
Veal, Pork, or Mutton; and they look as well as they eat,
their fat being as white as Snow, and the sweetest of any Creature's
in the World. If a Man drink a Quart thereof melted,
it never will rise in his Stomach. We prefer it above all things,
to fry Fish and other things in. Those that are Strangers to it,
may judge otherwise; But I who have eaten a great deal of Bears Flesh
in my Life-time (since my being an Inhabitant in America)
do think it equalizes, if not excels, any Meat I ever eat in Europe.
The Bacon made thereof is extraordinary Meat; but it must be well saved,
otherwise it will rust. This Creature feeds upon all sorts of wild Fruits.
When Herrings run, which is in March, the Flesh of such of those Bears
as eat thereof, is nought, all that Season, and eats filthily.
Neither is it good, when he feeds on Gum-berries, as I intimated before.
They are great Devourers of Acorns, and oftentimes meet the Swine
in the Woods, which they kill and eat, especially when they are hungry,
and can find no other Food. Now and then they get into
the Fields of Indian Corn, or Maiz, where they make a sad Havock,
spoiling ten times as much as they eat. The Potatos of this Country
are so agreeable to them, that they never fail to sweep 'em all clean,
if they chance to come in their way. They are seemingly
a very clumsy Creature, yet are very nimble in running up Trees,
and traversing every Limb thereof. When they come down,
they run Tail foremost. At catching of Herrings, they are
most expert Fishers. They sit by the Creek-sides, (which are very narrow)
where the Fish run in; and there they take them up, as fast as it's possible
they can dip their Paws into the Water. There is one thing more
to be consider'd of this Creature, which is, that no Man,
either Christian or Indian, has ever kill'd a She-bear with Young.
It is supposed, that the She-Bears, after Conception, hide themselves
in some secret and undiscoverable Place, till they bring forth their Young,
which, in all Probability, cannot be long; otherwise, the Indians,
who hunt the Woods like Dogs, would, at some time or other,
have found them out. Bear-Hunting is a great Sport in America,
both with the English and Indians. Some Years ago, there were kill'd
five hundred Bears, in two Counties of Virginia, in one Winter;
and but two She-Bears amongst them all, which were not with Young,
as I told you of the rest. The English have a breed of Dogs
fit for this sport, about the size of Farmers Curs, and, by Practice,
come to know the Scent of a Bear, which as soon as they have found,
they run him, by the Nose, till they come up with him,
and then bark and snap at him, till he trees, when the Huntsman shoots him
out of the Trees, there being, for the most part, two or three with Guns,
lest the first should miss, or not quite kill him. Though they are not
naturally voracious, yet they are very fierce when wounded.
The Dogs often bring him to a Bay, when wounded, and then the Huntsmen
make other Shots, perhaps with the Pistols that are stuck in their Girdles.
If a Dog is apt to fasten, and run into a Bear, he is not good,
for the best Dog in Europe is nothing in their Paws; but if ever
they get him in their Clutches, they blow his Skin from his Flesh,
like a Bladder, and often kill him; or if he recovers it, he is never good
for any thing after.
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