The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-30
JOURNEY To THE
LAND OF EDEN.
Colonel Byrd's History Of the Ovid
Ing Line Of
VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA.
ytorics Of the Indians and the Early
Days of the Country Especially In
tcrcstipg Co People on Border
Counties of Old Dominion.

n 4 $500
The Wcstovcr manuscripts, containing
the history OF the oiNiilng inc between
Virginia and North Carolina. ana a jour
ney to the Land Of Eden. written from
Jss TO LOO. by colonel William Byrd, OF
Westover. Possesses u vast store OF cary
historical Information for the people Of
This section OF Virginia. and more espe-
cially those who live in this State In
counties bordering on North Carolina
The Indian tribes, the wild animals, the
original vegetable growth Of this section
the minerals. rivers and creeks are par
ticuiarly noted by him. The names Of
many OF the first white settlers are given
The streams tributary 10 the N~ottoway.
Roanoke and Dare rivers were nearly
all named by him and there IS q sisniii-
canoe In all their names. I viii mention
some Of them and other matters of incl
dental interest TO a large number Of
your readers.
THE DIVIDING LINE.
After his return from the surveying
expedition Colonel Byrd wrote.
We extended the line within the shadow
OF the Choicky mountains where We were
obliged TO set up our pillars, Ike Hercu-
les, and return home, We had now, upon
the whole, been out about sixteen weeks,
and lad Travelled at least coo miles, go
Ing and returning, and no small part Of
that distance on foot. Below. towards
the seaside our 'oNl-t ihN AntVAbn Htp
asses. swamps and great waters. and
above over steep hills. craggy rocks and
thickets hardly penetrable.
Notwithstanding this variety OF hard
ships, We may say without vanity that
we faithfully obeyed tho Kings orders
and performed the business e~iiectually.
Nor can we by any means reprOach our
selves OF having put the Crown TO any
exorbitant expense in this difficult affair.
the whole charge. from beginning 10 end
amounting to no more than E1.O0O.
But let no one concerned In this pain
ful expedition complain OF the scantincss
Of his pay so long as his Majesty has
been graciously pleased 20 add to our
reward the honor OF his royal approba-
ton, and 10 declare. Notwithstanding the
decision Of the Carolina commissioners.
that the line by as ran shall stand as The
true boundary betwixt the government
of Virginia and North Carolina.
THEIR DESCENDANTS.
There are many descendants Of the men
engaged In running this line now living
in Virginia and in this section.
William Byrd. Richard F1tz-Williams
and william Dandridge we're the commits
sioners for Virginia: Christopher Gale,
John Lovewick and William Little were
commissioners for Carolina; Alexandria,
irwin and William Mayo were surveyors
for Virginia; Samuel Swan and Edward
Moseley were surveyors for North Caro-
lima. Rev. Peter Fountain was chaplain.
The names OF the men employed on the
part OF Virginia 10 assist the commiss-
toner's were Peter Jones. Thomas Jones,
Thomas short. Robert Xix, John Evans,
stephen Evans. John Ellis. Thomas VIII
son. John Ellis. Jr, George Tflman,
Charles Kimbal. George Hamilton. Thorn
as Jones. Jr., James Patillo, Richard
Smith, Abraham Jones. Edward Powell,
William Pool. Wifiam Calvert, James
Whitock and Thomas Page.
a GREAT SUCCESS.
with these men re accomplished his
work ana says: IL any of our people
wanted one single meal during the whole
expedition IL was entirely owing to their
own dmprudent management. Not one
man OF our whole company had any vio-
lent distemper or bad accident befall him
from one end Of the line To the other. As
for the misfortunes Of sticking In tn
mire and falling into rivers and creeks,
they were rather subjects OF mirth than
complaint. Many uncommon Incidents
occurred TO prosper our undertaking. We
had a dry spring before we went out,
and the preceding winter. and even a year
or two before had been much drier than
ordinary.
This made not only the Dismal. but
likewise most of the sunken grounds
near che seaside Just hard enough 10 bear
US. Nlltn 0iltlMAot Hau Uffi NhtAf liH-
possible. In the sixteen weeks We were
never caught in the rain except once,
nor was our progress Interrupted by bad
weather above three or four days at the
most
Besides all this we were not surprised
by no Indian enemy but ali Of US brought
our scalps back safe upon our heads.
The hunters OF the party supplied an
abundance Of deer. wild turkeys. bear
and buffalo meat. The pack and baggage
horses carried the bread and rockahOm-
my.
NAMES OF STREAMS.
After leaving the swamp and crossing
Chowen Qndian nance. he came upon the
Meherrin river. called, he says. after the
most false and treacherous tribes of In
dams 10 the English.
Flountaln creek. now IN Greensville
county. so called from the disaster OF
an unfortunate Indian trader who had
been rowne i'm IL. and ike lscariot, left
his name 10 that fatal stream.
STREAM OF SWEET WATER
The Roanoke river. an Indian name,
he struck in what is now Mecklenbure
county. 1t is forty-nine poles wide and
rolls down a crystal stream OF very
sweet water. insOmuch that when there
comes TO be a great monarch In this part
of the world, he will cause ali the water
for his own tribe 10 be brought from the
Roanoke, as the Great Kings Of Persia
did theirs from the Nile and Cheopsis,
because the waters OF these rivers were
light and not apt TO corrupt. His horses
crossed the Roanoke al a ford called
Moni-seep. which signifies in Indian
tongue. shallow water. Il Is called so 20
this day. Nut-rush creek was named
for the many hazel trees growing about
Il.
About three miles above this he cross
cd another large creek. which the In
dams called Massamoni. ~signifying In
their language Paint creek, because Of
the great quantity OF red ochre found IN
its banks.
Beyond this We passed another water
with difficulty called Yapetsco. or Beaver
creek. The beavers had built a dam
across II and hence It's name.
The next stream cmptylng into the Ro-
Gnoke crossed was Ohimpa-moni. signi-
Tying jumping creek. from the frequent
jumping OF hsh during the spring sea
son dt IS now called Grassy creek and
runs a few miles below Clarksyille. Na.). /
Here ne also found the first wild cat.
THE FIRST BUFFALO.
He next came up with tho bufaloes, /
the frs, time any signs OF these ami
mals had been seen. The stream near
as he named Buffalo creek. This now
flows near Buffalo Iithia Springs. Va.
The next creek was called Tcwahominy
az TuskefOola. because one Of mat na-
ton had been killed thereabouis and his
body thrown into the creek. II is now
known as Aaron's creek and divides Hal
ff.~ f.or, NIartfaplaru Go oalfal fr.p,