The farmer and mechanic., 1915-06-15
JOHN LAWSON, GENTLEMAN,
SURVEYOR GENERAL AND
HISTORIAN OF CAROLINA
(By Ida TUNSTALL RODMAN)
Washington N G.
nv Ida TUNSTALL RODMAN)

Colonial Danes or GoldSDoro, WIN
unveiled n boulder on the courthouse
square in that city, on June lst, In
memory of John Lawson, the earliest
historian of North Carolina).
In the introduction to his history
of Carolina, John Lawson gives this
account of himself-"in the year
1900, when people flocked from all
parts of the Christian world to see
the solemnity of the grand jubilee at
Rome my intention at that time be
ing to travel / accidentally met with
a gentleman who had been abroad,
and was very well acquainted with
the ways of living in both Indies; of
whom having made inquiry cdncern-
ing them, he assured me that Caro-
lima was the best country | could go
to. And that there then lay ship
in the Thames in which 1 might have
my passage laid hold on the op-
portunity. and was not long on board
before we fell down the river and
sailed to Cowes where having taken
on some passengers. we proceeded on
our voyage, till we sprung leak, and
were forced into the Islands Of Scilly.
Here we spent about ten days in re-
fitting.
"On the first day Of May, having a
fair wind we put to sea, and were on
the ocean till the latter end Of July,
when the winds hung so much south
erly, that we could not get to our
port. but put into SandyhoOk Bay.
and we went up to New York, after
a pinching voyage caused by our long
passage We found at the watering
place q French man Of war, who had
r6 nd ri
make a colony, and was intended for
the Mississippi river, there to settle. "
After Il fortnight's stay in New
York, his ship proceeded on the vOy-
age to Charleston, which port was
reached in fourteen days. He re-
mained in that city and vicinity about
four months, and then began what he
quantity terms "a voyage" in reality
journey on foot. of "a thousand
miles, among the Indians. He
started on this trip, December %
100; in the company were six Eng.
lishmen. three Indian men, and one
woman, wife Of the Indian guide. Hi:
vivid description of the natural re
sources Of the country and of thu
savage people, given at first sight O.
an unexplored land will always pos
sess q certain amount of interest fol
future historians. His history shows
that he was q man of some learning
and that he was possessed Of acut'
observation.
In the course Of the journey from
South Carolina to North Carolina. h
crossed the northwest branch of tn
Cape Fear river, and he writes-"W
were pleased to view the river whic1
used to frighten passengers from
fording it," They determined to res
on the side of a hill after they ha
crossed the Cape Fear and when o.
the top of the hill, he says there ap
peared another delicious stream hav
ing large stones about the bigness o
an ordinary house lying up and dow
the river. This was the famous Ha
(Haw) river. so named from the Sis
siphau (Saxapahaw) Indians, VIII
dwelt on It's banks
Lawson and his party were hard
adventurers, for notwithstanding tn
cold northwest wind of midwinter an
the swiftness of the stream, the
forded it. though with much diff
Guilty. After this icy plunge, we ca
imagine that the night was one
cold comfort, however, the narratiy
continues that as soon as it was da,
they set out for Occoneechee Tow
ON the way. they met a cavalcade
thirty loaded horses driven by four, {
five men. coming from Virginia, lea
by a man named Massey, a native
Leeds, yorkshire. After eXchangir
salutations. Lawson's party accepte
from these men two Wheaton bi
cults and some ammunition" The
were advised by the Virginians to pr,
ceed down the country towards Ro;
noke, and not to attempt to cross in
Virginia on account of the savages
At this juncture faithful India
guide was secured. named EnOe Wi
recommended by the Nirginians. Bo
ri &C .xrn nf IN
country between Occoneechee Tow
and Haw river was eXtraordinari
rich land" Here, as in many 9th
instances. Lawson notes the tractabl
ness of the Indians He says that
showing the guide a book that he ca
ried in his pocket, containing the pi
ture of King David the guide b
came much interested and offered
resign his son to Lawson provided
would teach him to talk in that bo