so I forced a laugh, and made them believe I
considered their tricks as an excellent joke.
I gave them all my tobacco to keep them in
good humour; but I passed a most miserable
night, nearly suffocated with smoke, distracted
with their noise, and annoyed by vermin of
every description.
I was most happy when daybreak gave me
an excuse for leaving these brutal savages,
and x’esuming my journey. Every step I took
brought before me proofs of the horrors of
war: villages, which had been crowded, were
now entirely desolate, and, in many instances,
burned to the ground. On that spot where
I had left a party of enterprising Scotchmen
busily employed in sawing timber, with crowds
of natives assisting them, all was quiet and
totally deserted, with the exception of a few
nearly starved, wretched-looking dogs, who,
hearing some one approach, came out, and
tried to bark at us, but were too weak to
utter a sound.
Our march along the banks of the river was
through a most beautiful country; but all the
inhabitants had fled: their plantations were
in a most luxuriant state; fields which I had
left bare and uncultivated, were now covered
with Indian corn standing higher than my
head, the ripe ears hanging fantastically in all
directions, and none to gather in the harvest:
the crops of cumera and potatoes were equally
abundant. I could not help thinking that, if
they expected an invasion of their enemies,
they had left an ample supply of forage for
their use. In the evening I arrived at E O
Racky, or Deptford Dock-yard (of which I
made mention in my first journey). I here
found my countrymen in a state of considerable
embarrassment. The various chiefs of
that district had encamped all round them:
so near to them had they taken up their position,
that, whatever might be the result of their
battles, the European settlement would be in
danger. The settlers had fortified their place
of refuge in the best manner they could ; and
all were determined to defend themselves and
property to the last. They had four nine-
pounders mounted on a hill, and a tolerable
battery made of three-inch pine stuff.
Before the English erected their fortifica