made, 'till what was once Augusta
county south east of the Ohio river, has been chequered on the map of
Virginia, into thirty-three counties with an aggregate population of
289,362.[13]

[48] About the year 1749 there was in the county of Frederick, a man
subject to lunacy, and who, when laboring under the influence of this
disease, would ramble a considerable distance into the neighboring
wilderness. In one of these wanderings he came on some of the waters
of Greenbrier river. Surprised to see them flowing in a westwardly
direction, on his return to Winchester he made known the fact, and
that the country abounded very much with different kinds of Game. In
consequence of this information two men, recently from New England,
visited the country and took up their residence on the Greenbrier
river.

Having erected a cabin and being engaged in making some other
improvements, an altercation arose, which caused Stephen Suel,[14] one
of them, to forsake the cabin and abide for some time in a hollow tree
not far from the improvement, which was still occupied by his old
companion. They were thus situated in 1751, when John Lewis, of
Augusta and his son Andrew were exploring the country; to whom Suel
made known the cause of their living apart, and the great pleasure
which he experienced now in their morning salutations, when issuing
from their respective habitations; whereas when they slept under the
same roof, none of those kindly greetings passed between them. Suel
however did not long remain in the vicinity of Martin, the other of
the two adventurers; he moved forty miles west of his first
improvement, and soon after fell a prey to Indian ferocity. Martin is
said to have returned to the settlements.

There was no other attempt made by the whites, to improve the
Greenbrier country for several years. Lewis and his son thoroughly
examined it; and when permission was given to the Greenbrier company
(of which John Lewis was a member) to locate 100,000 acres, on the
waters of this river, they became agents to make the surveys and
locations. The war between France and England in 1754 checked their
proceedings; and when they, on the restoration of peace, would have
resumed them, they were interdicted by a royal proclamation, issued in
1761, commanding all those who had made settlements on the western
waters to remove from them; and those who were engaged in making
surveys to desist. Sound policy requiring, that a good understandin