nesty, to the Rules whereof the great Men strictly adhere; but their
common People will lye, cheat, and steal.

They seldom commit Violence upon the _English_, but when provoked, or
put on by others.

The _French_, that are seated upon the River of St. _Laurence_ and the
_Messisippi_, and the Lakes between them in _Canada_ and _Lovisiana_,
which extend behind all the _English Plantations_ along the Heart of
_North America_ a vast Way, from the most Northern Parts of the _French_
Settlements, which are contiguous quite to the Gulf of _Mexico_, are
numerous, and through the Policy of their late _King_ intermarry with
the _Indians_; by which means being united with them, they often set
them on to destroy the _English_, which may prove dangerous in Case of a
War with _France_.

But to prevent more Mischiefs of this kind, Providence has secured us
from them by a continued Ridge of vast high Hills, called the
_Apelachian Mountains_, running nearly under the _Meridian_, as being
passable but in very few Places; which Mountains through the Care and
Conduct of the _Honourable Colonel Spotswood_ are secured for his
Majesty, tho' not guarded as yet; which might easily be done to the
great Safety and Encouragement of back Settlements in a vast rich
Country Westward of the Settlements of _Virginia_, some hundred of Miles
from the Sea quite to the Mountains, which might prove a Terror to the
_French Indians_ and _Planters_, in Case of Inroads and Irruptions, and
become a Safeguard to the Trade of those Places.

_Governor Spotswood_, when he undertook the great Discovery of the
_Passage_ over the _Mountains_, attended with a sufficient Guard and
Pioneers and Gentlemen, with a sufficient Stock of Provision, with
abundant Fatigue _passed_ these _Mountains_, and cut _his Majesty's
Name_ in a _Rock_ upon the _Highest_ of them, naming it MOUNT GEORGE;
and in Complaisance the Gentlemen from the Governor's Name, called the
Mountain next in Height, _Mount Alexander_.

For this Expedition they were obliged to provide a great Quantity of
Horse-Shoes; (Things seldom used in the lower Parts of the Country,
where there are few Stones:) Upon which Account the Governor upon their
Return presented each of his Companions with a Golden Horse-Shoe, (some
of which I have seen studded with valuable Stones resembling the Heads
of Nails) with this Inscription on the one Side: _Sic juvat transcendere
montes_: And on the other is written the tramontane O