pposed that want of water had driven them
out of the Countrey down to the River side, but since it had rained a
shower or two they were gone again. Once about Noon sitting down upon
a Rock by the River side to take a Pipe of Tobacco and rest our selves;
[Very near falling upon the wild People.] we had almost been discovered
by the Women of these wild People, coming down, as I suppose, to wash
themselves in the River. Who being many of them, came talking and
laughing together. At the first hearing of the noise being a good
distance, we marvailed what it was; sitting still and listning, it
came nearer a little above where we sat; and at last we could plainly
distinguish it to be the Voices of Women and Children. Whereupon we
thought it no boot to sit longer, since we could escape undiscovered,
and so took up our Bags and fled as fast as we could.

[What kind of travelling they had.] Thus we kept travelling every day
from Morning till Night, still along the River side, which turned and
winded very crooked. In some places it would be pretty good Travelling,
and but few Bushes and Thorns, and in others a great many. So that
our Shoulders and Arms were all of a Gore, being grievously torn and
scratched. For we had nothing on us but a clout about our Middles, and
our Victuals on our Shoulders, and in our hands a Tallipat and an Ax.

[Some account of this River.] The lower we came down this River, the
less Water, so that sometimes we could go a Mile or two upon the Sand,
and in some places three or four Rivers would all meet together. When
it happened so, and was Noon, the Sun over our head, and the Water
not running, we could not tell which to follow, but were forced to
stay till the Sun was fallen, thereby to judge of our course. We
often met with Bears, Hogs, Deer, and wild Buffaloes, but all ran so
soon as they saw us. But Elephants we met with no more than that I
mentioned before. The River is exceeding full of Aligators all a long
as we went; the upper part of it nothing but Rocks. Here and there
by the side of this River is a World of [Ruins.] hewn Stone Pillars,
standing upright, and other heaps of hewn Stones, which I suppose
formerly were Buildings. And in three or four places are the ruins
of Bridges built of Stone; some Remains of them yet standing upon
Stone Pillars. In many places are Points built out into the River like
Wharfs, all of hewn Stone; which I suppose have been built for Kings
to sit upon for Pleasure