and was on dry land as soon as Horry himself.

We now proceeded along the right bank of the North Fork, and on the
opposite side we caught a glimpse of a party of Indians at work, which
we afterwards learned were that of Mr. Sinclair. In one week this party
had gathered sixteen pounds troy of fine washed gold dust. They worked
hard, were well fed, and had liberal rations of "strong water" daily.
We rested a couple of hours at noon, in a pleasant bottom, heavily
timbered, and afterwards, striking away from the river at an acute
angle, moved leisurely on through a broken country, intersected by many
water-courses, and overgrown with dense clusters of trees.

During our afternoon march we passed several deserted Indian
villages--the round-shaped skeletons of the huts alone remaining to
mark the former settlements. Not a member of the tribe, however, was to
be seen; the beaver may build and the deer pasture hereabouts in peace.
Towards evening we entered the valley drained by the stream called
Weber's Creek. Its appearance was very beautiful, and the stream
descended along a steep rocky bed, foaming round large boulder stones,
and tumbling down low ledges of granite. The grassy slopes of the
valley are cut up in all directions with rivulets, the courses of which
are marked by luxuriant underwood, rank grass, and groves of stunted
oaks. Two or three arbours were to be seen with one or two rude-looking
tents, all with blazing fires before them. We encamped forthwith,
hoping the next day to reach a station which we could make available
for our purpose.

We were early on the move this morning, and soon saw several parties of
threes and fours washing in the bed of the river, or exploring the
mountain gorges with their shovels and mattocks. The weather was