We kept at a distance from them, not to be too familiar; and when we did
appear it was but two or three of us at a time. But our prisoners made them
understand that we required some provisions of them; so they brought us
some black cattle, for they have abundance of cows and buffaloes all over
that side of the country, as also great numbers of deer. Our cutler, who
had now a great stock of things of his handiwork, gave them some little
knick-knacks, as plates of silver and of iron, cut diamond fashion, and cut
into hearts and into rings, and they were mightily pleased. They also
brought several fruits and roots, which we did not understand, but our
negroes fed heartily on them, and after we had seen them eat them, we did
so too.

Having stocked ourselves here with flesh and root as much as we could well
carry, we divided the burthens among our negroes, appointing about thirty
to forty pounds weight to a man, which we thought indeed was load enough in
a hot country; and the negroes did not at all repine at it, but would
sometimes help one another when they began to be weary, which did happen
now and then, though not often; besides, as most of their luggage was our
provision, it lightened every day, like Aesop's basket of bread, till we
came to get a recruit.--Note, when we loaded them we untied their hands,
and tied them two and two together by one foot.

The third day of our march from this place our chief carpenter desired us
to halt, and set up some huts, for he had found out some trees that he
liked, and resolved to make us some canoes; for, as he told me, he knew we
should have marching enough on foot after we left the river, and he was
resolved to go no farther by land than needs must.

We had no sooner given orders for our little camp, and given leave to our