Accordingly an order was sent by the late king to Mr. Gooch, afterwards lieutenant governor of Virginia, to pursue those preliminaries exactly. In obedience thereunto, he was pleased to appoint three of the council of that colony to be commissioners on the part of Virginia, who, in conjunction with others to be named by the governor of North Carolina, were to settle the boundary between the two governments, upon the plan of the above-mentioned articles.

Extract of a Letter from the Governor of Virginia to the Governor of North Carolina.

WILLIAMSBURG, 15th December, 1727.

"I should sooner have despatched your messenger and acknowledged the favour of your's of the sixth instant, had not the court of oyer and terminer which met on Monday last prevented till yesterday the meeting of the council, to whom I found it necessary to communicate the proposals you was pleased to mention. In answer to which I am

now to tell you that we don't think a previous conference needful; since the proposals for determining the boundaries, approved by his majesty and agreed to by the lords proprietors, are so plain as to admit of no ground for dispute, nor the commissioners any room for altering the rules therein prescribed; but it is agreed that whatever shall be necessary for enabling the commissioners to proceed on their business may be concerted by letter, to which purpose your commissioners will receive by this conveyance from ours what they judge fit to be agreed on for the better carrying on the service."

Extract of a Letter from the Virginia Commissioners to the North Carolina Commissioners.

"VIRGINIA, 16th December, 1727.

Gentlemen,-We are sorry we can't have the pleasure of meeting you in January next, as it was desired by your governor's letter; the season of the year in which that was proposed to be done, and the distance of our habitations from your frontiers will make our excuse reasonable; besides, his majesty's orders mark our business so plainly that we are persuaded there can be no difficulty about the construction of it. After this what imaginable dispute can arise among gentlemen who meet together with minds averse to chicane, and with inclinations to do equal justice, both to his majesty and the lords proprietors, in which disposition we make no doubt the commissioners on each side will find one another. We are fully impowered to agree at our first meeting on what preliminaries shall be thought necessary, which we hope you will likewise be, that an af fair of so great consequence may meet with no delay or disappointment.

"We think it very proper to acquaint you in what manner we intend to come provided, that so you being appointed in the same station may, if you please, do the same honour to your country. We shall bring with us about twenty men furnished with provisions for thirty days; we shall have with us a tent and marquees for the convenience of ourselves and our servants. We bring as much wine and rum as will enable us and our men to drink every night to the good success of the following day; and because we understand there are gentiles on the frontiers, who never had an opportunity of being baptized, we shall have a chaplain with us to make them christians. For this purpose

we intend to rest in our camp every Sunday that there may be leisure for so good a work. And whoever in that neighborhood is desirous of novelty may come and hear a good sermon. Of this you will please to give notice that the charitable intentions of this goverment may meet with the happier success.'

The North Carolina commissioners, in their answer, take notice of the governor's letter proposing a conference by letter; and they ask the opinion of the Virginia commissioners whether they will run through the Great Dismal, supposed near thirty miles, or take the latitude on each side of it—and they go on to say:

"We shall also be glad to know what instruments you intend to use to observe the latitude and find the variation of the compass with, in order to fix a due west line; for we are told the last time the commissioners met, their instruments varied several minutes, which we hope will not happen again, nor any other difficulty that may occasion any disappointment or delay, after we have been at the trouble of meeting in so remote a place, and with such attendance and equipage as you inform us you intend on your parts; though we are at a loss gentlemen whether to thank you for the particulars you give us of your tent stores and the manner you design to meet us. Had you been silent about it we had not wanted an excuse for not meeting you in the same manner; but now you force us to expose the nakedness of our country, and to tell you we cannot possibly meet you in the manner our great respect to you would make us glad to do, whom we are not emulous of outdoing unless in care and diligence in the affair we come to meet you about. So all we answer to that article is, that we will endeavor to provide as well as the circumstances of things will admit us; and what we may

want in necessaries will we hope be made up in the spiritual comfort we expect from your chaplain, of whom we shall give notice as you desire to all lovers of novelty, and doubt not of a great many boundary christians."

[We copy the following Old Letters from the originals which have been obligingly presented to us by a young gentleman who is, we understand, a remote descendant of Major Mayo, and who held them as family relics; but thought that they might properly serve to aid our object in this work.]

From Colonel William Byrd to Major William Mayo.

WESTOVER, THE 26TH OF AUGUST, 1731.

Sir, I have lately been afflicted with a severe Fever, and now tis off recover very slowly. I have so indifferent an opinion of my self, that I dare not undertake so long a Journey into the woods next month as we proposed. I send you this timely notice, that so you may attend your other affairs, and particularly may run the Line betwixt your County and that of Hannover. But which way soever you direct your Course, I hope you wont forget to look

ed them here with no success, having been spoilt in bringing, yet nevertheless these may grow and I will try.

I have had Peaches from the Stones you gave me when you was at my House, it is a good Peach and large but I think I have better and much larger and some has measured 14 Inches about, and I think of as rich a juce as a Pine to the full, I wish I could have sent you and Mrs. Nanny some of them. I have had this year such a Plenty and I have found such a benefit by letting my Hogs come into the Orchard that I propose to plant 6 acres more, and I shall give directions to your Overseer to plant a good Orchard, I will provide him with stones.

I shall plant good Store of May Cherry Stones (others I have enough) if they come up as I hope they will your Overseer shall have a part. I have some young Trees now growing and some black damasons, I am promised this Winter some plum and Morello Cherry trees.

The last time I was at Colo. Byrds his Lady desired me to send to Barbados for some Shells for her as Conk Shells Wilks and such Variety as may be got, let me beg the favour of you to get a small barrel full (enough may be had about Oistins and below Rock) and send them to Colo. William Byrd at Westover in James River and place the Charge to my Account. I am my Dear Friend,

Your most humble serv't,

WM. MAYO.

Sir,-The foregoing is a Copy of my last which I hope have received-enclosed is a letter to your Sister which be pleased to deliver to her.

you

I am dear sir,

Your most affec't serv't,

WM. MAYO.

Dated foom the N. R. Corner of my Porch,

The 14th Oct.,