Books: A Peek Into the Carolinas' past.

While I'm on the subject of history, I'll share a resource I learned of after my last research trip to Charleston.

Narratives of Early Carolina 1650-1708

In authentically-replicated reports and letters written by William Hilton (Hilton Head's namesake), Robert Horne, Francis Yeardley, Robert Sanford, Thomas Ashe, Danie Defoe and more, readers get a glimpse of both North and South Carolina in the days Europeans began exploring their shores.

Encounters with the natives and Spanish are included with description of the landscape, which, at times, is barely recognizable to me as described, so lush and plentiful were the trees and wildlife. The journeys were taken so early in the Carolinas' infancy, which is often referred to as Florida or, in North Carolina's case, South Virginia, the explorers named some landmarks as they traveled. Names that have been lost over time.

While reading, I pressed into the wilderness of NE North Carolina, where the Tuscarora dwelt. Read of the sugar cane that grew thick and tall; of the interactions between explorers and the various tribes, and between the tribes themselves; of the difficulties in finding the mouth of the Cape Fear River and then the trip up the river and its tributaries. Read of encounters English explorers had with the Spanish, and the difficulties they faced due to language barriers. I learned about the North Carolina settlement called Charles Town. New information for me. The town is gone today, and little of it remains, including memories, so I was thrilled when, during our trip to Old Brunswick Town, we passed the historical marker noting the settlement's location down the creek.

And that was within the first four of the eighteen reports included. I'm trying to read them in order, working my way southward to Charles Town (Charleston). However, the collection is divided so one can read one report and then skip around to another, if they so desire.

Below is an excerpt from William Hilton's, "A Relation of a Discovery", written in 1664 after his trip up the Cape Fair (Cape Fear, to my understanding, but those who read nautical terms can correct me):

...we returned, viewing the Land on both sides the River, and found as good tracts of land, dry, well wooded, pleasant and delightful as we have seen any where in the world, with great burthen of Grasse on it, the land being very level, with steep banks on both sides the River, and in some places very high, the woods stor'd with abundance of Deer and Turkies every where; we never going on shoar, but saw of each also Partridges great store, Cranes abundance, Conies, which we saw in several places; we heard several Wolves howling in the woods, and saw where they had torn a Deer in pieces. Also in the River we saw great store of Ducks, Teile, Widgeon, and in the woods great flocks of Parrakeeto's; the Timber that the woods afford for the most part consisting of Oaks of four or five sorts, all differing in leaves, but all bearing Akorns very good: we measured many of the Oaks in several places, which we found to be in bignesse some two, some three, and others almost four fathoms; in height, before you come to boughs or limbs, forty, fifty, sixty foot, and some more, and those Oaks very common in the upper parts of both Rivers; Also a very tall large Tree of great bignesse, which some do call Cyprus, the right name we know not, growing in Swamps.

Likewise Walnut, Birch, Beech, Maple, Ash, Bay, Willough, Alder and Holly; and in the lowermost parts innumerable of Pines, tall and good for boards or masts, growing for the most part in barren sandy ground, but in some places up the River in good ground, being mixed amongst Oaks and other Timber. We saw several Mulberry-trees, multitudes of Grape-Vines, and some Grapes which we did eat of. We found a very large and good tract of Land on the N. W. side of the River, thin of Timber, except here and there a very
great Oak...

Looking at the shores of the Cape Fear today, I never would have known.

Narratives of Early Carolina 1650-1708 is available on Amazon. Most, if not all, reports are now public domain and can be found online, but you have to know the title! I like the book version, though. It's far more portable. If you're a fan of Carolina history, I highly commend this collection.

Southport, NC: A Blurb

The Old Brunswick Town trip started out as an excursion to Southport, NC. The idea was to visit Southport and then take the ferry to Bald Head Island, where we hoped to watch tiny little turtles making their newborn dash to the sea. But when we approached the historical marker for Charles Town (more on that in my next post) and then Brunswick Town, we couldn't resist stopping.

After our stroll through history, we did make it to Southport, but time and a 90% threat of rain chased us away.

But Southport deserves a mention. From the quick auto tour we took, by all appearances, the town seems charming. Coastal-style homes with wide front porches sit on picturesque streets or facing boats bobbing in a marina. According to Coastal North Carolina, Fort Johnston was established here in 1754 and life grew around it until finally, a port city formed. From exploring north carolina's natural areas, I learned of the effort to save old live oaks that once thrived in the area. A sight we missed, but would love to see.

Also from Coastal NC, we learned Southport was "one the first places in (North Carolina) to celebrate" Independence Day, and they're now known as the Fourth of July Capital. At least of the state. The author reports thousands of people visit Southport every year to participate in a three-day event to commemorate our nation's liberty, and indeed, we pulled into town on Friday afternoon, July 1st. Rows of small flags lined the sides of roads, and red, white and blue bunting hung from white railings of porches. We headed out of town before the masses arrived!

As I mentioned earlier, Southport is the place to go to catch the ferry to Bald Head Island. According to exploring north carolina, the ferry is also the best way to see the Cape Fear Estuary.

I'll find out next month. Every year on my birthday, we try to visit a new Carolina destination, or enjoy a favorite old one. This year, our destination is Bald Head Island. If I get my birthday wish, I'll not only visit Southport and get a good look at the estuaries, I'll be blessed enough to see iddy-biddy turtles scuttling to the sea.

For information on the Bald Head Island Ferry, click here.

Old Brunswick Town and Fort Anderson

As I've shared in the past, during a writers conference one year, while sitting at a table hosted by an editor, someone got me on the subject of the Carolinas. I'm sure they soon regretted that because I talked on and on about the beauty and history found in these states. When I ran out of air, the editor sat back, crossed her arms in dramatic fashion, and with a tired sigh said, "So..." Pause for effect. "You seem to know a lot about history. Tell me..." Pause for effect. "Are you writing a historical?"

Having totally forgotten the house she represented published the genre, I said something along the lines of, "No. You can't take a step around here without walking on history."

This past weekend, we drove down east to explore what I learned was a forgotten, and now, often overlooked piece of history located along the Cape Fear River across from Carolina Beach State Park.

Brunswick Town was established on the banks of the Cape Fear around 1726. It was a place of trade, a place of politics. In the midst of twisted oaks laden with moss, people lived, worked, enjoyed the beauty of life along the majestic river.

But like the port town of Bath, the village began to die out. What was left went up in smoke when British soldiers arrived in 1776. They left behind few remains.

And it stayed that way for a century. But during the War Between the States, the land that was once a busy port town became Fort Anderson. Mounds were built, "one shovel at a time" to create fortifications.

But the war ended, along with the need for Fort Anderson. And for another century, Old Brunswick was once again forgotten.

Until the 1950s. Then, a man who recognized the historical significance of the area launched an effort to find Old Brunswick's remains, and today, guest can stop at the Visitors Center for information before strolling around the grounds first settled by the son of a Carolina governor. It's a quiet walk, disturbed only by other visitors or pelicans flying above in formation. But few residents are found there. Silent sentinels. No one who can tell the stories of Old Brunswick Town.

Those memories have been lost over time. But thanks to those who hoped to preserve the past, Old Brunswick Town hasn't been lost to history.

For more information, go to www.nchistoricsites.org/brunswic/main.htm

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