JOURNAL OF MR. FONTAINE.

 August 27th.--Got our tents in order and our horses shod.

29th.--In the morning got all things in readiness, and about one we left the German-town, to set out on our intended journey. At five in the afternoon the Governor gave orders to encamp near a small river three miles from Germanna, which we call Expedition Run, and here we lay all night. The first encampment was called Beverly Camp, in honor of one of the gentlemen of our party. We made great fires, and supped, and drank good punch. By ten of the clock I had taken all of my ounce of Jesuit's bark, but my head was much out of order.

 30th.--In the morning about seven of the clock the trumpet sounded to awake all the company, and we got up. One Austin Smith, one of the gentlemen with us, having a fever, returned home. We had lain upon the ground under cover of our tents, and we found by the pains in our bones that we had not had good beds to lie upon. At nine in the morning we sent our servants and baggage forward, and we remained because two of the Governor's horses had strayed. At half-past two we got the horses, at three we mounted, and at half an hour after four we came up with our baggage at a small river three miles on the way, which we call Mine River, because there was an appearance of a silver mine by it. We made about three miles more, and came to another small river, which is at the foot of a small mountain, so we encamped here and called it Mountain Run, and our camp we called Todd's Camp. We had good pasturage for our horses, and venison in abundance for ourselves, which we roasted before the fire on wooden forks, and so we went to bed in our tents. We made six miles this day.

31st.--At eight in the morning we set out from Mountain Run, and after going five miles we came upon the upper part of Rappahannock River. One of the gentlemen and I, we kept out on one side of the company about a mile, to have the better hunting. I saw a deer and shot him from my horse, but the horse threw me a terrible fall and ran away, we ran after him, and with a great deal of difficulty got him again; but we could not find the deer I had shot, and we lost ourselves, and it was two hours before we could come upon the track of our company. About five miles farther we crossed the same river again, and two miles farther we met with a large bear, which one of our company shot and I got the skin. We killed several deer, and about two miles from the place where we killed the bear we encamped, upon the Rappahannock River. From our encampment we could see the Appalachian Hills very plain. We made large fires, pitched our tents, and cut boughs to lie upon, had good liquor, and at ten we went to sleep We always kept a sentry at the Governor's door. We called this Smith's Camp. Made this day fourteen miles.

1st.--September.--At eight we mounted our horses and made the first five miles of our way through a very pleasant plain, which lies where Rappahan nock River forks. I saw there the largest timber, the finest and deepest mould, and the best grass that I ever did see. We had some of our baggage put out of order and our company dismounted by hornets stinging the horses. This was some hindrance and did a little damage, but afforded a great deal of diversion. We killed three bears this day, which exercised the horses as well as the men. We saw two foxes, but did not pursue them; we killed several deer. About five of the clock we came to a run of water at the foot of a hill where we pitched our tents. We called the encampment Dr. Robinson's Camp, and the river Blind Run. We had good pasturage for our horses and every one was cook for himself. We made our beds with bushes as before. This day we made thirteen miles.

 2d.--At nine we were all on horseback, and after riding about five miles we crossed the Rappahannock River almost at the head, where it is very small. We had a rugged way; we passed over a great many small runs of water, some of which were very deep and others very miry. Several of our company were dismounted some were down with their horses, and some thrown off. We saw a bear running down a tree, but it being Sunday we did not endeavor to kill anything. We encamped at five by a small river we called White Oak River; and called our camp Taylor's Camp.

 3d.--About eight we were on horseback, and about ten we came to a thicket so tightly laced together that we had a great deal of trouble to get through. Our baggage was injured, our clothes torn all to rags, and the saddles and holsters also torn. About five of the clock we encamped almost at the head of James River, just below the great mountain. We called this camp Col. Robertson's camp. We made all this day but eight miles.

 4th.--We had two of our men sick with the measles and one of our horses poisoned with a rattle-snake. We took the heaviest of our baggage, our tired horses, and the sick men, and made as convenient a lodge for them as we could, and left people to guard them and hunt for them. We had finished this work by twelve, and so we set out. The sides of the mountains were so full of vines and briers that we were forced to clear most of the way before us. We crossed one of the small mountains on this side the Appalachian, and from the top of it we had a fine view of the plains below. We were obliged to walk up the most of the way, there being abundance of loose stones on the side of the hill. I killed a large rattlesnake here, and the other people killed three more. We made about four miles, and so came to the side of James River where a man may jump over it, and there we pitched our tents. As the people were lighting the fire there came out of a large log of wood a prodigious snake, which they killed, so this camp was called Rattlesnake Camp, but otherwise it was called Brooke's Camp.

5th.--A fair day. At five we were mounted. We were obliged to have axemen to clear the way in some places. We followed the windings of James River, observing that it came from the very top of the mountains. We killed two rattlesnakes during our ascent. In some places it was very steep, in others it was so that we could ride up. About one of the clock we got to the top of the mountains; about four miles and a half and we came to the very headspring of James River, where it runs no bigger than a man's arm from under a big stone. We drank King George's health and all the royal family's at the very top of the Appalachian mountains. About a musket-shot from the spring there is another, which rises and runs down to the other side. It goes westward, and we thought we could go down that way, but we met with such prodigious precipices that we were obliged to return to the top again. We found some trees which had been formerly marked, I suppose by the Northern Indians, and following these trees we found a good, safe descent. Several of the company were for returning, but the Governor persuaded them to continue on. About five we were down on the other side, and continued our way until seven miles further, when we came to a large river, by the side of which we encamped. We made this day fourteen miles. I, being somewhat more curious than the rest, went on a high rock on the top of the mountain to see fine prospects, and I lost my gun. We saw when we were over the mountain the footing of elk and buffaloes and their beds. We saw a vine which bore a sort of wild cucumber,

and a shrub with a fruit like unto a currant. We ate very good wild grapes. We called this place Spotswood's Camp, after our Governor. 
6th.--We crossed the river, which we called Euphrates. It is very deep; the main course of the water is north; it is fourscore yards wide in the narrowest part. We drank some healths on the other side and returned, after which I went swimming in it. We could not find any fordable place except the one by which we crossed, and it was deep in several places. I got some grasshoppers and fished, and another and I we catched a dish of fish, some perch and a kind of fish they called chub. The others went a-hunting, and killed deer and turkeys. The Governor had graving irons, but could not grave anything, the stone was so hard. I graved my name on a tree by the river side, and the Governor buried a bottle with a paper enclosed, on which he writ that he took possession of this place in the name and for King George First of England. We had a good dinner, and after it we got the men together and loaded all their arms, and we drank the King's health in champagne and fired a volley, the Princess's health in Burgundy and fired a volley, and all the rest of the royal family in claret and a volley. We drank the Governor's health and fired another volley. We had several sorts of liquors, viz., Virginia red wine and white wine, Irish usquebaugh, brandy, shrub, two sorts of rum, champagne, canary, cherry punch, water, cider, &c. I sent two of the rangers to look for my gun which I dropped in the mountain; they found it and brought it to me at night, and I gave them a pistol for their trouble. We called the highest mountain Mount George, and the one we crossed over Mount Spotswood.

7th.--At seven in the morning we mounted our horses and parted with the rangers, who were to go farther on, and we returned homewards. We re-passed the mountains, and at five in the afternoon we came to Hospital Camp, where we left our sick men and heavy baggage, and we found all things well and safe. We encamped here and called it Captain Clonder's Camp.

8th.--At nine we were all on horseback. We saw several bears and deer, and killed some wild turkey. We encamped at the side of a run and called the place Mason's Camp We had good forage for our horses, and we lay as usual. Made twenty miles this day.

9th.--We set out at nine of the clock, and before twelve we saw several bears, and killed three. One of them attacked one of our men that was riding after him and narrowly missed him; he tore his things that he had behind him from off his horse, and would have destroyed him had he not had immediate help from the other men and our dogs. Some of the dogs suffered severely in this engagement. At two we crossed one of the branches of the Rappahannock River; and at five we encamped on the side of the Rapid Ann, on a tract of land that Mr. Beverly hath design to take up. We made this day twenty-three miles, and called this Captain Smith's Camp. We ate part of one of the bears, which tasted very well, and would be good and might pass for veal if one did not know what it was. We were very merry, and diverted ourselves with our adventures.

10th.--At eight we were on horseback, and about ten, as we were going up a small hill, Mr. Beverly and his horse fell down, and they both rolled to the bottom; but there were no bones broken on either side. At twelve as we were crossing a run of water, Mr. Clonder fell in, so we called this place Clonder's Run. At one we arrived at a large spring, where we dined and drank a bowl of punch. We called this Fontaine's Spring. About two we got on horseback, and at four we reached Germanna.