he Blue Ridge of mountains. Robert Beverley, in the
preface to the second edition of his "History of Virginia," published at
London in 1722, says: "I was with the present governor[387:A] at the
head-spring of both those rivers,[387:B] and their fountains are in the
highest ridge of mountains." The governor, accompanied by John Fontaine,
who had been an ensign in the British army, and who had recently come
over to Virginia, started from Williamsburg, on his expedition over the
Appalachian Mountains, as they were then called. Having crossed the York
River at the Brick-house, they lodged that night at the seat of Austin
Moore, now Chelsea, on the Matapony River, a few miles above its
junction with the Pamunkey. On the following night they were hospitably
entertained by Robert Beverley, the historian, at his residence in
Middlesex. The governor left his chaise there, and mounted his horse for
the rest of the journey; and Beverley accompanied him in the
exploration. Proceeding along the Rappahannock they came to the
Germantown, ten miles below the falls, where they halted for some days.
On the twenty-sixth of August Spotswood was joined here by several
gentlemen, two small companies of rangers, and four Meherrin Indians.
The gentlemen of the party appear to have been Spotswood, Fontaine,
Beverley, Colonel Robertson, Austin Smith, who returned home owing to a
fever, Todd, Dr. Robinson, Taylor, Mason, Brooke, and Captains Clouder
and Smith. The whole number of the party, including gentlemen, rangers,
pioneers, Indians, and servants, was probably about fifty. They had
with them a large number of riding and pack-horses, an abundant supply
of provisions, and an extraordinary variety of liquors. Having had their
horses shod, they left Germantown on the twenty-ninth of August, and
encamped that night three miles from Germanna. The camps were named
respectively after the gentlemen of the expedition, the first one being
called "Camp Beverley," where "they made great fires, supped, and drank
good punch."

Aroused in the morning by the trumpet, they proceeded westward, each day
being diversified by the incidents and adventures of exploration. Some
of the party encountered hornets; others were thrown from their horses;
others killed rattlesnakes. Deer and bears were shot, and the venison
and bear-meat were roasted before the fire upon wooden forks. At night
they lay on the boughs of trees under tents. At the head of the
Rappahannock the