82 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

*

prefatory notes to the third volume
of the Colonial Records: “Historians have fallen into grave

errors in regard to Governor Burrington. They go on to state
but upon what evidence is not known, that he ended his its
cig rioting in his usual manner al] night in the Bird Cage

W alk in the corner of St. James’s Park in London; and the
— is created that his disgraceful death occurred soon
apnea eee to London. The statement is certainly untrue
— . — points. Precisely when he returned to Eng-
SASS — but from an entry in the journal of the
Sepige ade it is shown that he was there on the 10th of

e, 35. Other entries and communications show that he
was in frequent communication from that time until Decem-
ber, 1736, after which no reference is made to him.”

: That he was a man of violent temper, of a contentious dispo-
sition, overbearing and domineering towards his subordinates
18 sustained without question by the historical records of the
times. It is known that he was ordered to appear before the
court and that three distinct warrants for his arrest were issued.
The papers, however, were never served, an entry having been
made on the court record that the indictment was quashed. It

1s said that he escaped from the colony on a pretext of visiting
South Carolina, but s

reaching Charleston.

What, then, in view of all the conflicting statements, is the
real character of Burrington ? |

1. Previously he
Lords Proprietors,

William Saunders in his

had been governor of the province under the
his reappointment serving as undoubted evi-

official Papers are well written and show an intimate

knowledge of the eo
untr
mote its development, y and of measures best adapted to pro-

3. He is known to hay

: . e been j ; : “7
ity, having made a a scientist of considerable abil

study of the animal and vegetable life of the

“4 this point an extract from some of his letters can be in-
roduced with propriety: “North ii lias ATT Der a

“a before I was governor for the Proprietors (1725).
en I first came I found the inhabitants few and poor. I

ailed for England immediately upon °

 

Permanent Settlement 83

took all methods I thought would induce people from other
countries to settle themselves in this. Perfecting a settlement
on the Cape Fear River cost me a great sum of money and
infinite trouble. I endured, the first winter I spent there, all
the hardships that could happen toa man destitute of a house
to live in; that was above a hundred miles from a neighbor in
a pathless country and was obliged to have all provisions brought
by sea at a great expense to support the number of men I carried
there, paid, and maintained at my sole expense.

“Tt can hardly be imagined what pains I took sounding the
inlets, bars, and rivers of this province, which I performed no
less than four times. I discovered and made known the chan-
nels of the Cape Fear River and Port Beaufort and Topsail
Inlet, before unused and unknown. In attempting these and
other discoveries by land and water, I often ran the hazard of

drowning and starving; and never retained any other reward
or gratification but the thanks of two assemblies in this country

for all the pains I took and the money I expended in carrying
on and completing these enterprises.”

In the light of history, Burrington, then, must stand out as
a man of ability, but possessing grievous faults of such a nature
as to disqualify him for the position which he occupied. One
writer says he was a wiser ruler than his predecessor, Everard,
and possessing no more faults; he was, too, to say the least, as
wise as his successor, Gabriel Johnston, and no more arbitrary.

Events of Burrington’s administration:

1. Marking the boundary line between North Carolina and
Virginia.

2. Laying out roads, building bridges, and establishing fer-
ries. From Edenton to Wilmington a road was run nearly two
hundred miles, with three long ferries to cross.

The next administration, that of Gabriel Johnston, beginning
in 1734 and extending over a period of nearly twenty years,
was marked by many incidents and events which had important
and vital bearing upon the future destiny of the colony.

The fact that Gabriel Johnston had resided upon the Cape
Fear is not generally recognized. His immediate place of resi-
dence and incidents connected with his life have both been ob-
scured and subordained by matters of graver importance.

He has come down to us with the reputation of having done
more to promote the prosperity of the colony than all the other

eee,

 

8 acm ta ee a tM an ain NAR al tia Alias th ay se

5 }