In his 1854 report on the survey of Beaufort Harbor in North Carolina, Lieutenant James Maffitt stated the following:
…Wimble’s chart published in 1737 (one hundred and seventeen years ago,) gives eighteen feet as the depth on the bar at low tide. It is also stated on good authority that Lawson’s chart published in 1718 coincides with Wimble’s in the depth at low water.
John Lawson died in 1711. Furthermore, neither the original English version of Lawson’s map of Carolina, published in 1709, nor subsequent German and Swiss derivatives, show any soundings in the vicinity of Beaufort. I have been unable to locate a Lawson published map or manuscript map that shows soundings at the inlet to Beaufort, nor any map published circa 1718 that might have been misattributed to Lawson. The not-so-“good authority” is not named by Maffitt, so one is impeded in trying to investigate from that angle. Edward Moseley’s map of North Carolina, published in 1733, contains an inset of “Port Beaufort”. Perhaps that is the map to which the “good authority” was referring. If anyone has a better suggestion, please let us know via the “What’s on your mind?” comment box. Thanks.