LIFE OF WILSON. Ixiii 



in some clianec places, I found it altogether impracticable. I coasted along 

 their borders, however, in many places, and was surprised at the great profusion 

 of evergreens, of numberless sorts ; and a variety of berries that I knew nothing 

 of Here I found multitudes of birds that never winter with us in Pennsyl- 

 vania, living in abundance. Though the people told me that the alligators are 

 so numerous as to destroy many of their pigs, calves, hogs, &c., yet I have 

 never been enabled to get my eye on one, though I have been several times in 

 search of them with my gun. In Georgia, they tell me, they are ton times 

 more numerous; and I expect some sport among them. I saw a dog at the 

 river Santee, who swims across when he pleases, in defiance of these voracious 

 animals ; when he hears them behind him, he wheels round, and attacks them, 

 often seizing them by the snout. They generally retreat, and he pursues his 

 route again, serving every one that attacks him in the same manner.* He 

 belongs to the boatman; and, when left behind, always takes to the water. 



" As to the character of the North Carolinians, were I to judge of it by the 

 specimens which I met with in taverns, I should pronounce them to be the 

 most ignorant, debased, indolent and dissipated portion of the union. But I 

 became acquainted with a few such noble exceptions, that, for their sakes, I am 

 willing to believe they are all better than they seemed to be. 



" Wilmington contains about three thousand souls; and yet there is not one 

 cultivated field within several miles of it. The whole country, on this side of 

 the river, is a mass of sand, into which you sink up to the ankles; and hardly 

 a blade of grass is to be .seen. All about is pine barrens. * * * * 



" From Wilmington I rode through solitary pine savannas, and cypress 

 swamps, as before ; sometimes thirty miles without seeing a hut, or human 

 being. On arriving at the Wackumaw, Pedee, and Black river, I made long 

 zigzags among the rich nabobs, who live on their rice plantations, amidst large 

 villages of negro huts. One of these gentlemen told me that he had ^^some- 

 thing letter than six hundred head of hiaeks .'" These excursions detained me 

 greatly. The roads to the plantations were so long, so difiicult to find, and so 

 bad, and the hospitality of the planters was such, that I could scarcely get away 

 again. I ought to have told you that the deep sands of South Carolina had so 

 worn out my horse, that, with all my care, I found he would give up. Chance 

 led me to the house of a planter, named V., about forty miles north of the 

 river Wackamaw, where I proposed to bargain with him, and to give up my 



* This is an uncommon instance of intrepidity in tiie canine race, and is worthy of 

 record. It is well known that the alligator is fond of dog-flesh ; and the dog appears to 

 he instructed by instinct to avoid so dangerous an enemy, it being difficult to induce him 

 ro approach the haunts of the alligator, even when encouraged by the example of his 

 master. A fine stout spaniel accompanied mc to East Florida. Being one day eng.iged 

 ill wading through a pond, in pursuit of ducks, with my dog swimming behind me, appa- 

 rently delighted with his employment, he smelt an alligator : he immediately made to the 

 shore, fled into the forest, and all my endeavors to prevail with him to return were inef- 

 fectual. Ever after, when we approached that pond, he exhibited such evidences of 

 apprehension, that I was fain to retire with him, lest his terror should again induce him to 

 tlee, where he would have, probably, been lost. 



