Newjerfey, Raccoon. 185 



Smilax laurifolia was fuperabundant in 

 all the fwamps near this place. Its leaves 

 were now beginning to come out, for it 

 fheds them all every winter; it climbs 

 up along trees and fhrubs, and runs acrofs 

 from one tree or bum to another : by 

 this means it (huts up the parlage between 

 the trees, fattening itfelf every where with 

 its cirrhi or tendrils, and even on people, 

 fo that it is with the utmoft difficulty one 

 muft force a pafiage in the fwamps and 

 woods, where it is plentiful ; the ftalk to- 

 wards the bottom is full of long fpines, 

 which are as ftrong as the fpines of a rofe- 

 bufh, and catch hold of the clothes, and 

 tear them : this troublefome plant may 

 fometiir.es bring you into imminent danger, 

 when botanizing or going into the woods, 

 for, not to mention that the ctoaths muft be 

 abfolutely ruined by its numberlefs fpines, it 

 occafions a deep made in the woods, by 

 croffing from tree to tree fo often; this 

 forces you to (loop, and even to creep 

 on all fours through the little paflages 

 which are left ciofe to the ground, and 

 then you cannot be careful enough to pre- 

 vent a fnake (of which there are numbers 

 here) from darting into your face. The 

 ftalk of the plant has the fame colour as 

 the young rofe-bufhes. It is quite green 



and 



