ICG WILD SPOKTS IN THK FAU WEST. 



splendid oaks, black and white liickory, and sassafras, 

 which lust, though covering the land with bushes, 

 often grows to a large tree. Creepers of all sorts 

 abounded in the woods, amongst which were three 

 sorts of wild vines, the first producing a purple summer 

 grape, which ripens in July, and resembles the culti- 

 vated grape, except in being smaller and somewhat 

 sour; the second, winter grapes, also dark, and not 

 ripe till they have been touched by the frost, properly 

 speaking it is not a grape, and the berry is more like n. 

 currant ; last and best are the muscadines. These do not 

 grow in bunches, but more like cherries, four or live; on 

 a stem ; they are purple, with a thick skin, and a very 

 agreeable taste, but if indulged in too freely, they are 

 said to produce ague, an opinion in which I agree. 

 Indeed, some of my attacks must be laid to their 

 account ; quantities of muscadines grew where we 

 were at work, and I ate a great many of them. They 

 ripen in September, and when they fall, they are 

 greedily sought for by pigs, bears, opossums, raccoons, 

 and turkeys. 



As we had had hard work for some days, I resolved 

 on taking a holiday, and riding to the gunsmith's, about 

 twelve miles oft', to get some repairs to my rifle. \\hrn 

 I awoke in the morning, I had a dreadful head-achttj 

 but I got up, and mounted the horse, hoping to drivw 

 away the pain with the fresh morning air. J ha<P 

 hardly gone a mile, when I was sei/ed with Mieh a 

 giddiness, that I could with difficulty keep niv M-at. 

 I galloped back as fa.-t as possible, and crept ,~liivrring 

 under my buffalo-skin, but the ague crept in with me 

 and kept me there all that day and night. The next 



