314 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



darkness surrounded me, but the repeated loud knocking 

 shook off the remains of sleep, and I hastened to the 

 door. 



One of the drivers who had left the day before, 

 stepped into the room, his teeth chattering with ague. 

 I made haste to light the fire, which soon burnt up 

 brightly, and then looked to my patient, who had sunk 

 down on a chair, telling me with a weak voice that 

 his last hour was come. Luckily, I had some coffee at 

 hand, and made him drink a couple of cups, a hot as 

 possible, sweetened with honey. He then threw himself 

 on the skin and was soon asleep. Next day he was 

 somewhat better, and we passed the time as well as we 

 could, till S. should come with his second load. I 

 employed myself in collecting wood for the fire, and 

 in shooting turkeys, to make our provisions last. 

 After a week, during the last days of which, we had 

 lived on turkeys and pumpkins, taking the latter which 

 were very sweet and delicate, from the field of a neigh- 

 bor at no great distance, S. arrived with the rest 

 of his property, cows, horses, pigs, geese, cats, chickens, 

 and dogs. Then there was all the bustle of arranging 

 and settling, and then another attack of ague, which 

 seemed regularly to have fixed itself on me in this un- 

 healthy country. I bore up against it, but was not well 

 enough to mount a horse till the 20th of November, 

 when I took a ride of four or five miles with my rifle, 

 for a breath of fresh air. 



These swamps and morasses partly realize the idea 

 which Europeans entertain of the primitive forest, but 

 in which they are frequently deceived, for the simple 



