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eaten cold or hot the heat was at once procured by 

 plunging the can into boiling wate proved to be made 

 with too much richness for the peculiarity of the fickle 

 climate, and liver-attacking nature of the fever and ague. 

 The cans that stood me in good stead were those of potted 

 and ready-dressed chicken, as well as potatoes in a can 

 by themselves, cherries and apples ; to these latter, the 

 fruit, I mainly attributed my resistance of the fever, and 

 were I to seek Mr Duncan's store for a second collection 

 of the " prairie-chest," I should, in the place of the beef 

 and mutton, have more chicken, and some cans- of pre 

 served salmon. Whatever wine the traveller has been 

 accustomed to drink in other countries, and that will bear 

 carriage and yet be fit for immediate use, that also he 

 should take with him. I hardly ever drink anything but 

 sherry, and Mr Duncan supplied me with some very 

 good, though not in sufficient quantity, and I had to 

 increase my stock of sherry at St Louis, but of a quality 

 not so good as his. I also took with me a couple of 

 bottles of port from Mr Duncan's store, in case of sick 

 ness requiring such a restorative. For a man's individual 

 consumption on the plains, during a month or six weeks, 

 the quantity should be three dozen of sherry. Of course, 

 a certain amount of good brandy should be also in store ; 

 though with the liver affected, as the plains affect it, I 

 am convinced that brandy, or any spirituous liquor, and 

 more particularly tobacco, are the worst things that can 

 be taken. Unacclimatised as I was, I had less fever than 

 my men, and no ague ; and from the enervated state of 

 the Americans generally (they are most indifferent walkers 

 and very easily tired), I am perfectly convinced that they 

 undermine their manhood by the unlimited and filthy 

 use of tobacco in smoking and chewing, and that the 



