THE BABBIT AND HARE. 191 



and the steep and dry banks of the creeks, and a general 

 supply of food, must harbour and rear them to an extent 

 equal to that which, wherever they are left to nature, exists 

 in England. In the Cockney phraseology of America, 

 and on my first arrival, I heard of two sorts of rabbits, 

 one of which was distinguished from the other by being 

 called the " donkey rabbit," from the greater length of 

 its ears ; the donkey rabbit being nothing more nor less 

 than our English and Scottish hare, their colour varying 

 in the United States according to mountain or plain, and 

 the effects of climate. 



On this, the third day of my journey across the plains, 

 the heat of the sun was intense so hot that I could 

 scarce bear my hand on the top of my own hat, and my 

 instep in the iron stirrup felt as if it was scorching. I 

 believe it is from suffering by the latter inconvenience 

 that on the plains a wooden sort of clog-shaped stirrup, 

 likened by me, in foregoing chapters, to a small coal-scut 

 tle, is preferred, from the sun having less effect upon it. 

 In spite of the sun, Chance ranged the prairies through 

 the refreshing aid of occasional pools of black stagnant 

 water ; and it being so intensely hot, I looked out in all 

 directions for snakes, having given orders to my men, if 

 they saw a snake of any sort or kind, but particularly a 

 rattlesnake or copperhead, not to disturb him, but to call 

 for me, that I might have full opportunities for inspection 

 before the reptile's death. The day's journey lay through 

 a good many settlements, and, as a natural consequence, 

 the adjoining prairies were utterly destitute of game ; for, 

 in addition to the fact of the grouse being waited for at 

 daybreak in the corn-fields by the frontier men when 

 they came packed for feed, they were also hunted in the 

 cooler portions of the day, and either destroyed or driven 



