BOOK III. CHAP. VIII. 901 



when roafted ; but they are not an article of food wUh the white 

 inhabitants, though highly efteemed among the plantation Negroes, 

 who fpit half a dozen of them at a time, upon a long Ikewer, and 

 broil them In this manner on their fires, leaving their heads on, but al- 

 ways cutting off the tail, clofe to the rump, which they think is not 

 proper to be eaten. Their horrid appearance on the Negroe fpits is 

 fufficient to difgufb moft perfons who have the fmalleft delicacy of 

 ftomach ; but the Negroes are happily affedled with fo little prejudice 

 or nicety In their food, that they will eat every other fpecies of rats 

 with equal indifference, and even cats, which, they alledge, are not at 

 all Inferior in tafte and goodnefs to rabbits. 



' The fourth fpecies Is much fmaller than the former, being In bulk 

 no larger than an Englifh mole. It is of a beautiful reddifh colour, 

 with a milk-white belly; the fkin would anfwer the fame purpofes of 

 drefs, as thofe of the North American fquirrel. This is like wife a 

 field rat, and, like the other, takes up its habitation chiefly about the 

 hollow roots of large trees, and the rocky acclivities of gullies, and 

 river banks. It is far from being numerous, and it is probable, that 

 it either does not bring forth io many young ones at a litter as the other 

 fpecies ; or, being weaker, and Icfs able to defend itfelf, more often falls 

 a prey to fn:ikes, owls, and Its other enemies. All thefe different fpecits 

 agree, in committing moft dreadful havock on negleffed, foul cane- 

 fpieces. I have feen a vifto, of about fourteen feet In breadth, cut by 

 thefe animdls through a large cane piece, almoft in as a flralt line, as 

 if it had been purpofely done with a reap-hook. They gnawed all the 

 canes nearly through, at the bottom, and laid them flat ; no fewer 

 than a numerous army of them could have been employed in this mif- 

 chievous work, which they effected in the fpace of one night. Wiicn 

 the canes are thus bitten, and left on the ground, the wounded parts 

 afford a nidus for fome infeft to depofite its eggs ; the animalcules pro- 

 duced from them feeding afterwrds upon the juices of the plant, the 

 circumjacent parts acquire a fine crimfon hue, but the cane withers,, 

 the remaining juice turns four, and becomes totally unfit for making . 

 fugar, though it is often fermented and dilfilled uito rum. 



The Negroe rat-catchers are very expert at their bufinefs ; their 

 trap very much refembles a fmail ftrawberry bafket j an elaftic piece of 

 ftick, like what is uled In the Englifh mole trap, is fixed into one end 



3 ^'^ 



