24 LETTER II. 



Cotton is a Shrub two yards high or better, that 

 bears a fine Yellow Flower fliaped Uke a Bell : 

 When this Flower drops off, it is fucceeded by a 

 darkifh green, round, and tough Pod, of the fize 

 of a common Walnut : The Pod, as foon as 

 ripe, burfts open in ftrait lines that are feamed 

 from top to bottom, in three or four feveral places 

 at an equal diftance, expofing the white Cotton, 

 which is then gathered by Negroes. {N. 5. I 

 fpeak of common Cotton, for in fome kinds of 

 it the Pods are longifh.) 



3. We were delightfully ferenaded all along 

 quite thorough thefe Woods by an infinite num- 

 ber of Turtle Doves, whofe foft notes or cooing 

 joined to the Verdure and Bloom of the Earth, 

 Builies, and Trees, put me in mind of that paf- 

 fage in Canticles, [viz, chap. ii. ver, 11, 12, 13.) 

 Lo the Winter is paji^ the Rain is over and gone: 

 the Flowers appear on the Earth, the time offing" 

 ing of Birds is come, and the voice of the T^urtle is 

 heard in our Land : The Fig-tree piUtcth forth 

 her green Figs, and the Vines with their fender 

 Grape give a good fmelL To add to our pleafure, 

 the Sea, at half a mile's diftance, beat gently 

 againft the Rocks, caufing fuch eafy Murmurs^ 

 as were enough to lull to fleep any one who was 

 fo inclined. Thefe with a fight of the Conorrhee 

 Hills, towards which we drew near apace (and 

 v/hofe vaft Rocks yielded Shrubs, Corritoes, and 



other 



