SWAMPS. 315 



reason, that on the higher dry grounds, which are co- 

 vered with dry leaves and wood, fires are often m 

 not only by shooting parties, but by the settlers, for the 

 sake of the grass, which comes up all the sooner, when 

 all these enormous quantities of leaves, &c., have been 

 burnt; and the fire does not consume the young plants 

 only, but considerably checks the growth of the older 

 trees, excepting in the marshes, where the ground even 

 in summer is moist ; and there the trees grow to a colos- 

 sal grandeur, I have seen some measuring seven, eight, 

 and even nine feet in diameter. 



Towards evening I saw a young buck, walking quietly 

 and circumspectively through the wood ; I dismounted 

 and left the horse to graze at leisure, while I crept 

 nearer. He stopped when he saw the horse pawing the 

 ground, raised his handsome head, and snuffed the air ; 

 my ball whistled through his ribs, and he fell lifeless to 

 to the ground. Weak as I was, it was some time before 

 I could lift the not very large animal on to the horse, 

 when I rode slowly homewards. Just before dark, I 

 shot a turkey with the other barrel, and did not load 

 again, not expecting to get another shot so late in the 

 evening. The full moon set its soft silvery light among 

 the dark shadows of the trees, to point out my path. I 

 might have ridden for about an hour and a half through 

 the thick forest, on my heavily laden horse, and had 

 gained a cattle track, which led to the house ; the still- 

 ness of the night was broken by the cow-bells, the bay-, 

 ing of the dogs, and the neigh of my horse, in expectation 

 of a good supper, when there was a sudden rustling 

 among the bushes on my right. I pulled up, and a herd 



