114 VEGETABLES. 



which were nothing but pumpkins ; however 

 they were very good, and we were not at 

 all particular, anything green being a ti'eat 

 when vegetables are scarce. 



We used to find in the forests, a great 

 variety of wild vegetables, which our men 

 frequently brought in. The Puharries know 

 the good from the bad, but I never liked to 

 trust to my own selection, however inviting 

 the appearance of the plant. Amongst these 

 are spinach and asparagus, both good, but 

 only to be met with in small quantities. 

 One of the ferns, like the common bracken 

 of England, but not the same, when just 

 sprouting and the size of asparagus, is 

 excellent. There are also many species of 

 wild greens which I have eaten, but for 

 which I have no names. The morell grows 

 in sandy soil under the fir-trees, and is 

 very plentiful in some places. Mushrooms 

 we occasionally met with, but they are very 

 scarce. 



At times, during my various excursions, 

 we were entirely without anything in the 



