108 COLONEL MANGER TO 



worthy friend. Colonel Simcoe, then com- 

 manding the Queen's Rangers, afterwards 

 General Simcoe, now dead and lost to his 

 country — I say, lost to his country, for he 

 undoubtedly was one of the very best offi- 

 cers in our service. 



Two American Back-woodsmen went 

 with me ; all three of us on horseback : 

 they go on horseback, for fear, lest, creep- 

 ing along by the edge of the swamps, they 

 might tread on a rattle-snake, of which 

 there are plenty near to the swamps. The 

 rattle-snake, when he hears the stamp of a 

 horse's foot, flies away ; for divine nature 

 has so ordained it, that this deadly animal 

 avoids you as much as you wish to avoid it; 

 and no person is bitten by a rattle-snake, 

 excepting he come on it when it lies, 

 coiled up, asleep, and basking in the sun. 



The Back-woodsman takes a large fry- 

 ing-pan, with a very long iron handle to it; 

 puts about half a dozen middling-sized 

 pieces into it, of the pine-tree, (the knots of 

 the pine,) which are full of turpentine: 

 these, when lighted in the frying-pan, give 

 £^ very strong and great light. The pine- 



