166 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



splendid oaks, black and white hickory, and sassafras, 

 which last, though covering the land with bushes, 

 often grows to a large tree. Creepers of all sorts 

 abounded in the woods, amongst which were three 

 sorts of wild vines, the first producing a purple summer 

 grape, which ripens in July, and resembles the culti- 

 vated grape, except in being smaller and somewhat 

 sour; the second, winter grapes, also dark, and not 

 ripe till they have been touched by the frost, — jjroperly 

 speaking it is not a grape, and the berry is more like a 

 currant ; last and best are the muscadines. These do not 

 grow in bunches, but more hke cherries, four or five on 

 a stem ; they are purple, with a thick skin, and a very 

 agreeable taste, but if indulged in too freely, they are 

 said to produce ague, an opinion in which I agree. 

 Indeed, some of my attacks must be laid to their 

 account ; quantities of muscadines grew where we 

 w^ere at work, and I ate a great many of them. They 

 ripen in September, and when they fall, they are 

 gi'cedily sought for by pigs, bears, opossums, raccoons, 

 and turkeys. 



As w^e had had hard work for some days, I resolved 

 on taking a holiday, and riding to the gunsmith's, about 

 twelve miles off, to get some repairs to my rifle. When 

 I awoke in the morning, I had a dreadful head-ache, 

 but I got up, and mounted the horse, hoping to drive 

 away the pain with the fresh morning air. I had 

 hardly gone a mile, when I was seized with such a 

 giddiness, that I could with difficulty keep my seat. 

 I galloped back as fast as possible, and crept shivering 

 under my bufialo-skin, but the ague crept in with me 

 and kept me there all that day and night. The next 



