River Country of Georgia 



troying them. The most valuable parts of the 

 grist-mill and cotton-press were hidden in 

 the same way. "If Bill Sherman," he said, 

 "should come down now without his army, 

 he would never go back." 



When I asked him if he could give me food 

 and lodging for the night he said, "No, no, we 

 have no accommodations for travelers." I said, 

 "But I am traveling as a botanist and either 

 have to find lodgings when night overtakes me 

 or lie outdoors, which I often have had to do in 

 my long walk from Indiana. But you see that 

 the country here is very swampy; if you will at 

 least sell me a piece of bread, and give me a 

 drink at your well, I shall have to look around 

 for a dry spot to lie down on." 



Then, asking me a few questions, and nar- 

 rowly examining me, he said, "Well, it is 

 barely possible that we may find a place for 

 you, and if you will come to the house I will 

 ask my wife." Evidently he was cautious to get 

 his wife's opinion of the kind of creature I was 

 before committing himself to hospitaHty. He 

 [6i ] 



