A HERBMAN OF SINGLE SIGHT WHO WAS LAUGHED AT 47 



the canes. Game of all sorts frequent the cane-brakes, in 

 which traveling is rendered disagreeably exciting by the 

 presence of bears, panthers, snakes, and serpents [sic~\ . The 

 cane-brakes are sometimes set fire to, and the water col- 

 lected in the separate joints explodes like a shell. The con- 

 stant fusillade occasioned by such explosions in the midst of 

 a conflagration has occasioned the flight of parties not con- 

 versant with the cause, and who believed that the Indians 

 were advancing with volleys of musketry. I had deter- 

 mined that my companion should view a cane-brake in all 

 its perfection, and leading him several miles in a direct 

 course came upon as fine a sample as existed in that part 

 of the country. We entered, and for some time proceeded 

 without much difficulty, as I led the way and cut down the 

 canes which were most likely to incommode him. The diffi- 

 culties gradually increased, so that we were presently 

 obliged to turn our backs and push our way through. 

 " After a while we came upon the top of a fallen 

 tree, which so obstructed our passage that we were on the 

 eve of. going round, instead of thrusting ourselves through 

 among the branches, when from its bed in the center of 

 the tangled mass forth rushed a bear with such force that 

 my friend became terror-struck, and in his haste to escape 

 made a desperate attempt to run, but fell among the canes 

 in such a way that he was completely jammed. I could 

 not refrain from laughing at the ridiculous exhibition he 

 made, but my gaiety was not very pleasing to the dis- 



