THE ART OF BARTRAM 105 



145) ; the " sandy beach, hard and firm by the beating surf " 

 (p. 157); "humid rocks" and "smooth pebbles"; the sting 

 of burning flies, " no less ocute than a prick from a red-hot 

 needle, or a spark of fire on the skin " (p. 385). He records 

 the smell of " sweet scented flowers " (p. xxviii) ; of vegetation 

 " breathing fragrance every where " (p. 34) ; the breeze " per- 

 fumed by the fragrant breath of the superb . . . White Lily " 

 (p. 59) ; the " offensive smell " of a geyser (p. 145) ; " odorif- 

 erous Illisium [Illicium?] groves " (p. 160) ; the " fragrant red 

 strawberry" (p. 344). Sometimes he notes several sensations 

 at the same time: thus the orange groves are " loaded with both 

 green and ripe fruit and embellished with their fragrant bloom, 

 gratifying the taste, the sight, and the smell at the same instant " 

 (p. 200) , and " the pericarpium and berries [of the laurel mag- 

 nolia] possess an agreeable spicy scent, and an aromatic bitter 

 taste. The wood when seasoned is of straw colour, compact, 

 and harder and firmer, than that of the Poplar . . ." (p. 86) . 

 To Bartram's notations of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch 

 reactions, must be added his perception of mass and motion. 

 For Bartram's descriptions are seldom static. He is constantly 

 on the move, hence the woods and fields and promontories are 

 perceived as passing by. He speaks of the " alternate appear- 

 ance and recess of the coast, whilst the far distant blue hills 

 slowly retreat and disappear; or, as we approach the coast, the 

 capes and promontories first strike our sight, emerging from the 

 watery expanse, and like mighty giants, elevating their crests 

 towards the skies . . ." (p. 3). He speaks of " squadrons " of 

 birds and " nations " of birds and " tribes " of birds, of 

 " flocks " of turkeys and " communities " of cranes, of " squad- 

 rons " and " troops " and " parties " of horses, of " droves " of 

 cattle, of " herds " of deer, of " bands " and " armies " of fish, 

 of " companies " of traders and " companies of young innocent 

 Cherokee virgins," of " masses " and " groups " of rocks, of 

 "extensive" forests and "extensive" savannas. And these 

 masses are usually dynamic, in motion: the birds are in flight, the 

 horses frolick in the fields or are being driven to market, the 

 cattle graze, the deer take fright and scamper away into the 

 woods, the fish swim, the traders go to town, the Cherokee vir- 



