River Country of Georgia 
or lumber to make one, for a sail instead of 
a march through Georgia. I was intoxicated 
with the beauty of these glorious river banks, 
which I fancied might increase in grandeur as 
I approached the sea. But I finally concluded 
that such a pleasure sail would be less profit- 
able than a walk, and so sauntered on south- 
ward as soon as I was dry. Rattlesnakes 
abundant. Lodged at a farmhouse. Found a 
few tropical plants in the garden. 
Cotton is the principal crop hereabouts, and 
picking is now going on merrily. Only the lower 
bolls are now ripe. Those higher on the plants 
are green and unopened. Higher still, there are 
buds and flowers, some of which, if the plants 
be thrifty and the season favorable, will con- 
tinue to produce ripe bolls until January. 
The negroes are easy-going and merry, mak- 
ing a great deal of noise and doing little work. 
One energetic white man, working with a will, 
would easily pick as much cotton as half a 
dozen Sambos and Sallies. The forest here is — 
almost entirely made up of dim-green, knotty, 
[ 51 ] 
