278 NARRATIVE OF AN 



CHAP, were in water up to our very arm- pits ; Fredericy now 

 ordered a retreat, but defiring him to wait for me, I took 

 off all my cloaths, and with only my fabre in my teeth, 

 fwam by myfelf acrofs the Creek, v/here having ranged 

 the oppofite fhore, and finding nothing, I again fwam 

 back, after which we all returned to the camp. 



At noon, making my report to Colonel Fourgeoud, he 

 was aftoniflied indeed at this defperate action, which in 

 fa6t he had not expedled; but I was not lefs amazed when 

 he took me by the hand, entertaining me with a bottle 

 of wine, and ordering Monfieur Laurant to fet fome 

 bacon-liam before me, to find, however incredible it 

 may appear, that the one was adlually four, and the 

 other creeping with live worms ; while my own pro- 

 vifions, now hisy which were frefh, were withheld me. 

 This meannefs fo much exafperated me, that, fi:arting up, 

 I left Fourgeoud, his valet, his wine, and his reptiles, 

 with that contempt which they deferved, alleviating my 

 hunger with a piece of dry rufk bifcuit and a barbacued 

 filli, called warappa, which I got from a negro. 



On the 7th of January we marched again ; and this 

 day having caught one of thofe beautiful large butterflies 

 of which I made mention during my cruize in the river 

 Cottica, I will here attempt to give a more particular de- 

 fcription of it, though I know nothing about their names. 

 This fly meafured, in the extenfion of the wings from 

 tip to tip, about feven inches; the colour of both the 

 fuperior and inferior wings is of fuch a vivid and fplendid 



blue, 



