320 NARRATIVEOFAN ^ 



CHAP, our limbs in the limpid itream : health and good fpirits- 



XIII 



were now again my portion, while my partner flourifhed 

 in youth and beauty, the envy and admiration of all the 

 colony. 



Colonel Fourgeoud now intending to quit the woods,, 

 and encamp at Magdenberg, a poft near the fource of 

 the Comewina, I fent a large barge with provifions, ef- 

 Gorted by an officer and twenty men, to that place ; and 

 upon reviewing my remaining marines, they did not 

 amount to twenty men, befides a fmall detachment at 

 Calis, near the mouth of Caffivinica Creek. Higher up 

 the fame creek, at an eftate called Cupy,. were alfo polled 

 an officer and a few foldiers.. 



On the morning of the 4th, I was witnefs to a very 

 wonderful battle between two fnakes, the one about 

 three feet long, the other no more than fourteen inches 

 when, after a fevere conteft of near half an hour, during 

 which time the many wreathings and twiftings were: 

 truly curious, the largeft gradually iTiifting his gripe, at 

 length caught the fmalleft by the head, and abfolutely. 

 fwallowed him alive. 



My negro boy about this time throwing out fome red-- 

 hot embers, I was furprized to fee the frogs eat them 

 with avidity, without receiving any vifible damage from 

 the fire, which moft probably they had miftaken for the 

 fire-fly. I faw another frog in the fugar-mill, feafting 

 upon a regiment of ants, which are here very numerous^ 

 licking them up with his tongue as they marched be-* 



fore 



