96 NARRATIVE OF AN 



CHAP. Colonel Foursjeoud now iffued orders for our little 



XX. 



^ . army to march in three lines or columns, his own re- 

 giment in the centre, the Society troops on the right, the 

 rangers or black foldiers on the left, all within hearing 

 of each other, with a few flankers or riflemen outfide 

 the whole : thus formed we advanced till about noon, 

 wh€n we changed our courfe from E. to N. E. and 

 continued our march over a biree-biree fwamp, or 

 quagmire : thefe are very common and dangerous iq. 

 this country, being a deep foft miry bog, covered over 

 - with a thin cruft of verdure, fufficient in moft places to 

 bear the weight of a man, and quaking when walked 

 over; but fliould this cruft give way, whoever breaks 

 it is fwallowed up in the chafm, where he muft inevi- 

 tably perifh if not immediately extricated ; thus it has 

 frequently happened that men have been feen to fink, 

 and have never more been heard of. 



Quickfands are quite different, as they overwhelm by 

 a gradual fu(flion, whereas the effects of a quagmire are 

 inftantaneous. To avoid accidents, we opened our files 

 as much as poflible, which occafioned a very long rear; 

 but even with this precaution feveral men funk through 

 it, as if the ice had broken under their feet, and fome 

 in my prefence up to the arm-pits, but were fortunately, 

 though with much difficulty, extricated. 



In the afternoon v/e pafTed through two old cajjava 

 fields, which indicated our near approach to the rebel 

 fettlement ; we afterv»rards fell in with Captain Mey land's 



path, 



