NORTH AMERICA. 
239 
tance, every day's excurfion prefenting new fcenes 
of wonder and delight. 
Early in the morning our chief invited me with 
him on a vifit to the town, to take a final leave of 
the White King. We were gracioully received 
and treated with the utmolf civility and hofpita- 
lity : there was a noble entertainment and repair, 
provided againil our arrival, confifting of bear's ribs, 
venifon, varieties of flm, roailed turkies (which 
they call the white man's difh), hot corn cakes, and 
a very agreeable, cooling fort of jelly, which they 
call conte : this is prepared from the root of the 
China briar (Smilax pfeudo-China \ Smilax afpera, 
fruclu nigro, radice nodofa, magna, Isevi-, faiinacea; 
Sloan, torn. 1. p. 31. t. 143. £ 1. habit. Jamaica, 
Virginia, Carolina, and Florida) : they chop the 
roots in pieces, which are afterwards well pounded 
in a wooden mortar, then being mixed with clean 
water, in a tray or trough, they flrain it through 
baikets ; the fediment, which fettles to the bottom 
of the fecond vefTel, is afterwards dried in the open 
air : and is then a very fine reddilh flour or meal : a 
fmall quantity of this mixed with warm water and 
fweetened with honey, when cool, becomes a beau- 
tiful, delicious jelly, very nourifhing and wholelome. 
They alfo mix it with fine corn flour, which being 
fried in freili bear's oil makes very good hot cakes 
or fritters. 
On our taking leave of the king and head-men, 
they entreated our chief to represent to the white 
people, their unfeigned defire to bury in oblivion 
the late breech of amity and intermiliion of com- 
merce, which they fruited would never be reflected 
on the people of Talahafotche ; and, laftly,. that we 
would 
