LIFE OF WILSON. 
xcvii 
of heaven. At this moment, while I write, a terrific thunder storm, witli all 
its towering assemblage of black alpine clouds, discharging lightning in every 
direction, overhangs this vast level, and gives a magnificence aod sublime effect 
to the whole." 
The foregoing letters present us- with an interesting account of our author's 
journey, until his arrival at Natchez, on the seventeenth of May. In his 
diary he says — " This journey, four hundred and seventy-eight miles from 
Nashville, I have performed alone, through difficulties, which those who have 
never passed the road could not have a conception of." We may readily sup- 
pose that he had not only difficulties to encounter, encumbered as he neces- 
sarily was with his shooting apparatus, and bulky baggage, but also dangers, 
in journeying through a frightful wilderness, where almost impenetrable cane- 
swamps and morasses present obstacles to the progress of the traveller, which 
require all his resolution and activity to overcome. Superadded to which, as 
we are informed, he had a severe attack of the dysentery, when remote from 
any situation which could be productive of either comfort or relief; and he 
was under the painful necessity of trudging on, debilitated and dispirited with 
a disease, which threatened to put a period to his existence. An Indian, hav- 
ing been made acquainted with his situation, recommended the eating of straw- 
berries, which were then fully ripe, and in great abundance. On this delight- 
ful fruit, and newly laid eggs, taken raw, he wholly lived for several days; and 
he attributed his restoration to health to these simple remedies. 
On the sixth of June our traveller reached New Orleans, distant from Nat- 
chez two hundred and fifty-two miles. As the sickly season was fast approach- 
ing, it was deemed advisable not to tarry long in this place ; and his affairs 
being despatched, he sailed on the twenty-fourth in a ship bound to New York, at 
which place he arrived on the thirtieth of July; and soon reached Philadelphia, 
enriched with a copious stock of materials for his work, including several 
beautiful and hitherto unknown birds.* 
In the newly settled country through which Wilson liad to pass in his last 
journey, it was reasonable not to expect much encouragement in the way of 
* The editor of AVilson's Poems, ■which were published at Paisley in 1816, gives what 
he states to be an extract from one of oar author's letters to his fatlicr, wlierciu it is said 
that he had travelled through West Florida to New Orleans, and U:i<\ "sailed thence to 
East Florida, furnished witli a letter to the Spanish governor." Tliis passage neeils ex- 
planation. Wilson was never either in East or West Florida (except a small part of the 
latter province, through which the road to New Orleans passed) ; but, in the event of his 
going thither, had provided himself with a letter of introduction from Don Luis de Onis, 
the Spanish ambassador to the United States, to Don Enrique White, Governor of East 
Florida, an'd another to Don Vincente Folche, Governor of West Florida. In liis pass- 
age from New Orleans to New York, he merely landed, for a few minutes, upon one or 
two desert islands lying in the Florida Gulf. 
He departed from Phihxdelphia on the tliirtieth of January, 1810 ; ami returned on the 
second of August, of the same year. It is stated in his diary that the total amount of liis 
expenses, until his arrival in New York, was the sum of four hunilred and tifty-live dol- 
lars. This particular is given as a proof of how much may be performed, by a good eco- 
nomist, with slender means. 
Vol. I.— G 
