THE SWEET-BRIAR. 
153 
haps the worthy captain had his head so full of sassafras, as to 
care little for the rest of the vegetation, and he may have mis- 
taken the wild rose for the eglantine, and some other plant for 
tansy. His wild pea was probably one of our common vetches. 
Some of the most beautiful sweet-briars in the world are found 
growing wild along the road-sides about Fishkill, on the Hudson. 
They are partial to the neighborhood of the cedars which are 
common there, and clinging to those trees, they climb over them, 
untrained, to the height of twenty feet or more. When in flower 
the effect is very beautiful, their star-like blossoms resting on 
the foliage of the cedars, which is usually so dark and grave. 
Saturday, SOth. — Charming weather. First dish of green peas 
from the garden to-day. 
Came home from our walk with the village cows, this evening. 
Some fifteen or twenty of them were straggling along the road, 
going home of their own accord to be milked. Many of these 
good creatures have no regular pasture the summer through, but 
are left to forage for themselves along the road-sides, and in the 
unfenced woods. They go out in tlie morning, without any one 
to look after them, and soon find the best feeding ground, gen- 
erally following this particular road, which has a long reach of 
open woods on either side. We seldom meet them in any num- 
ber on the other roads. They like to pasture in the forest, where 
they doubtless injure the young trees, being especially fond of 
the tender maple shoots. Sometimes we see them feeding on the 
grass by the way-side, as soon as they have crossed the village 
bridge ; other days they all walk off in a body, for a mile or more, 
before they begin to graze. Toward evening, they turn their 
heads homeward, without being sent for, occasionally walking at 
