* 2 % 
TRAVELS IN 
It being now almoft night, I returned to my 
camp, where I had left my hill broiling, and my 
kettle of rice ftewing ; and having with me oil, 
pepper, and fait, and excellent oranges hanging in 
abundance over my head (a valuable fubftitute for 
vinegar) I fat down and regaled myfelf cheerfully. 
Having finifhed my repaft, I rekindled my fire for 
light, and whilft I was reviling the notes of my pall 
day’s journey, I was fuddenly roufed with a noife 
behind me toward the main land. I fprang up on 
xny feet, and liflening, I diftindtly heard fome trea- 
sure wading in the water of the ifthmus, I feized 
my gun and went cautioufiy from my camp, diredt- 
ing my fleps towards the noife : when I had ad- 
vanced about thirty yards, I halted behind a cop- 
pice of orange trees, and foon perceived two very 
large bears, which had made their v/ay through the 
water, and had landed in the grove, about one hun- 
dred yards diftance from me, and were advancing 
towards me. I waited until they were within thirty 
yards of me : they there began to fnuff and look to- 
wards my camp : I fnapped my piece, but it dafhed^ 
on which they both turned about and galloped off, 
plunging through the water and fwamp, never halt- 
ing, as I fuppofe, until they reached fall land, as I 
could hear them leaping and plunging a long time. 
They did not prefume to return again, nor was I 
molefled by any other creature, except being occa- 
fionaliy awakened by the whooping of owls, fcream- 
ing of bitterns, or the wood- rats running amongft 
the leaves. 
i 
The wood-rat is a very curious animal. It is 
not half the fize of the domeflic rat ; of a dark brown 
or black colour; its tail Gender and fhorter in 
proportion, and covered thinly with fhort hair. 
