ALEXANDER WILSOX. Ixxi 
out the distances by holding up their fingers. This is 
the country of the Chickasaws, though erroneously laid 
down in some maps as that of the Cherokees. I slept 
tins night in one of their huts ; the Indians spread a deer 
®kin for me on the floor ; 1 made a pillow of my portman- 
teau, and slept tolerably well : an old Indian laid himself 
down near me.” 
“ This day, (Wednesday,) I passed through the most 
konid swamps I had ever seen. These are covered with 
^ prodigious growth of canes and high woods, which, 
together, shut out almost the whole light of day, for 
miles. The banks of the deep and sluggish creeks, that 
Occupy the centre, are precijiitous ; where I had often to 
plunge my horse seven feet down, into a bed of deep cl<iy, 
''P to his belly, from which nothing but great strength and 
6=tenion could have rescued him ; the opposite shore was 
OflUally bad, and beggars all description. For an extent 
of several miles, on both sides of these creeks, the dark- 
Oesa of night obscures every object around.” 
“ On Saturday, 1 passed a number of most execrable 
stvamps ; the weather was extremely warm, and I had been 
attacked hy somethinglike the dysentery, which occasioned 
^ constant burning thirst, and weakened me greatly. 
I stopt this day frciiucntly to wash my head and throat 
m the Water, to allay the burning thirst ; and, )mtting ou 
my hat without wiping, received considerable relief from 
Since crossing the Tennesee, the woods have been 
mterspersed with pines, and the soil has become more 
sandy. This day I met a Captain Hughes, a traveller, 
his return from Santa Fee. My complaint increased 
much, that I could scarcely sit on horseback ; and, all 
mglit, my mouth and throat were parched with a burning 
thirst and fever. On Sunday, I bought some raw eggs, 
trldch I ate, and repeated the dose at mid-day, and towards 
evening, and found great benefit from this simple remedy, 
h inquired, all along the road, for fresh eggs, and, for nearly 
