68 
THE HISTORY OF 
. mile’s distance, and all the intermediate space -^vas covered with green canes. 
Though, to our sorrow, fire-wood was scarce, which was now the harder 
upon us, because a north*^ wester blew very cold from the mountains. 
The Indian killed a stately, fat buck, and we picked his bones as clean as a 
score of turkey-buzzards could have done. By the advantage of a clear 
night, we made trial once more of the variation, and found it much the same 
as formerly. This being his majesty’s birthday, we drank all the loyal healths 
in excellent water, not for the sake of the drink, (like many of our fellow sub- 
jects,) but purely for the sake of the toast. And because all public mirth 
should be a little noisy, we fired several volleys of canes, instead of guns, 
which gave a loud report. We threw them into the fire, where the air en- 
closed betwixt the joints of the canes, being expanded by the violent heat, 
burst its narrow bounds with a considerable explosion! 
In the evening one of the men knocked down an opossum, which is a 
harmless little beast, that will seldom go out of your way, and if you take 
hold of it, will only grin, and hardly ever bite. The flesh was well tasted 
and tender, approaching nearest to pig, which it also resembles in bigness. 
The colour of its fur was a goose gray, with a swine’s snout, and a tail like 
a rat’s, but at least a foot long. By twisting this tail about the arm of a tree, 
it will hang with all its weight, and swing to any thing it wants to take hold 
of It has five claws on the fore feet of equal length, but the hinder feet have 
only four claws, and a sort of thumb standing off at a proper distance. 
Their feet being thus formed, qualify them for climbing up trees to catch little 
birds, which they are very fond of But the greatest particularity of this 
creature, and which distinguishes it from most others that we are acquainted 
with, is the false belly of the female, into which her young retreat in time of 
danger. She can draw the slit, which is the inlet into this pouch, so close, 
that you must look narrowly to find it, especially if she happen to be a virgin. 
Within the false belly may be seen seven or eight teats, on which the young 
ones grow from their first formation till they are big enough to fall off, like 
ripe fruit from a tree. This is so odd a method of generation, that I should 
not have believed it without thb testimony of mine own eyes. Besides a 
knowing and credible person has assured me he has more than once observed 
the embryo opossums growing to the teat before they were completely shaped, 
and afterwards watched their daily growth till they were big enough for 
birth. And all this he could the more easily pry into, because the dam was 
so perfectly gentle and harmless, that he could handle her just as he pleased. 
I could hardly persuade myself to publish a thing so contrary to the course 
that nature takes in the production of other animals, unless it were a matter 
commonly believed in all countries where that creature is produced, and has 
been often observed by persons of undoubted credit and understanding. 
They say that the leather-winged bats produce their young in the same un- 
common manner. And that young sharks at sea, and young vipers ashore, 
run down the throats of their dams when they are closely pursued. 
The frequent crossing of Crooked creek, and mounting the steep banks of 
it, gave the finishing stroke to the foundering our horses : and no less than 
two of them made a full stop here, and would not advance a foot farther, either 
by fair means or foul. We had a dreamer of dreams amongst us, who 
warned me in the morning to take care of myself, or I should infallibly fall 
into the creek; I thanked him kindly, and used what caution I could, but was 
not able it seems to avmid my destiny, for my horse made a false step and 
laid me down at my full length in the water. This was enough to bring 
dreaming into credit, and I think it much for the honour of our expedition, 
that it was graced not only with a priest but also with a prophet. W'e were 
so perplexed with this serpentine creek, as well as in passing the branches of 
