LIFE OF WILSON. 
xlix 
Pinkerton has, indeed, furnished us with many curious par- 
ticulars unknown, or, at least, unnoticed, by all former geogra- 
phers; and also with other items long since exploded as fabulous 
and ridiculous ; such is his account of the Upas or poisonous tree; 
and of children having been lost in some of our American swamps, 
and of being seen many years afterwards, in a wild savage state ! 
But he very gravely tells his readers that the people of Scotland 
eat little or no pork from a prejudice which they entertain against 
swine, the Devil having taken possession of some of them two thou- 
sand years ago! What an enlightened people these Scots must be; 
and what a delicate taste they must be possessed of! Yet I have 
traversed nearly three-fourths of that country, and mixed much 
with the common people, and never heard of such an objection be- 
fore. Had the learned author told his readers that, until late years, 
Scotland, though abounding in rich pastures, even to its mountain 
tops, was yet but poorly productive in grain, fruit, &c, the usual 
food of hogs, and that on this account innumerable herds of sheep, 
horses and cattle were raised, and but very little pork, he would 
then have stated the simple facts; and not subjected himself to the 
laughter of every native of that part of Britain. 
“ As to the pretended antipathy of the Scots to eels, because 
they resemble snakes, it is equally ridiculous and improbable; nine- 
ty-nine out of a hundred of the natives never saw a snake in their 
lives. The fact is, it is as usual to eat eels in Scotland, where they 
can be got, as it is in America; and although I have frequently 
heard such objections made to the eating of eels here, where snakes 
are so common, yet I do not remember to have heard the compari- 
son made in Scotland. I have taken notice of these two observa- 
tions of his, because they are applied generally to the Scots, making 
them appear a weak squeamish-stomached set of beings, infected 
with all the prejudices and antipathies of children. 
VOL. IX. 
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