River Country of Georgia 
troying them. The most valuable parts of the 
grist-mill and cotton-press were hidden in 
the same way. “If Bill Sherman/’ he said, 
“should come down now without his army, 
he would never go back.” 
When I asked him if he could give me food 
and lodging for the night he said, “No, no, we 
have no accommodations for travelers.” I said, 
“But I am traveling as a botanist and either 
have to find lodgings when night overtakes me 
or lie outdoors, which I often have had to do in 
my long walk from Indiana. But you see that 
the country here is very swampy; if you will at 
least sell me a piece of bread, and give me a 
drink at your well, I shall have to look around 
for a dry spot to lie down on.” 
Then, asking me a few questions, and nar- 
rowly examining me, he said, “Well, it is 
barely possible that we may find a place for 
you, and if you will come to the house I will 
ask my wife.” Evidently he was cautious to get 
his wife’s opinion of the kind of creature I was 
before committing himself to hospitality. He 
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