ALEXANDER WILSON. 
lxxi 
me 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 
this night in one of their huts : the Indians spread a deer 
skin for me on the floor ; I 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 
horrid swamps I had ever seen. These are covered with 
a 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 precipitous ; where I had often to 
plunge my horse seven feet down, into a bed of deep clay, 
up to his belly, from which nothing but great strength and 
exertion could have rescued him ; the opposite shore was 
equally bad, and beggars all description. For an extent 
of several miles, on both sides of these creeks, the dark- 
ness of night obscures every object around.” 
“ On Saturday, I passed a number of most execrable 
swamps ; the weather was extrfemely warm, and I had been 
attacked by something like the dysentery, which occasioned 
a constant burning thirst, and weakened me greatly. 
I stopt this day frequently to wash my head and throat 
in the water, to allay the burning thirst ; and, putting on 
my hat without wiping, received considerable relief from 
it. Since crossing the Tennesee, the woods have been 
interspersed with pines, and the soil has become more 
sandy. This day I met a Captain Hughes, a traveller, 
on his return from Santa Fee. My complaint increased 
so much, that I could scarcely sit on horseback ; and, all 
night, my mouth and throat were parched with a burning 
thirst and fever. On Sunday, I bought some raw eggs, 
which I ate, and repeated the dose at mid-day, and towards 
evening, and found great benefit from this simple remedy. 
I inquired, all along the road, for fresh eggs, and, for nearly 
