320 TRAVELS Til’ROUGH UPPER OAK At) A t 
punchy gives the liquor a very agreeable acid, 
and in the southern states it is common to use 
them for that purpose, but it. is a dangerous 
custom;, as the acid; though extremely agree-* 
able to the palate; is of a poisonous quality; and 
never fails to produce a most alarming effect 
on the bowels if used too freely. 
A sharp frost set in this night, and on the 
following morning, at day-break, we recom¬ 
menced our journey with crossing the river al¬ 
ready mentioned up to our waists in water, no 
very pleasing task. Both on this and the sub¬ 
sequent day we had to wade through several 
other considerable streams. 
A few squirrels were the only wild animals 
which we met with in our journey through the 
woods, and the most solemn silence imaginable 
reigned throughout, except where a wood¬ 
pecker was heard now and then tapping with 
its bill against a hollow tree. The birds in 
general dock towards the settlements, and it is 
a very rare circumstance to meet with them in 
, the depth of the forest. 
The third evening we encamped as usual. 
No sooner had we come to our resting place, 
than the Indians threw off their cloaths, and 
rolled themselves on the grass just as horses 
would do, to refresh themselves, the day hav¬ 
ing proved very hot, notwithstanding the frost 
of the preceding night. We were joined this- 
