horses sinking and stumbling, and frequently passing through water two or three feet deep, out of which we could scarcely see our way. The damps of the night, in this watery region, prevented our alighting to try to make a fire, till the moon should enable us to proceed; and, indeed, we did not think it prudent to dismount on account of the alligators which abound here; we had about sun-set passed very near one. Our ears were stunned with the frog concerts which now and then arose and depressed our spirits, by intimating that we were approaching another swamp, although it was too dark to see it. What different emotions the frog concerts excited in Mungo Park, who hailed them as symptoms of his approach to the water, for which he was panting. This was the first time I had felt in a really awkward situation, and my servant's spirits began to fail him. He told me afterwards, that for two hours the perspiration was dropping from his face, and his knees were shaking as if he was in an ague; the more so as he was afraid that our pound of bacon, which was in his saddle-bags would allure the alligators to him. We were suddenly surprised by a number of moving lights, which led us to suppose that some persons were scouring the forest; but we heard no noise: even when

many of them appeared to be moving round us within a few yards distance, all was silent when we stopped our horses. At last, it flashed across my mind that these moving lights must proceed from the beautiful fire-flies we had often heard of, but which it had not occurred to me that we were likely to see in this country. Even at such a moment, I was delighted with their beauty, evanescent as it was; for they soon disappeared. Occasionally, we were again deluded by a solitary fire-fly at a distance, which twinkled like a light from a cottage-window, and to which we several times bent our steps, our spirits depressed by every successive disappointment.

At last, just as the moon rose, we reached an elevated spot, where we lighted our fire, toasted our bacon, and after securing our horses by a little fence of saplings, lay down on our blankets under the trees with no common satisfaction.

We started before four o'clock the next morning, and breakfasted at a house about ten miles distant. The settlement was established about 15 years since the Indians, contrary to their usual custom, having permitted it; but although the owner had more than 2000 head of cattle grazing in the woods, he had neither milk nor butter to give us to our coffee. This

is an extreme case; but it is not uncommon, in this part of the country, to be unable to procure either milk or butter where 18 or 20 cows are kept, solid animal food being much preferred. Humboldt, you will recollect, in the account of his journey from the mountains of Parapara to the banks of the Apure, mentions arriving at a farm where he was told of herds of several thousand cows grazing in the plains; and yet he asked in vain for a bowl of milk. At the house where we breakfasted, we saw the skin of a bear drying in the sun: seven miles farther we passed a large panther, as it is called, which had been lately killed and stuffed. At the next house was the skin of a rattle-snake, which the the woman who lived there had killed a few nights before. At this retired house we were detained two or three hours by a violent thunder storm with extremely heavy rain. As soon as the rain abated we set off again in the midst of vivid lightning, which, in the darkness of the night, alone enabled us to keep our path to Blakeley, which we were anxious to reach, as it was Saturday night. Indeed, for the last three days, we had travelled 45 miles each day, in order to arrive before Sunday; but to our disappointment, we found there was no church or *See Note, page 123.

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meeting-house there of any description; and we accordingly crossed the bay in the morning to go to church at this place (Mobile,) where we were equally disappointed; for, to the disgrace of Protestant America, no place of worship is established here except a Catholic church, built by the French or Spanish.

Letter EX.

Natchez, on the Mississippi, 24th April, 1820.

My thoughts, however, are much and very agreeably engrossed by the objects of interest which press upon me on every side; and I sometimes forget that I am so far from home. My solitary ride through the woods I enjoyed exceedingly; and except for my anxiety to be proceeding in the immediate objects of my journey, 'I should not have been tired if it had been twice as long. From Augusta and to Mobile, the way we came, was 460 miles nearly, which we accomplished in about 15 days, during two of which we rested. I left my horses at Mobile, in the care of a friend, to sell.

I mentioned, in my last letter, that after crossing the bay, on Sunday morning, to go to church, I was disappointed to find no Protestant place of worship at Blakeley. I understood, however, that a Protestant clergyman from the Eastern States had, for some Sundays preceding, been officiating alternately at Mobile and Blakeley. These towns are situated on opposite sides of the bay, and are contending vehemently for the privilege