appearing to "love alternate song." Their dress frightened our horses; and as we were pushing from the shore, a young hunter leapt into the boat, with no other covering than his shirt and belt, and his bow and arrows slung behind. One of the boatmen had lost an ear, which he had forfeited for some infraction on the laws of his country.

We arrived at Ouchee Bridge about one o'clock; and our horses being rather tired, we determined to rest the remainder of the day at a stand kept by a young man from Philadelphia, whose partner is a half-breed. I slept in a log-cabin, without windows; and supped with my host and several unwashed artificers, and unshaven labourers, who, according to the custom of this part of the country, even when not within Indian limits, sat down with us in their shirt-sleeves, fresh from their labours. Our host had killed a panther* a few days previously, within twenty yards of the house.

* The true panther is not a native of North America, but the name is given, at least, by the common people and half-breed Indians, both to the Ocelot of naturalists, or Felis Pardalis, which is spotted, and to the Puma, or Felis Concolor, vel Felis Puma, which is an uniform tawny colour. In travelling in the nation of the Choctaw Indians, in the forests of the Mississippi, we started two animals, which bounded from us with a sort of careless independence. They were of a tawny

Ouchee Creek, which is here to form the boundary between Alabama and Georgia, when the Indian title is extinguished, derives its name from the Ouchees, a conquered tribe of Indians; many of whom were long held in captivity by the victorious Creeks. We saw several of them, who exhibited in the subdued and dejected expression of their countenances, indications of their degraded condition.

Their language is a very peculiar one, and is said not to be understood by any other Indian nation. I have also heard that the children of other tribes who have been brought up among them, have been unable to learn it; but this I take the liberty to doubt. The person who keeps this house is an American, of the name of A, from Philadelphia. His partner is Colonel L- a half-breed,

and an Indian chief. A

has a license

colour; and as we had heard the American panther described as spotted, we concluded they were wolves, although much larger than any wolves we had ever seen. In the evening, at the log-house of our host, who was an intelligent half-breed Indian, of some consequence, we found several Indians and halfbreeds; and on describing the animals we had seen, they all assured us they were panthers, which are numerous in that wild part of the country. On my observing that I thought the panther was spotted, they said some panthers were spotted, and some of an uniform yellow or tawny colour; that they

often shot both.

from the United States to trade with the Indians, and is making a rapid fortune, as the charges to travellers are very high, and those who "camp out" have to replenish their corn and fodder at these distant stands, where it is sold at more than double the price which is paid for it to the Indians. Wild venison and wild turkies killed by the Indians, bacon fed in the woods, and poultry raised about the house, all cost the landlord little, whilst the absence of competition, and the necessities of the traveller, compel him to submit to any arbitrary charge. I shall give you an account of my expenses across the wilderness, when I arrive at New Orleans. The only bed-room here is a log building of one story in the yard, with three beds, such as they are; it has no window, and a clay floor, but a disposition to make the guests comfortable, which I have uniformly found, has hitherto left me nothing to regret with respect to accommodation.

So far, I have never had to admit any one into my bed-room, except my servant for one night, or I believe two. While writing, I have been interrupted and amused by Mukittaw, a fine Indian lad, half friend, half servant to my host, whom he follows on a three-year old colt, for which his master gave 70 guineas the other day in

Tennessee. He has been much pleased in examining my little shaving apparatus, and my pocket inkstand; and in return, has been telling me the Indian names of different articles of dress. Here are some of them: o-kof-ti-ka, shirt; a-fat-i-ka, gaiters; de-le-shi-va-na-ta, garers; te-le-fi-ka, mocassons.

The surface of the ground continues to form a perpetual undulation. The road, which is called the Federal Road, though tolerable for horses, would with us be considered impassable for wheels.

Letter VEEE.

Mobile, in the State of Alabama, 3d April, 1820.

We left Ouchee Bridge on the 26th of May; and early in the afternoon, arrived at Fort Bainbridge, where we found a stand in which the

66

Big Warrior" is a sleeping partner, and a head waiter from one of the principal inns in Washington, the efficient man. There is, however, another partner, of the name of Lewis, whom I found highly interesting, He had lived fifteen years in the heart of the Indian country, having married an Indian wife, and adopted the manners of the natives. He appeared to unite great mildness and intelligence; and has contracted so ardent a love of solitude, by living in the woods, that he lately removed his stand from the most profitable situation, because there was a neighbour or two within four miles.*

* "Beside a house in the village, they have generally in their conucos, near some spring, or at the entrance of a solitary valley, a small hut, covered with the leaves of the palm or plaintain tree. Though they live less commodiously in the conuco, they love to retire thither as often as they