greatest precaution was observed. They refused to stop at any house on the way, and carried, for the distance of forty or fifty miles, their own provision; but after all suffered the same calamities. This excited a serious inquiry into the true cause of their distress. The fly, which has been mentioned, was known to be a most singular insect, and peculiarly troublesome to horses. At length it was admitted by all, that the cause of the evils complained of could be no other than this insect. Other precautions have since been observed, particularly that of riding over the road infested with it _in the night_; and now it happens that comparatively few horses are destroyed. I am unable to describe it from my own observation. I passed over the same road in April last, only two weeks after it disappeared, and was obliged to take the description from others. Its colour is a dark brown; it has an elongated head, with a small and sharp proboscis; and is in size between the gnat and musqueto. When it alights upon a horse, it darts through the hair, much like a gnat, and never quits its hold until removed by force. When a horse stops to drink, swarms fly about the head, and crowd into the mouth, nostrils, and ears; hence it is supposed the poison is communicated inwardly. Whether this be true or not, the most fatal consequences result. It is singular, that from the time of its first appearance, it has never extended for a greater distance than forty miles, in one direction, and usually, it is confined to fifteen miles. In no other part of the country has it ever been seen. From this fact, it would seem probable that the cause of its existence is local. But what it is, none can tell. After the warm weather commences, it disappears as effectually from human observation, as if it were annihilated. Towards the close of December it springs up all at once into being again, and resumes the work of destruction. A fact, so singular, I could not have ventured to state, without the best evidence of its reality. All the circumstances here related, are familiar to hundreds, and were in almost every man's mouth, when I passed through the country. In addition to this, they were confirmed by the account which I received from Col. John M'Kee, a gentleman of much intelligence and respectability, who is the present agent of the general government for the Choctaw nation. He has consented to obtain specimens of the insect for your examination, when it returns again; and will, I hope, accompany the transmission with a more perfect description than it has been possible for me to communicate.