It was now in the midst of the rainy season, that Fourgeoud declared his intention of scouring the woods; and, in consequence, gave orders for two strong columns to march the next day. The reason for chusing this season was, that if he could now dislodge the rebels they must starve for want, which would not be the case in the dry months, for then the forest abounds with fruits and roots of many kinds. This was, however, in my opinion, a false piece of generalship; if it be considered on the other hand, the dreadful havock which the wet weather must produce among his troops, of which he killed, I suppose, at the rate of twenty to one rebel negro. Fourgeoud was himself of a very strong constitution, having been used to hunting and shooting the whole of his life-time: to which he added temperance, and the daily use of his beloved ptisan. His dress consisted of nothing but a waistcoat, through one of the button-holes of which he wore his sword: on his head he wore a cotton night-cap, with a white beaver hat above it, and in his hand a cane; but he seldom carried his musket or his pistols. I have seen him all in rags and bare-footed, like the meanest soldier. On the morning of the 3d of April, at six o’clock, the two columns set out upon their march, the one commanded by Colonel Seyburg, the other by Fourgeoud; to which last I had the honour to belong. Our poor men were now loaded like asses. They were ordered to put their fire-locks in their knapsacks, of course the muzzles excepted: this was to keep them from the rain, which absolutely poured in torrents. Our course was south by east, up among the banks of the Tempatee Creek, where we soon came to swamps, and were marching in the water above our knees. During the first day’s march we met some very pretty squirrels, which are of several kinds in this country. Those that we saw were brown, with the belly white, the tail not so bushy; nor were they, upon the whole, so large as those of Europe. There are also white squirrels in this country with red eyes, and flying squirrels. These, it is well known, have no wings, but a membrane between the fore and hinder leg, being a part of their skin, which, when they leap, expands like the wing of a bat, and by this, like a parachute, they rest upon the air, and in their flights are carried to a considerable distance. On the 4th of April we marched again, our course south by east, till two o’clock, when we changed our course to south-south-west. This day we passed by piles of fine timber, that were left there to rot since 1757, when the estates were demolished by the negro slaves who were in rebellion. Among these were the purple-heart-tree, the iron-wood-tree, and the bourracourra, known in England by the name of Brazil.