"They make an incision in the trunk, near the summit of the tree, to which they apply, in succession, gourd bottles, conducting the liquor into them by means of a pipe formed of the leaves. This wine is very pleasant when fresh drawn, but is apt to disagree with Europeans in that state. After fermentation, however, it becomes like Rhenish wine, and is extremely good, without being prejudicial. You would be alarmed, Sophy, to see how rapidly and nimbly the natives mount these lofty trees, which are sometimes sixty, seventy, and even a hundred feet in height, and the bark smooth. The only aid they have is a piece of the bark of a tree, which they form into a hoop by holding the two ends, having enclosed themselves and the trunk of the tree. They then place their feet against the tree, and their backs against the hoop, and mount as quick as thought. It sometimes occurs that they miss their footing, the consequence of course is, that they are precipitated with tremendous force to the ground, and dashed to pieces. "There is another tree called the ciboa, very much like the palm, and applied to the same purposes: the wine of this is not quite so sweet as that of the palm. In another letter he further observes: "I think you will be pleased to hear in what manner I pass my time here, my dear Sophy, while you are perhaps talking of me in the dear domestic circle; I will therefore give you the journal of a day, which, with little variation, is the general mode of my living. "I rise by day-break, in order to enjoy the refreshing coolness of the morning, and generally ride or walk into the country, through the delightful woods and savannahs. "On my return, I breakfast on never-tiring tea, or, for want of it, a sort of tea growing in the woods, called simbong. Upon any deficiency of sugar, I use honey, as it is at all times easily procured; except, perhaps, when the natives are making their honey wine, of which they are immoderately fond. Sometimes I take milk, with cakes of rice or flour; or Guinea-corn, baked in a very useful article in my kitchen; viz. a large iron pot. The milk will not boil without turning to whey, which I ascribe to the nature of the grass upon which the cows feed. My dinner is frequently beef, either fresh or salted, in which latter state it will keep six or seven days. This I either boil and eat with coosh-coosh, (Note B.) a favourite dish with the natives, or with pumpkins and coliloo, like spinach, both of which are plentiful. Fowls are so cheap and common, that they may always be purchased for a few charges of gunpowder; and when I wish for either fish or game, I send a fisher or hunter, allowed by the factory, to supply me; and they never fail to bring me ample store of the finest sorts of the former; and of the latter, deer, ducks, partridges, wild geese, and what are here called crown birds, all which abound in their different seasons.