theatre, which met the eye in every direction around. The water was visible in many places, and traversed the plain numerous times in search of the sortie through which I entered, and through which it dashed with as much exulting violence as if sensible of the liberty it regained. It entered the plain from the north west, in which situation it possessed several falls of sufficient power for any over-shot and grist mills. This advantage connected with a variety of others, renders the spot the most eligible imaginable for all the purposes of rural economy and contracted desires of primitive life. The plain contains perhaps twelve hundred acres; the land could easily be cleared, the soil a rich black mould, could be cultivated with little labor; from the facility of being drained no offensive vapours could arise and a house seated in the declivity of the hill from which the stream de

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scended in quick and rapid falls, could command an uninterrupted view of an abundant and enchanting prospect.

From the thin state and growth of the wood, there remained no doubt of the plain having been formerly under cultivation. No traces of Indian settlements notwithstanding appeared. I journeyed on for the remainder of the day through a wilderness of melancholy gloom and endless extent.

I stopped to refresh at a fine creek, and while my travelling and faithful companion was occupied in making a fire, I took my gun to range for something for dinner. I had not advanced twenty yards before my dog barked with considerable irritation, and ran round an object which on a nearer approach I discovered to be a snake-tortoise. He was as large as a turtle of sixty pounds weight, and in disposition appeared excessively fierce and mischievous. When

ever he snapt at the dog, which he frequently did with great premeditation and venom, his jaws fell together with much violence and noise. Well convinced that Cuff was acquainted with the natural history of the animal, and all his various attributes, I called him up, and took the dog off, fearful every moment of his loosing his life in so unequal a conflict. I was perfectly right in my conjecture; the Mandanean knew all his habits. While exposed to the dog the creature never presented a vulnerable part; nothing was to be seen but a strong coat of mail, into which he drew his head and legs till prepared to bite, when he prolongated his jaws, or rather neck, which appeared to have great agility, and snapt with a clangour to be heard one hundred yards round. But when the man came up and placed on his back a large flat stone, he exposed his head and feet, and began to move

towards the water with more rapidity than I presumed attributable to his nature, or consistent with his magnitude and form. On turning him from the water he seized the stick I made use of in his mouth, and retained his hold, though the man and I raised him from the ground in our efforts to disengage it. It appeared that nothing but fire could induce him to move or to quit his hold. I held a fire-brand near his back, and notwithstanding the extraordinary thickness of the shell, his sensibility took an immediate alarm, and he again advanced with much speed and precipitate action. The Indians call this by a name which implies the snapping tortoise, from its remaining perfectly tranquil till the object is within its reach, on which it makes one sudden snap and sinks under water. The weight which the one that was the immediate subject of my investigation carried on his

back, was inconceivably great, and still he moved without any apparent embarrassment or difficulty. To turn him on his back was very arduous. He resisted with great power and strong manifestations of despair and passion: turning and snapping at the stick whenever he found it acting as a lever upon him. After being upset he made no further resistance, and died without much struggle. The body was very plump and fine;-I cut from it several steaks, and enjoyed a dinner of exquisite richness and flavor. During the repast I was entertained by the chattering of a flock of paroquets, who had taken up their abode in the trees around me. There were the green and the red neck, that very particular species which are held the most rare in Europe, and which were once highly valued by the Greeks and Romans.

Perfectly refreshed, I again pursued