Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 3).djvu/95

 breakfast. My horse fared very well on Maize fodder and in a Stable that was not muddy like all those in America when one lodges with Americans or with Irish.

I paid 3 shillings, being 1 shilling 6 pence for my horse and as much for myself. I had paid 5 shillings for my lodging the previous night and had not been so well satisfied. As the daughter of this house was the smartest of any I had ever seen in America I gave her a quarter of a Dollar and the old man offered me a stuffed Tongue but I thanked him, not being fond of salt meat.

It began to rain an hour after I started but I was fortunate enough to pass Beechford and Rollingford. 13 Miles from Mackinsy's.

I was obliged to stop at the house of an inhabitant a Mile and a half from the crossing and the Rain compelled me to pass the night there.

In the neighborhood there is Liriodendron with yellow wood and in some parts Liriodendron with white wood. The inhabitants prefer the yellow variety.

Wednesday 10th of February 1796, I had supped the previous evening on Tea made from the shrub called Spice-wood. A handful of young twigs or branches is set to boil and after it has boiled at least a quarter of an hour sugar is added and it is drunk like real Tea. There was no Milk at the time and I was told that Milk makes it much more agreeable to the taste. This beverage restores strength and it had that effect for I was very tired when I arrived. This shrub is the Laurus Benjoin Linn. The Illinois French call it Poivrier and the hunters season their meat with some pieces of its wood.

In the vicinity grows a plant[169] of the Orchis family whose leaf remains all winter. There are seldom two;