ey went. They had not got far, when Fenton,
who was a little ahead, cried out, "A bear! a bear!" and immediately
fired.

"I missed him," he exclaimed, as Vaughan and Gilbert joined him.

"I doubt much whether the animal you saw was a bear," said Vaughan, as
they got up to the spot, examining the ground where Fenton declared he
had seen the creature. "Observe these berries, and the way the soil has
been turned up: a bear would have climbed the tree from which they have
fallen; whereas, it is evident that an animal with a long snout has been
feeding here. That tree is the palmetto, which, I have heard from those
who have been in the West Indies, yields a cabbage most delicious to
eat; these berries are also sweet and wholesome. By taking the trouble
to climb to the summit, we may procure an ample supply of vegetables;
and see! there are many other trees of the same species. As we shall
have no difficulty in finding them again, we will go on in search of the
animal you saw; and, should our guns not prove faithless, we may hope to
find some meat for dinner."

They now proceeded more cautiously, when, coming to the edge of an open
glade, they saw before them a herd of thirty or more swine feeding at a
short distance. Creeping along under shelter of the bushes, they got
close enough to fire. Vaughan selected one animal, Gilbert and Fenton
aimed at two others. Firing together, three hogs fell dead on the
ground. Here was a prize worth obtaining; Tarbox and the other men, who
understood cutting up a pig, were soon busily engaged in the operation,
while the gentlemen continued their search farther on. Great was their
delight to discover pear-trees bearing ripe fruit, and at a little
distance a grove of mulberry-trees, some with white, others with red
fruit.

"In what a curious way the leaves are rolled round," observed Gilbert,
examining them; "why, each contains a little conical ball, I verily
believe, of silk."

"Yes, indeed, they are silk-worms," said Vaughan; "there are enough here
to supply the looms of France for many a day; and if we can collect, and
can manage to unwind them, we may send home a quantity certain to yield
a rich return. We will carry back a supply of the fruit, which will be
welcomed by our mother and sister."

Gilbert and his companions quickly wove a couple of baskets of some long
grass which grew near, and filled them with mulberries and a few cocoons
of the silk-worms to exhibit to th