, or some such Illness.

Besides this, some are troubled with the dry Gripes, proceeding from
Colds (I suppose) which take away for a long Time the Use of the Limbs
of some, especially hard Drinkers of Rum; some that have lain out in
mighty cold Weather have been Frost-bitten, and lost their Fingers or
Toes.

There is no Danger of wild Beasts in traveling; for the Wolves and
Bears, which are up the Country, never attack any, unless they be first
assaulted and hurt; and the Wolves of late are much destroyed by Virtue
of a Law, which allows good Rewards for their Heads with the Ears on, to
prevent Imposition and cheating the Publick; for the Ears are crop'd
when a Head is produced.

The Bears are also much destroyed by the Out-Planters, _&c._ for the
Sake of their Flesh and Skins.

As for Rattle-Snakes, _&c._ they make off from you, unless you by
Carelesness chance to tread on them; and then their Bite is found now
not to be mortal, if Remedies can be applied in Time.

The worst Inconveniency in travelling a-cross the Country, is the
Circuit that must be taken to head Creeks, _&c._ for the main Roads wind
along the rising Ground between the Rivers, tho' now they much shorten
their Passage by mending the Swamps and building of Bridges in several
Places; and there are established Ferries at convenient Places, over the
great Rivers; but in them is often much Danger from sudden Storms, bad
Boats, or unskilful or wilful Ferrymen; especially if one passes in a
Boat with Horses, of which I have great Reason to be most sensible by
the Loss of a dear _Brother_ at _Chickohomony Ferry_, in _Feb._ 1723/4.

As for their Drink, good Springs of excellent Water abound every where
almost, which is very cooling and pleasant in Summer, and the general
Drink of abundance: not so much out of Necessity, as Choice.

Some Planters, _&c._ make good small Drink with Cakes of _Parsimmons_ a
kind of Plumbs, which grow there in great Plenty; but the common small
Beer is made of _Molossus_, which makes extraordinary brisk good tasted
Liquor at a cheap Rate, with little Trouble in brewing; so that they
have it fresh and fresh, as they want it in Winter and Summer.

And as they brew, so do they bake daily, Bread or Cakes, eating too much
hot and new Bread, which cannot be wholsom, tho' it be pleasanter than
what has been baked a Day or two.

Some raise Barley and make Malt there, and others have Malt from
_England_, with which those that under