rn. There were strange plants too,
growing in the fields and garden, and vines trained upon espaliers, and
corn-cribs filled with yellow corn, and dove-cotes, and martin-boxes,
with swallows twittering around them. All formed a curious but pleasing
picture.

We had sauntered about for an hour, when we were summoned to dinner.

"Follow me, gentlemen," said our host, as he led the way to the house.
We entered, and seated ourselves around a good-sized table, upon which
smoked several savoury and inviting dishes. Some of these we recognised
as old acquaintances, while others were new to us. We found
venison-steaks, with buffalo tongues and hump-ribs,--the daintiest
portions of that animal. There were fresh-cooked fowls, and eggs of the
wild turkey boiled and dressed in omelettes. There were bread and
butter, and milk and rich cheese, all set out to tempt our appetites,
that, to say the truth, just at that time did not require much coaxing
to do justice to the viands before us. We were all quite hungry, for we
had eaten nothing since morning. A large kettle simmered by the fire.
What could it contain? thought we; surely, not tea or coffee. In a
short time we were satisfied on this head. Bowls were placed before us;
and into these the hot liquid was poured, which we found to be a very
palatable as well as wholesome beverage--the tea of the sassafras root.
It was sweetened by maple-sugar; and each helped himself to cream to his
own liking. We had all tasted such tea before, and many of our party
liked it as well as the tea of China.

While we continued to eat, we could not help noticing the strangeness of
everything around us. All the articles of furniture were of unique and
rude description; and it was plain that most of them had been
manufactured upon the spot. The vessels were of several sorts and of
different materials. There were cups and dishes, and bowls cut out of
shells of the gourd or calabash; and there were spoons and ladles of the
same material. There were wooden platters and trays carved and scooped
out of the solid tree. And more numerous were the vessels of red
pottery, of different shapes and for different uses. Of these there
were large pots for cooking, and jars for holding water, and jugs of
various dimensions.

The chairs, too, were all of rude construction; but admirably adapted to
their purpose. Most of them were covered with raw-hide seats, which
stretched up the back in a slanting