"...The Island abounds with Deer and Rabits; there
are no Buffaloes on it, though there are large Herds of them upon the Main.
There are also a good many Rackoons, a Creature something like a Badger,
but somewhat less, with a bushy Tail like a Squirrel, tabbied with Rings
of brown and black. They are very destructive to the Poultry.
I heard that there were Wolves and Bears, but saw none.
There are great Numbers of Squirrels of different Sizes, the little Kind
the same as in England, a lesser than that, not much bigger than a Mouse,
and a large grey Sort, very near as big as a Rabit, which those who are
accustomed to the Country say, eats as well. There are wild Cats which
they call Tigers [apparently a bobcat]; I saw one of them which the Indians
killed, the skin was brown, and all of one Colour, about the Size of a
middling Spaniel, little Ears, great Whiskers, short Legs, and strong Claws.
Of the Wild-Fowl Kind, there are wild Turkeys, though
but few of them upon the Island, but Plenty upon the Main. This Bird is
larger than the tame Turkey, and the Cock is the beautifullest of the feathered
Kind; his Head has the red and blue of the Turkey, only much more lively
and beautiful, his Neck is like a Cock Pheasant's, his Feathers also are
of the same Colour with those of that Bird, glittering in the sun as if
they were gilded; his Tail is as large, though it hath not so fine Eyes
in it as the Peacock's hath. At first, before they were disturbed by our
People, they would strut in the Woods as a Peacock does. I have heard some
say, that upon weighing, they have found them to exceed 30 pound; I never
weighed any, but have had them very fat and large; as they are delicious
Meat, and are compared to a tame Turkey, as a Pheasant is to a Fowl. I
saw no Partridges upon the Island, though they are plenty upon the Main.
Turtle-Doves the Woods swarm with, which are excellent Food. There are
also great Numbers of small Birds, of which a black Bird with a red Head,
the red Bird, or Virginia Nightingale, the mocking Bird, which sings sweetly,
and the Rice-Bird, much resembling the French Ortelan, were the chief;
the rest are too numerous to describe.
Of Water Fowl, in Winter there are great Abundance; besides
the common English Wild Goose, Duck, Mallard and Teal, there is a kind
of Wild Goose like the Brand Geese, and Ducks of many kinds, hardly known
in Europe. There is a Hooping Crane, a Fowl with grey Feathers five or
six Foot high, Numbers of the Heron Kind of different Species and Colours,
some small ones of the most beautiful White, which are called Poor Jobs,
from their being generally very lean. Of Birds of Prey, there are the Land
and the Sea Eagle, with different Kinds of Hawks: There are also Numbers
of Pelicans and Cormorants. Of Reptiles, the Crocodile, which seems to
be the chief, abounds in all the Rivers of Georgia; they call them Alligators.
I have seen some of these I believe 12 Foot long. A Number of Vulgar Errors
are reported of them; one is, that their scales are Musquet-proof; whereas
I have frequently seen them killed with small Shot; nay, I have heard from
people of good credit, that when they have found one at a distance from
the Water they have kill'd him with Sticks, not thinking him worth a Shot.
And Mr. Horton more than once has struck one through with a Hanger. The
Watermen often knock them on the head with their Oars as they sleep upon
the Banks; for they are very sluggish and timorous, though they can make
one or two Springs in the water with Nimbleness enough, and snap with Strength
whatever comes within their Jaws. They are terrible to look at, stretching
open an horrible large Mouth, big enough to swallow a Man, with Rows of
dreadful large sharp Teeth, and Feet like Dragons, armed with great Claws,
and a long Tail, which they throw about with great Strength, and which
seems their best Weapon, for their Claws are feebly set on, and the Stiffness
of their Necks hinders them from turning nimbly to bite. When Mr. Oglethorpe
was first at Savannah, to take off the Terror which the People had for
Crocodiles, having wounded and catch'd one about twelve Foot long, he had
him brought up to the Town, and set the Boys to bait him with Sticks, the
Creature gaping and blowing hard, but had no Heart to move, only turned
about his Tail and snapt at the Sticks, till such time as the Children
pelted and beat him to Death. At our first coming they would stare at the
Boats and stand till they came up close to them, so that Mr. Horton killed
5 in one Day; but being frequently shot at they grew more shy. They destroy
a great deal of Fish, and will seize a Hog or a Dog if they see them in
the water; but their general Way of preying is lying still, with their
Mouths open and their Noses just above Water, and so they watch till the
Stream brings down Prey to them: they swallow any thing that comes into
their Mouths; and upon opening them Knots of light Wood have been found
in their Guts. They rarely appear in Winter, being then in Holes. They
lay Eggs, which are less than those of a Goose: They scrape together a
Number of Leaves, and other Trash, of which Nature has taught them to chuse
such as will foment and heat; of these they make a Dunghill, or Hot-Bed,
in the midst of which they leave their Eggs, covering them over with a
sufficient Thickness. The Heat of the Dunghill, help'd by the Warmth of
the Climate, hatches them, and the young Crocodiles creep out like small
Lizards.
Next to the Crocodile is the Rattle-Snake, a Creature
really dangerous, tho' far from being terrible to look at. The Bite is
generally thought mortal, and certainly is so, if Remedies are not in time
applied. The Indians pretend to have perform'd wonderful Cures, and boast
an infallible Secret, but it is generally believ'd that the hot Season
of the Year, and the Rage of the Rattle-Snake increase the Force of the
Poison, and that the Bite is more or less dangerous according to the Part;
and those who are bit with the least dangerous Circumstances are cured
by the outward Applications of the Indians. Mr. Reeves, who was Surgeon
to the Independent Company at Port Royal has, by a regular Course of Medicine,
cured most of those who were carried to him and bit by Rattle-Snakes. I
can say less of this, because (thank God) there has not been one Person
bit by a Rattle-Snake in the Colony of Georgia. I have seen several of
these Snakes which were kill'd at Frederica, the largest above two Yards
long, the Belly white, and the Back of a brown Colour; they seem to be
of the Viper Kind, and are of a strong Smell, somewhat like Musk. The Rattles
are Rings at the End of their Tails of a horny Substance; these shaking
together make a Noise, which with their strong musky Smell gives cautious
People Notice where they are. They are not so nimble as some Snakes are,
therefore do not remove out of the way, which is generally the Occasion
of Bites when they happen; for they naturally in their own Defence snap
at what treads near them. To prevent this, those who walk the Woods much,
wear what they call Indian Boots, which are made of coarse woollen Cloths,
much too large for the Legs, tied upon their Thighs and hang loose to the
Shoes.
Besides the Rattle-Snake, there are some others whose
Bite is dangerous; there are also many others, as the Black, the Red, and
the Chicken Snake, whose bites are not venomous..."
