or a few days'
hunting, when I was suddenly seized with a botanical fit in a culinary
point of view, and I was determined to make the jungle subscribe
something toward the dinner. To my delight, I discovered some plants
which, from the appearance of their leaves, I knew were a species of
wild yam; they grew in a ravine on the swampy soil of a sluggish
spring, and the ground being loose, I soon grubbed them up and found a
most satisfactory quantity of yams about the size of large
potatoes--not bad things for dinner. Accordingly, they were soon
transferred to the pot. Elk steaks and an Irish stew, the latter to be
made of elk chops, onions and the prized yams; this was the bill of
fare expected. But, misericordia! what a change cone over the yams
when boiled! they turned a beautiful slate color, and looked like
imitations of their former selves in lead.

Their appearance was uncommonly bad, certainly. There were three of us
to feed upon them, viz., Palliser, my huntsman Benton and myself. No
one wishing to be first, it was then, I confess, that the thought just
crossed my mind that Benton should make the experiment, but, repenting
at the same moment, I punished myself by eating a very little one on
the spot. Benton, who was blessed with a huge appetite, picked out a
big one. Greedy fellow, to choose the largest! but, n'importe, it
brought its punishment.

Palliser and I having eaten carefully, were just beginning to feel
uncomfortable, when up jumped Benton, holding his throat with both
hands, crying, "My throat's full of pins. I'm choked." "We are
poisoned, no doubt of it," said Palliser, in his turn. "I am choking
likewise." "So am I." There we were all three, with our throats in an
extraordinary state of sudden contraction and inflammation, with a
burning and pricking sensation, in addition to a feeling of swelling
and stoppage of the windpipe. Having nothing but brandy at hand, we
dosed largely instanter, and in the course of ten minutes we found
relief; but Benton, having, eaten his large yam, was the last to
recover.

There must have been highly poisonous qualities in this root, as the
quantity eaten was nothing in proportion to the effects produced. It
is well known that many roots are poisonous when raw (especially the
manioc), which become harmless when cooked, as the noxious properties
consist of a very volatile oil, which is thrown off during the process
of boiling. These wild yams must necessar