185*7.] Correspondence of the Cincinnatns 211. 



of this swamp with its miry waters and vine-tangled trees, all bearded 

 with the gray moss (Tillandsia) was gloomy, yet sublime. And as I 

 stood upon the great bridge midway of the rushing river, and there 

 alone contemplated the expanse of waters above and below bounded 

 not by solid land, but by a vast vegetation, arising out of the same 

 watery element, uninhabited and uninhabitable, a sense of awful 

 desolation possessed me, which was not alleviated by the sight of two 

 huge seal}/ backs yonder floating lazily with the current towards me. 



But I will not detain the reader by a further narration of my 

 travels on that day, how I dined with the loquacious old toll gatherer 

 half a mile beyond the bridge, at length reached the upland further 

 on, turned my steps in season to reach mine host's at the depot, 

 supper, cars, and Savannah by the hour of 12 P. M. 



My good friend Dr. F. met me at the depot and acquainted me 

 with his plan for the next excursion. Early on the following day we 

 (that is, Dr F. Prof P. and myself) were on our way, in coach with 

 span and driver, bound for a botanizing tour for two days with ac- 

 companiments as genteel as naturalists could desire, all through the 

 courtesy of Judge K. of Savannah, at whose seat in the country we 

 were to be entertained. By a delightful road through groves of 

 oak, groves of pine, salt marshes, tide bridges, plantations, &c., we 

 arrived at "King's Bridge and Ogeechee Causeway," 17 miles south of 

 Savannah, where we dismissed our establishment and took to our 

 feet. Now we were to survey grounds often trodden by the venerated 

 Elliott the father of Southern Botany. The tide is flowing, and the 

 Ogeechee with full banks (here half a mile broad), is running inland. 

 The sight was exhilerating. But now for the plants — what is thia 

 green mat, carpeting the door-yard and foot-path ? Sembriera didyma, 

 and what this yellow butter cup so large-flowered, spangling the ditch? 

 ^Ranunculus nitidus of Elliott, and this humble gray-leaved plant? 

 Gnaphaleum purpureum towering 4 inches above that little creeper, 

 Dichondra Carolinensis ! Across the long trussel bridge, the two- 

 mile eauseway is before us between two ditches broad and deep, and 

 boundless rice fields beyond, on either hand. To say nothing of the 

 rice fields at present, the ditches were adorned by myriads of the 

 golden club, (Orontium aquaticum,) by Utricularia inflata, by Calli- 

 triche, and the aforesaid Ranunculus. Beyond the causeway we 

 were greeted by the fair lily of Atamasco and Aleium striatum. 

 Several small trees, all covered with small but elegant corymbs of 

 white flowers, proved to be Vibunum obovatum of Walter. Another 



