Notices of the Floridas, &c. 127 
ted ridges, on the north, border Hillsborough, Amaxura, and 
Talachopco rivers, that empty into the gulf of Mexico, and 
are noticed between Lake George and Alachua. : 
he lake scenery of Florida presents some peculiar fea- 
tures and is often beautiful. There is no lake in mountain 
or valley in any of the states south of New Jersey. The 
shallow stagnant pools sometimes located in swamps of the 
alluvial sea board, are not deserving of that name. In the 
secondary districts of Eastand West Florida lakes and ponds 
of pure water are very numerous. Several have a circumfer- 
- ence of near fifty miles—they are usually bordered by rising 
ground clothed with towering forests of live oak, m i 
laurel, gum, ash, hickory, and other trees of varied verdures 
are sometimes diversified by Indian clearings, 
or by open groves of pine on green lawns. Flocks of 
geese, ducks, herons, cranes, and various birds are seen 
fluttering over a wide expanse of clear water. The 
are replenished with large trout, bass, mullet, sunfish, cat- 
sh, and eels. Many of these ponds have no apparent out- 
let, although the water is constantly shifting, being drained 
by subterranean channels, connected with pools of lesser 
elevation, or emerging from the source of considerable 
streams. 
Orange lake in Alachua, one of the Jargest of these in- 
land bodies of water, communicates through the Oclawaha 
with the St. Johns. Between this lake and the St. Johns 
in the distance of twenty-five miles, I passed within view of 
thirty lakes and ponds. They are situated in basins sep- 
arated by high sand hills and ridges that rise gently from 
the waves, clothed with a green carpet of grass, and deck- 
ed with flowers. ‘Tall pines are thinly scattered over these 
smooth lawns, intermixed sometimes on the shores with 
evergreen groups. No shrubs or underwood detract from 
the beauty of these views. Many large sinks occur in this 
vicinity. 
The savannas and prairies of the interior are grass cov- 
ered plains, without trees or shrubs, and in the rainy sea- 
son often partially covered with water, but generally suffi- 
ciently dry and firm to support cattle. The surface soil of 
many is sand mixed with black vegetable mould resting on 
clay. ‘They often contain pools of water, and have elevated 
hammock borders resembling the lake shores, and some 
