170 Geological Observations upon 
ture of the fish is the same as if they were in Lake George or the 
river; but here the water or element in which they live and move, is 
so perfectly clear and transparent, it places them all on an equality 
with regard to their ability to injure or escape from another; (as all 
river fish of prey, or such as feed upon each other, as well as the un- 
wieldy crocodile, take their prey by surprise; secreting themselves 
under covert or in ambush, until an opportunity offers, when they rush 
suddenly upon them:) but here is no covert, no ambush; here the 
trout freely passes by the very nose of the alligator, and laughs in his 
face, and the bream by the trout. 
“But what is really surprising is, that the consciousness of par 
other’s safety, or some other latent cause, should so absolutely | alter 
their conduct, for here is not the least attempt ane to injure or dis- 
turb one another.” p. 166. 
The same author describes another spring about one hundred miles 
higher up the St. John, and about thirty miles from New Smyrna, 
“Which issued from a high ridge or bank on the river, ina great 
cove or bay, a few miles above the mouth of the creek which I as- 
cended to the lake; it boils up with great force, forming immediately 
avast circular basin, capacious enough for several shallops to ride in, 
and runs with rapidity into the river three or four hundred yards dis- 
tance. This creek, which is formed instantly by this admirable foun- ~ 
tain, is wide and deep enough for a sloop to sail up into the basin. 
The water is perfectly diaphanous, and here are continually a prodi- 
gious number and variety of fish; they appear as plain as though ly- . 
ing on a table before your eyes, although many feet deep in the water. 
This tepid water has a most disagreeable taste, brassy and vitriolic, and 
very offensive to the smell, much like bilge water or the washings of 
a gun-batrel, and is smelt at a great distance. A pale bluish or pearl 
colored coagulum covers every inanimate substance that lies in the . 
water, as logs, limbs of lag &e. —— — gar were numerous 
in the basin, even at th re liti ges through | 
the rocks; as also meny. other sibes of fish. In the winter season 
several kinds of fish and aquatic animals migrate to these warm foun- 
tains. The forbidding taste and smell of these waters seems to be ow- 
ing to vitriolic and sulphureous fumes or vapors; and these being 
condensed, form this coagulum, which ities flakes of yea 
clouds in the clear cerulean waters in the basin.” p. 143. 
I cannot omit Bartram’s description of the Mannate spring, situated 
four miles from Tallahassee. 
