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. 



The 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 East and 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, magnolia, 

 laurel, gum, ash, hickory, and other trees of varied verdure. 

 The banks 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 lakes 

 are replenished with large trout, bass, mullet, sunfish, cat- 

 fish, 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 largest 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 resemlDling the lake shores, and some 



