SOIL, 



211 



wood. Fertile veins of land, upon a clayey or mar ley 

 foundation, occasionally intersect these barrens. 



A multiplicity of swamps and bays,* are found, 

 throughout the country, which branch out and unite, 

 by an infinity of meanderings; sooner or later, emp- 

 tying their waters into some river, or inlet from the 

 sea. Natural meadows, called savannas, are often 

 seen in this part of the state, some of which cover 

 an area of fifty acres. They are destitute of trees 

 or bushes ; producing little more than a few species 

 of coarse grass^, and wild herbaceous fiowers. 



The rivers which course along these lands are 

 bordered with the most fertile soils, and upon them 

 some of the best rice plantations are situated. These 

 lands, as far as the influence of the salt water, are 

 composed of a stratum of dark blue clay, clothed 

 with a plenteous growth of rushes, and salt water 

 sedge, whose roots are completely interwoven with 

 each other. When the salts begin to subside, the 

 growth of vegetables immediately declare it. Here, 

 different kinds of fresh water flags; high and strong 

 species of grass^ of the wild oat kind ; and quanti- 

 ties of wampe (a species of arum) ; with small tu- 

 pelo, cypress, myrtle, and elder, indicate a more 

 freshened soil. And from hence upwards, as far as 

 the tides flow, the rice lands extend deep on each 

 side of the rivers, until they join the high pine lands. 



* They are .called hays, from the srmltiplicity of bay-trees which 

 grow therein, and which are so tall, and closely connected with each ^ 

 other, as to throw a continual shade over the land below. Hence 

 their soil is naturally sour and spongy ; producing china briars, an- 

 -dromedas, and ferns ; soon exhausted with culture, and of course but 

 little attended to. 



