TRAVELS IN 
chanting fpct, nor even any road or pathway to it ; 
vet they fay that they frequently meet with certain 
figns of its being inhabited, as the building of ca- 
noes, footfteps of men, &c. They tell another 
ilory concerning the inhabitants of this fequeftered 
country, which feems probable enough, which is, 
that they are the pofterity of a fugitive remnant of 
the ancient Yamafes, who efcaped maffacre after a 
bloody and decifive conflict between them and the 
Creek nation (who, it is certain, conquered, and 
nearly exterminated, that once powerful people), 
and here found an afylum, remote and fecure from 
the fury of their proud conquerors. It is, however, 
certain that there is a vail lake, or drowned fwamp, 
well known, and often vifited both by white and In- 
dian hunters, and on its environs the moll valuable 
hunting grounds in Florida, well worth contending 
for, by thofe powers whofe territories border upon 
it. From this great fource of rivers *, St. Mary 
arifes, and meanders through a vaft plain and pine 
forefl, near an hundred and fifty miles to the ocean, 
with which it communicates, between the points of 
Amelia and Talbert iflands ; the waters flow deep 
.and gently down from its fource to the fea. 
Having made my obfervations on the vegetable 
productions of this part of the country, and ob- 
tained fpecimens and feeds of fome curious trees 
and fhrubs (which were the principal objects of this 
excurfion) I returned by the fame road to the Ala- 
tamaha, and arrived fafe again at the feat of my 
good friend, L. M'Intofh, Efq. where 1 tarrie4 a 
few days to reft and refreih myfelf, and to wait for 
* Source of rivers. It is faid, that St. Me, St. Mary, and the beautiful 
river Little St. Juan, which dufcharges its v/aters into the bay of Apalachi, 
it St. Mark's, take their rife from this fwamp. 
my 
