NORTH AMERICA. 
"5 
making a circular fweep to the right, and contain 
many hundred thoufand acres of meadow ; and this 
grand fweep of high forefts encircles, as I appre- 
hend, at leaft twenty miles of thefe green fields, 
interfperfed with hommocks or illets of evergreen 
trees, where the fovereign magnolia and lordly 
palm ftand confpicuous. The iflets are high fhelly 
knolls, on the fides of creeks or branches of the ri- 
ver, which wind about and drain off the fuperabun- 
dant waters that cover thefe meadows during the 
winter feafon. 
The evening was temperately cool and calm. 
The crocodiles began to roar and appear in uncom- 
mon numbers along the mores and in the river. I 
fixed my camp in an open plain, near the u mi oft 
projection of the promontory, under the (belter of 
a large live oak, which flood on the higher! part 
of the ground, and but a few yards from my boat. 
From this open, high fituation, I had a free prof- 
peel: of the river, which was a matter of no trivial 
confideration to me, having good reafon to dread 
the fubtle attacks of the alligators, who were crowd- 
ing about my harbour. Having collected a good 
quantity of wood for the purpofe of keeping up a 
light and fmoke during the night, I began to think 
of preparing my fupper, when, upon examining my 
(lores, I found but a fcanty provifion. I thereupon 
determined, as the molt expeditious way -of fupply- 
ing my neceffities, to take my bob and try for forne 
trout. About one hundred yards above my har- 
bour began a cove or bay of the river, out of which 
opened a large lagoon. The mouth or entrance 
from the river to it was narrow, but the waters 
foon after fpread and formed a little lake, extend- 
ing kito the marfhes : its entrance and fhores with- 
I 2 in 
