158 
TRAVELS IN 
lowing this courfe I was led to the cape of the little 
river, defcending from Six Mile Springs, and mean- 
dering fix miles from its fource through green mea- 
dows. I entered this pellucid ftream, failing over 
the heads of innumerable fquadrons of fifh, which, al- 
though many feet deep in the water, were diftinctly 
to be feen. I pafied by charming iflets of flourifh- 
ing trees, as Palm, Red Bay, Am, Maple, Nyfifa, and 
others. As I approached the diftant high foreft on 
the main, the river widened, floating fields of the 
green Piftia furrounded me, the rapid ftream wind- 
ing through them. What an alluring fcene was now 
before me ! A vaft bafon or little lake of cryftal 
waters, half encircled by fwelling hills, clad with 
orange and odoriferous Ulicium groves, the tower- 
ing Magnolia, itfelf a grove, and the exalted Palm, 
as if confcious of their tranfcendant glories, toffed 
about their lofty heads, painting, with mutable 
Ihades, the green floating fields beneath. The fo- 
ciai prattling coot enrobed in blue, and the fqueel- 
ing water-hen, with wings half-expanded, tripped 
after each other over the watery mirrour. 
I put in at an ancient landing-place, which is a 
Hoping afcent to a level graflfy plain, an old In- 
dian field. As I intended to make my molt confi- 
derable collections at this place, I proceeded im- 
mediately to fix my encampment but a few yards 
from my fafe harbour, where I fecurely fattened 
my boat to a Live Oak which overfhadowed my 
port. 
After collecting a good quantity of fire -wood, 
as it was about the middle of the afternoon, I re- 
folved to reconnoitre the ground about my encamp- 
ment. Having penetrated the groves next to me, 
I came to the open for efts, confiding of exceed- 
