194 
TRAVELS Itf 
and half in length, and three fourths of an inch ill 
thicknefs ; the abdomen or body part is remarkably 
fhort, and it feems to be all jail, which, though 
long, gradually attenuates to its extremity, yet not 
fmall and flender as in fwitch fnakes. The colour 
and texture of the whole animal is exactly like 
bluifh green glafs, which, together with its fragi- 
lity, almoft perfuades a ftranger that it is in rea- 
lity of that brittle fubftance : but it is only the tail 
part that breaks off, which it does like glafs, by a 
very gentle ftroke from a flender fwitch. Though 
it is quick and nimble in twilling about, yet it 
cannot run fail from one, but quickly fecrets it- 
felf at the bottom of the grafs or under leaves. 
It is a vulgar fable, that it is able to repair 
itfelf after being broken into feverai pieces ; 
which pieces, common report fays, by a power or 
faculty in the animal, voluntarily approach each 
other, join and heal again. The fun now low, 
mot the pointed fhadows of the projecting pro- 
montories far on the fkirts of the lucid green plain : 
ilocks of turkeys calling upon their ftrolling aflb- 
ciates, circumfpectly marched onward to the groves 
and high forefts, their nocturnal retreats. Dewy eve 
now arrived. I turned about and regained our en- 
campment in good time. 
The morning cool and pleafant, and the fkies 
ferene, we decamped, purfuing our progrefs round 
the Alachua favanna. Three of our companions 
feparating from us, went a-head, and we foon loft 
fight of them : }hey again parting on different ex- 
cursions, in quell of game and in fearch of their horfes, 
fo me entered the furrounding groves and forefts 5 
others (truck off into the green plains. My compa^ 
Bion, the old trader, and myfelf kept together, he 
