2l6 
TRAVELS IN 
vated, high, open, airy region, fomewhat rocky, 
on the backs of the ridges, which prefented to view, 
on every fide, the mo ft dreary, folitary, defert wafte 
I had ever beheld ; groups of bare rocks emerging 
out of the naked gravel and drifts of white fand ; 
the grafs thinly fcattered and but few trees ; the 
pines, oaks, olives, and fideroxylons, poor, mifha- 
pen, and tattered ; fcarce an animal to be feen, or 
noife heard, fave the fymphony of the Weftern 
breeze, through the briftly pine leaves, or folitary 
fand-cricket's fcreech, or at beft the more focial 
converfe of the frogs, in folemn chorus with the fwift 
breezes, brought from diftant fens and forefts. Next 
we joyfully entered the borders of the level pine fo- 
reft and favannas, which continued for many miles,, 
never out of fight of little lakes or ponds, environed 
with illumined meadows, the clear waters fparkling 
through the tall pines. 
Having a good fpirited horfe under me, I gene- 
rally kept a-head of my companions, which I often 
chofe to do, as circumllances offered or invited, for 
the fake of retirement and obfervation. 
The high road being here open and fpacious, at 
a good diftance before me, I obferved a large hawk 
on the ground in the middle of the road : he feem- 
ed to be in diftrefs, endeavouring to rife ; when, 
coming up near him, I found him clofely bound up 
by a very long coach-whip fnake, that had wreath- 
ed himfelf feveral times round the hawk's body, 
who had but one of his wings at liberty : behold- 
ing their ftruggles a while, I alighted off my horfc 
with an intention of parting them ; when, on com- 
ing up, they mutually agreed to feparate them- 
felves, each one feeking his own fafety, probably 
confidering 
