TRAVELS IN' 
young fry, and its fiimy bed is a prolific nidus (of 
generating and rearing of infinite tribes and f warms 
of amphibious infects, which are the food of young, 
fifh, who in their turn become a prey to the older. 
Yet when thofe different tribes of fifti are in the 
tranfparent channel, their very nature feems abfo- 
lutely changed y for here is neither defire to deflroy 
nor perfecute, but all feems peace and frindmip. 
Do they agree on a truce, a fufpenfion of hoftilities ? 
or by fome fecret divine influence, is defire taken 
away ? or they are otherwife rendered incapable of 
purfuing each other to deftru&ion ? 
About noon we approached the admirable Manate 
Spring, three or four miles down the river. This 
charming nymphasum is the product of primitive- 
nature, not to be imitated, much lefs equalled, by the 
united effort of human power and ingenuity ! As we 
approach it by water, the mind of the inquiring 
traveller is previoufly entertained, and gradually 
led on to greater difcovery ; firfl by a view of the 
fublime dark grove, lifted up on more, by a range 
or curved chain of hills, at a fmall diftance from the 
lively green verge of the river, on the eafl banks jjj 
as we gently defcend floating fields of the Nymphaea 
nelumbo, interfered with viflas of the yellow green 
Pilfia ftratiotes, which cover a bay or cove of the 
liver oppofite the circular woodland hills. 
It is amazing and almoft incredible, what troops 
and bands of hffi and other watery inhabitants are 
now in fight, all peaceable ; and in what variety of 
gay colours and forms, continually afcending and 
descending, roving and figuring ainongft one ano- 
ther, yet every tribe aflbciating feparately. We 
now afcended the cryftal ftream f the current fwift \ 
we 
