230 
TRAVELS IN 
creature is counted wholefome and pleafant food ; 
the Indians call them by a name which fignihes the 
big beaver. My companion, who was a trader in 
Talahafochte laft winter, faw thiee of them at one 
time in this fpring : they feed chiefly on aquatic 
grafs and weeds. The ground round about the head 
of the bafon is generally level, for the diftance of 
a few yards ; then gradually afcends, forming mode- 
rately high hills : the foil at top is a light, grayifh, 
fandy mould, which continues fome feet in depth, 
lying on a ftratum of yeilowilh clay, then clay and 
gravel, then fand, and fo on, firatuoi upon ftratum, 
down to the general foundation of teftaceous rocks. 
In other places a deep ilratum of whitifh, chalky 
limeftone. The vegetable productions which cover 
and ornament thofe eminences, are generally Live 
Oaks, Magnolia grandiflora, in the Creek tongue, 
Tolo-chlucco, which fignifies the Big Bay, Laurus 
Borbonia or Red Bay, in the Creek tongue, Eto- 
mico, that is King's tree, Oiea Americana and Li- 
quidambar, with other trees, fhrubs, and herbace- 
ous plants common in Eaft Florida. 
The hills and groves environing this admirable 
fountain, affording amufing fubjeclts of inquiry, oc~ 
cafioned my May here a great part of the day ; and 
towards evening we returned to the town. 
Next day, early in the morning, we crofTed the, 
river, landing on the other more oppofite the town, 
fvvimming our horfes by the fide of the canoe, each 
of us holding his horfe by the bridle whiHt an Indian 
paddled us over. After crolling, we llruck off 
from the river into the forefts, fometimes falling 
into, and keeping for a time, the ancient Spanifh 
high road to Penfacola, now aimoft obliterated : we 
palled four or five miles through old Spanilh fields. 
There 
