TRAVELS m 
faying that I was as one of his own children or peo- 
ple, and mould be protected accordingly, while I 
remained with them, adding, " Our whole country- 
is before you, where you may range about at plea- 
sure, gather phyfic plants and flowers, and every 
other production thus the treaty terminated friend- 
lily and peaceably. 
Next day early in the morning we left the town 
and the river, in order to fix our encampment in 
the forefls about twelve miles from the river ; om 
companions with the pack-horfes went a-head to the 
place of rendezvous, and our chief conducted me 
another way to mow me a very curious place, call- 
ed the Alligator-Hole, which was lately formed by 
an extraordinary eruption or jet of water. It is 
one of thofe vaft circular finks, which we beheld 
aJmoil every where about us as we traverfed thefe 
for efts, after we left the Alachua favanna. This 
remarkable one is on the verge of a fpacious mea- 
dow, the furface of the ground round about uneven 
by means of gentle rifmg knolls : fome detached 
groups of rocks and large fpreading live oaks made 
it on every hde z it is about fixty yards over, and 
the furface of the water fix or feven feet below the 
rim of the funnel or bafon : the water is tranfparent, 
cool, and pleafant to drink, and well ftored with 
frPa ; a very large alligator at prefent is lord or chief ; 
many have' been killed here, but the throne is never 
long vacant, the yaff neighbouring ponds fo abound} 
•with them. 
The account that this gentleman, who was an 
eye-witriefs of the la ft eruption, gave me of its flrffc 
appearance, being very wonderful, I proceed to re- 
late what he told me whilff. we were in town, which 
was confirmed by the Indians, and one or more of 
/ our 
