TRAVELS m 
The upper end of this fpacious green plain h 
divided by a promontory or lpur of the ridges be- 
fore me, which projects into it : my road led me 
tip into an opening of the afcents through which* 
the glittering brook which watered the meadows 
ran rapidly down, darning and roaring over high 
rocky fteps* Continued yet afcending until 1 
gained the top of an elevated rocky ridge, when 
appeared before me a gap or opening between 
other yet more lofty afcents, through which con* 
tinued as the rough rocky road led me, clofe by 
the winding banks of a large rapid brook, which at 
length turning to the left, pouring down rocky pre* 
cipices, glided off through dark groves and high 
forefts, conveying ftreams of fertility and pleafure 
to the fields below* 
The furface of the land now for three or four 
miles is level, yet uneven, occafioned by natural 
mounds or rocky knobs, but covered with a good 
ftaple of rich earth, which affords forefts of timber 
trees and fnrubs. After this, gently defcending 
again, I travelled fome miles over a varied fituation 
of ground, exhibiting views of grand forefts, dark 
detached groves, vales and meadows, as heretofore, 
and producing the like vegetable and other works 
of nature ; the meadows affording exuberant paf- 
turage for cattle, and the bafes of the encircling 
hills, flowering plants, and fruitful ftrawberry beds : 
obferved frequently ruins of the habitations or vil- 
lages of the ancients. CrofTed a delightful river, 
the main branch of Tugilo, when I began to afcend 
again, firft over fwelling turfy ridges, varied with 
groves of ftately foreft trees ; then afcending a^ain 
more fteep graffy hill fides, refted on the top of 
mount Magnolia, which appeared to me to be the 
bigheft ridge of the Cherokee mountains, which 
feparate 
