NORTH AMERICA. 397 
leaves are large, long and lightly finuated, but thole: 
which garniih the ftem are few and lefs finuated ; 
thefe leaves, with the whole plant, except the flow- 
ers, appear of a whitifh green colour, which k 
owing to a fine foft filky' down or pubefcence ; the 
flower ftem, which is eight or ten feet in length 
when (landing erect, terminates upwards with a long 
heavy fpike of large golden yellow radiated flowers; 
the ftem is ufually feen bowing on one fide or 
other, occafioned by the weight of the flowers, and 
many of them are broken, juft under the panicle or 
fpike, by their own weight, after {forms sad heavy 
rains, which often crack or fplit the item, from 
whence exudes a gummy or refmous fubflancCV 
which the fun and air harden into femi-pellucid 
drops or tears of a pale amber colour. This refill 
pofleffes a very agreeable fragrance and bitterifli 
tafte, fomewhat like frankincenfe or turpentine ; 
it is chewed by the Indians and traders, to cleanfe 
their teeth and mouth, and fweeten their breath. 
The upper ftratum or vegetable mould of thefe 
plains is perfectly black, foapy and nch, efpecialfy 
after rains, and renders the road very flippery : 
it lies on a deep bed of white, teftaceous, limellone 
rocks, which in fome places referable chalk, and in 
other places are (trata or fubterrene banks of va- 
rious kinds of fea (hells, as oftrea, &c. : thefe dif- 
folving near the furface of the earth, and mixing 
with the fuperficial mould, render it extremely 
produclive. 
Immediately after leaving the plains we enter 
the grand high forefts. There were (lately trees of 
the Robinea pfeudacacia, Tilia, Mbrus, XJlmus, 
Juglans exakata, juglans nigra, Pyrus coronaria, 
Cornus Florida, Cercir., &c. Our road now for 
ftveral 
s 
