NORTH AMERICA, 
39 
After four days moderate and pleafant travel- 
ling, we arrived in the evening at the Buffalo Lick, 
This extraordinary place occupies feveral acres of 
ground, at the foot of the S. E. promontory of the 
Great Ridge, which, as before obferved, divides 
the rivers Savanna and Alatamaha. A large cane 
fwamp and meadows, forming an immenfe plain, 
lie S. E, from it ; in this fwamp I believe the head 
branches of the great Ogeeche river take their rife. 
The place called the Lick contains three or four 
acres, is nearly level, and lies between the head of 
the cane fwamp and the afcent of the Ridge* The 
earth, from the fuperficies to an unknown depth, 
is an almoft white or cinereous coloured tenacious 
fattifh clay, which all kinds of cattle lick into great 
caves, puriuing the delicious vein. It is the com- 
mon opinion of the inhabitants, that this clay is im- 
pregnated with faline vapours, arifing from fofiile 
falts deep in the earth ; but I could difcover nothing 
faline in its tafle, but 1 imagined an infipid fweet- 
nefs. Horned cattle, horfes, and deer, are immo- 
derately fond of it, infomucb, that their excrement, 
which almoft totally covers the earth to fome dif- 
tance round this place, appears to be perfe£t clay ; 
which, when dried by the fun and air, is almoft as 
hard as brick. 
We were detained at this place one day, in ad- 
jufting and planning the feveral branches of the 
furvey. A circumftance occurred during this time, 
which was a remarkable inftance of Indian faga- 
city, and had nearly difconcerted all our plans, and 
put an end to the bufinefs. T he furveyor having fixed 
his compafs on the ftaflf, and being about to afcer- 
tain the courfe from our place of departure, which 
Was to ftrike Savanna river at the confluence of a 
pertain river., about feventy miles diftance from us ; 
D 4 ju« 
