TRAVELS IN 
IO4 
furf, lapfing on the hard beaten fhore, and the ten- 
der warblings of the painted nonpareil and other 
winged inhabitants of the grove. 
At the approach of day the dreaded voice of the 
alligators fhook the ifle, and refounded along the 
neighbouring coafts, proclaiming the appearance of 
the glorious fun. I arofe, and prepared to accom- 
pli Hi my daily talk. A gentle favourable gale led 
us out of the harbour: we failed acrofs the lake, 
and towards evening entered the river on the op- 
poiite fouth coaft, where we made a pleafant and 
fafe harbour, at a fhelly promontory, the eaft cape 
of the river on that fide of the lake. It is a moft 
defirable fituation, commanding a full view of the 
lake. The cape oppofite to us was a vaft cyprefs 
fwamp, environed by a border of graffy marfhes, 
which were projected farther into the lake by float- 
ing fields of the bright green piftia ftratoites, which 
rofe and fell alternately with the waters. Jufl: to 
leeward of this point, and about half a mile in the 
lake is the little round ifland already mentioned. 
But let us take notice of our harbour and its envi- 
rons : it is a beautiful little cove, jufl: within the 
iandy point, which defends it from the beating 
furf of the lake. From a fhelly bank, ten or 
twelve feet perpendicular from the v/ater, w T e en- 
tered a grove of live oaks, palm, magnolia, and 
orange trees, which grow amongft fhelly hills, and 
low ridges, occupying about three acres of ground, 
comprehending the iilhmus, and a part of the penin- 
fula, which joins it to the graffy plains. This en- 
chanting little foreft is partly encircled by a deep 
creek, a branch of the river, that has its fource in 
the high forefts of the main, fouth eaft from us$ 
and winds through the extenfive graffy plains which 
furround 
