NORTH AMERICA. I 29 
fuberifer, Gleditfia monofperma, Gledit. triacan- 
thus, Diofpyros Virginica, Nyffa aquatica, Nyffa 
fylvatica, Juglans cinerea, Quercus dentata, Quer- 
cus phillos, Hopea tinCtoria, Corypha palma, Mo- 
rus rubra, and many more. The palm grows on the 
edges of the banks, where they are raifed higher than 
the adjacent level ground, by the accumulation of 
land, river- fhells, &c. I palled along leveral miles 
by thofe rich fwamps : the channels of the river 
which encircle the feveral fertile illands I had 
palfed, now uniting, formed one deep channel near 
three hundred yards over. The banks of the river 
on each fide, began to rife and prefent Ihelly 
bluffs, adorned by beautiful Orange groves. Lau- 
rels and Live Oaks. And now appeared in fight, a 
tree that claimed my whole attention : it was the 
Carica papaya, both male and female, which were 
in flower ; and the latter both in flower and fruit, 
fome of which were ripe, as large, and of the form 
of a pear, and of a moll charming appearance. 
This admirable tree is certainly the moll beau- 
tiful of any vegetable production I know of; the 
towering Laurel Magnolia, and exalted Palm, in- 
deed exceed it in grandeur and magnificence, but 
not in elegance, delicacy, and gracefulnefs. It rifes 
ereCt to the height of fifteen or twenty feet, with a 
perfectly ftraight tapering Item, which is fmooth and 
polifhed, of a bright afh colour, refembling leaf filver, 
curioufly infcribed with the footlteps of the fallen 
leaves ; and thefe veftiges are placed in a very re- 
gular uniform imbricated order, which has a fine 
effeCt, as if the little column were elegantly carved 
all over. Its perfectly fpherical top is formed of 
very large lobe-finuate leaves, fupported on very 
long footftalks ; the lower leaves are the largeft 
as well as their petioles the longeft, and make 
K a graceful 
