NORTH AMERICA 
155 
1 was however induced to deviate a little from 
my intended courfe, and touch at the inchanting 
little Ifie of Palms. This delightful fpot, planted by 
nature, is almoft an entire grove of Palms, with a few 
pyramidal Magnolias, Live Oaks, golden Orange, 
and the animating Zanthoxy Ion. What a beauti- 
tiful retreat is here 1 bleffed unviolated fpot of earth, 
rifmg from the limpid waters of the lake: its fra- 
grant groves and blooming lawns in veiled and pro- 
tected by encircling ranks of the Yucca gloriofa. 
A fafcinating atmofphere furrounds this blifsful gar- 
den; the balmy Lantana, ambrofiai Citra, perfum- 
ed Crinum, perfpiring their mingled odours, wafted 
through Zanthoxyion groves. I at laid broke a- 
way from the enchanting fpot, and ftepped on board 
my boat, hoifled fail, and foon approached the coaft 
of the main, at the cool eve of day : then travel- 
ing a capacious femicircular cove of the lake, verged 
by lov/, extenfive grafify meadows, I at length by 
dufk made a fafe harbour, in a little lagoon, on the 
fea fnore or flrand of a bold fandy point, which 
defcended from the furf of the lake. This was a 
clean fandy beach, hard and firm by the beating 
furf, wdien the wind fets from the eafl coaft. I 
drew up my light veil'd on the Hoping fhare, that 
(he might be fafe from the beating waves in cafe of 
a fudden ftorm of wind in the night. A few yards 
back the land was a little elevated, and over- 
grown with thickets of fhrubs and low trees, con- 
futing chiefly of Zanthoxyion, Olea Americana, 
Rhamnus frangula, Sideroxylon, Moms, Ptelca, Ha- 
lefia, Querci, Myrica cerifera, and others. Thefe 
groves were but low, yet fufSciently high to (bel- 
ter me from the chilling dews ; and being but a 
few yards diftance mom my veilel, here I fixed my 
encampment. A bride wind arifing from the lake, 
drove 
