NORTH AMERICA® 
20J 
torn* forming an inverted cone, or like the upper 
wide part of a funnel: the perpendicular depth of 
them from the common furface is various, fome de- 
fending twenty feet deep, others almoft to the bed 
of rocks, which forms the foundation or nucleus of 
the hills, and indeed of the whole country of Eaft 
Florida: fome of them fern to be nearly filled up 
with earth, fwept in from the common furface, but 
retain the fame uniformity ; though fometimes fo 
clofe together as to be broken one into another. 
But as I (hall have occafion to fpeak further of thefe 
finks in the earth hereafter, I turn my obfervation 
to other objefts in view round about me. In and 
about the Great Sink are to be feen incredible num- 
bers of crocodiles, fome of which are of an enormous 
fize, and view the paifenger with incredible impu- 
dence and avidity ; and at this time they are fo abun- 
dant, that, if permitted by them, I could walk over 
any part of the bafon and the river upon their heads, 
which fiowly float and turn about like knotty chuncks 
or logs of wood, except when they plunge or fhoot 
forward to beat off their affociates, prefling too clofe 
to each other, or taking up fifh, v/hich continually 
crowd in upon them from the river and creeks, 
draining from the favanna, efpecialiy the great trout, 
mudfifh, catfifh, and the various fpecies of bream: 
the gar are rather too hard for their jaws and rough 
for their throats, efpecialiy here, where they have a 
fuperfluous plenty and variety of thofe that are every 
way preferable: befides, the gar being, like them- 
felves, a warlike voracious creature, they feem to be 
in league or confederacy together, to enilave and 
devour the numerous defence] efs tribes. 
It is aftonifhing and incredible, perhaps, I may 
fay, to relate what unipeakabie numbers of fifh re- 
pair 
