I 
230 TRAVELS IN 
creature is counted wholefome and pleafant food $ 
the Indians call them by a name which fignifies the 
big beaver. My companion, who was a trader in 
T alahafochte laft winter, faw three of them at one 7 
time in this fpring: they feed chiefly on aquatic 
grafs and weeds. The ground round about the head 
of the bafcn is generally level, for the diftance of 
a few yards; then gradually afcends, forming mode- 
rately high hills : the foil at top is a light, grayifh, 
fandy mould, which continues forne feet in depth, 
lying on a ftratum of yellow ilh clay, then clay and 
gravel, then fand, and fo on, ftratum upon ftratum, 
down to the general foundation of teftaceous rocks. 
In other places a deep ftratum of whitifh, chalky 
limeftone. The vegetable productions which cover 
and ornament thofe eminences, are generally Live 
Oaks, Magnolia grandiflora, in the Creek tongue, 
Tolo-chlucco, which fignifies the Big Bay, Laurus , 
Borbonia or Red Bay, in the Creek tongue, Eto- 
mico, that is King’s tree, Olea Americana and Li- 
quidambar, with other trees, ftirubs, and herbace- 
ous plants common in Eaft Florida. 
The hills and groves environing this admirable 
fountain, affording amufing fubjedts of inquiry, oc- 
cafionecl my ftay here a great part of the day ; and 
towards evening we returned to the town. 
Next day, early in the morning, we crofted the 
river, landing on the other fliore oppofite the town, 
fwimming our horfes by the fide of the canoe, each 
of us holding his horfe by the bridle whilft an Indian 
paddled us over. After crofting, we ftruck off 
from the river into the forefts, fometimu falling 
into, and keeping for a time, the ancient Spanilh 
high road to Penfacola, now aimoft obliterated: we 
paffed four or five miles through old Spanilh fields. 
4 There 
