TRAVELS IN 
238 
where was a lake and fink which received and gave 
vent to its waters. 
The fountain, however, gradually ceafed to over- 
how, and finally withdrew itfelf beneath the com- 
mon furface of the earth, leaving this capacious ba~ 
fon of waters, which, thouglf continually near full, 
hath never fince overflowed. There yet remains, 
and will, I fuppofe, remain for ages, the dry bed of 
the river or canal, generally four, five, and fix feet 
below the natural furface of the land; the perpendi- 
cular, ragged banks of which, on each fide, fhow 
the different ftrata of the earth; and at places, where 
ridges or a fwelling bank croffed and oppofed its 
courfe and fury, are vaft heaps of fragments of 
rocks, white chalk, ftones, and pebbles, which were 
collected and thrown into the lateral vallies, until 
the main fire am prevailed over and forced them 
afide, overflowing the levels and meadows, for fome 
miles diftance from the principal ftream, on either 
fide. We continued down the great vale, along its 
banks, quite to the favanna and lake where it vent- 
ed itfelf, while its ancient fubterranean channel was 
gradually opening, which, I imagine, from fome hid- 
den event or caufe had been choaked up, and which, 
we may fuppofe, was the immediate caufe of the 
eruption. 
In the evening, having gained our encampment, 
on a grafly knoll or eminence, under the cover of 
fpreading oaks, juft by the grotto or fink of the lake, 
which lay as a fparkling gem on the flowery bo- 
fiom of the ample favanna; our roving affociates 
ioon came in from the ranging forefts. We Conti- 
nued our encampment at this place for feveral days* 
ranging around the delightful country to a great dif- 
tance. 
