NORTH AMERICA. 
rica: the winding path to this falubrious fountain led 
through a graflfy favanna. I vifited the fpring feve- 
ral times in the night, but little did I know, or any 
of my carelefs drowfy companions, that every 
time we vifited the fountain we were in imminent 
danger, as I am going to relate. Early in the 
morning, excited by unconquerable third, I a- 
rofe and went to the fpring ; and having, thought- 
lefs of harm or danger, nearly half pad the dewy 
vale, along the ferpentine foot path, my hafhy deps 
were fuddenly flopped by the fight of a hideous ler- 
pent, the formidable rattle fnake, in a high fpiral 
coil, forming a circular mound half the height of 
my knees, within fix inches of the narrow path. 
As foon as 1 recovered my fenfes and flrength from 
fo hidden a furprife, 1 darted back out of his reach, 
where I dood to view him : he lay quiet whild I 
furveyed him, appearing no way furprifed or dis- 
turbed, but kept his half-diut eyes fixed on me. 
My imagination and fpirits were in a tumult, almod 
equally divided betwixt thankfgiving to thefupreme 
Creator and preferver, and the dignified nature of 
the generous though terrible creature, who had dif- 
fered us all to pafs many times by him during the 
night, without injuring us in the lead, although we 
mud have touched him, or our deps guided there- 
from by a fupreme guardian fpirit. I hadened back 
to acquaint my afiociates, but with a determina- 
tion to protect the life of the generous ferpent. I 
prefently brought my companions to the place, who 
were, beyond expreffion, furprifed and terrified at 
the fight of the animal, and in a moment acknow- 
ledged their efcape from dedruflion to be miracu- 
lous ; and I am proud tb affert, that all of us, except 
one perfon, agreed to let him lie undidurbed, and 
that 
