TRAVELS IN 
reafon of the mighty floods of the river, with Col- 
ledted force, prefling through the firft hilly afcents, 
•where the Ihores on each fide prefect to view rocky 
clifft rifing above the furface of the water, in nearly 
flat horizontal maftes, wafhed fmooth by the de- 
fcending floods, and which appear to be a compo- 
fition, or concrete, of fandy lime-ftone) I refigned 
my bark to the friendly current* referving to my- 
felf the controul of the helm. My progrefs was 
rendered delightful by the fvlvan elegance of the 
groves, cheerful meadows, and high diftant forefts, 
which in grand order prefented themfelves to view. 
The winding banks of the river, and the high pro- 
jedting promontories, unfolded frefli fcenes of gran- 
deur and lublimity. The deep forefts and diftant 
hills re-echoed the cheering focial lowings of do- 
meftic herds. The air was filled with the loud 
and fhrill hooping of the wary ftiarp -lighted crane. 
Behold, on yon decayed, defoliated cyprefs tree, 
the folitary wood pelican, dejedtedly perched upon 
its utmoft elevated fpire ; he there, like an ancient 
venerable fage, fets himfelf up as a mark of deri- 
flon, far the fafety of his kindred tribes. The 
crying-bird, another faithful guardian, fcreaming 
in the gloomy thickets, warns the feathered tribes 
of approaching peril ; and the plumage of the fwift 
failing fquadrons of Spanifh curlews (white as the 
immaculate robe of innocence) gleams in the ceru- 
lean Ikies. 
Thus fecure and tranquil, and meditating on the 
marvellous fcenes of primitive nature, as yet un^ 
modified by the hand of man, I gently defcended 
the peaceful ftream, on whofe poliftied furface were 
depidted the mutable Iliad ows from its penfile banks * 
whilft myriads of finny inhabitants fporced in its pel- 
lucidfloods. 
The 
