TRAVELS m 
6o 
cies is a very large flourifhing plant, greatly -re- 
sembling, at feme difta-nce, a well grown plant of 
the Bromelia Ananas : the large deep green leaves 
are placed in an imbricated order, and afeendant ; 
but their extremities are reflex, their bales gibbous 
and hollowed, like a ladle, and capable of con- 
taining near a pint -of water: heavy tempefts of 
wind and rain tear thefe plants from the trees ; yet 
they live and flourifh on the earth, under the fha- 
dow of thefe great Live Oaks. A very large part 
of this ifland had formerly been cleared and planted 
by the Englifh, as appeared evidently to me, by 
vediges of plantations, ruins of coftly buildings, 
highways, &c. but it is now overgrown with foreds. 
Frederica was the firft town built by the Englifh in 
Georgia, and was founded by general Oglethorpe, 
who began and edabljflhed the colony. The for- 
jtrefs was regular and beautiful, condrubted chiefly 
with brick, and was the larged, mod regular, and 
perhaps mod codly, of any in North America, of 
Britifh condru&ion : it is now in ruins, yet oc- 
cupied by a final! garrifon ; the ruins alfo of the 
town only remain; peach trees, figs, pomegra- 
nates, and other fhrubs, grow out of the ruinous 
wails of former fpacious and expenflve buildings, 
not only in the town, but at a didance in various 
parts of the ifland ; yet there are a few neat houfes 
in good repair, and inhabited ; it feems now reco- 
vering again, owing to the public and liberal fpirk 
and exertions of J. Spalding, efq. who is prefident 
of the ifland, and engaged in very extenfiye mer* 
cantjle concerns. 
H A P„ 
