TRAVELS IN’ 
216 
vated, high, open, airy region, fomewhat rocky, 
on the backs of the ridges, which prefented to vie w, 
on every fide, the molt dreary, folitary, defert wade 
I had ever beheld ; groups of bare rocks emerging 
out of the naked gravel and drifts of white fand ; 
the grafs thinly fcattered and but few trees ; the 
pines, oaks, olives, and fideroxylons, poor, milha- 
pen, and tattered ; fcarce an animal to be feen, or 
noife heard, fave the fymphony of the Weftern 
breeze, through the bridly pine leaves, or folitary 
fand -cricket’s fcreech, or at bed the more focial 
converfe of the frogs, in foletnn chorus with the fwift 
breezes, brought from didant fens and foreds. Next 
we joyfully entered the borders of the level pine fored 
and favannas which continued for many miles, never 
out of fight of little lakes or ponds, environed with 
illumined meadows, the clear waters fparkling 
through the tall pines. 
Having a good fpirited horfe under me, I gene- 
rally kept a-head of my companions, which I often 
chafe to do, as circumdances offered or invited, for 
the fake of retirement and obfervation. 
The high road being here open and fpacious, at 
a good didance before me, I obferved a large hawk 
on the ground in the middle of the road : he fee lin- 
ed :o be in didrefs endeavouring to rife when, 
coming up near him, 1 found him clofely bound up 
by a very long coach-whip ihake, that had wreath- 
ed himfelf fev ral times round the hawk’s body, 
who had but one of his wings at liberty : behold- 
ing their druggies a while, I alighted off my horfe 
with an intention of parting them - y when, on com- 
ing up, they mutually agreed to feparate them- 
feives, each one feeding his own fffety, probably 
confide ring 
