TRAVELS IK 
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young fry, and Its filmy bed is a prolific nidus for 
generating and rearing of infinite tribes and fwarms 
of amphibious infers, which are the food of young 
fifb, who in their turn become a prey to the older. 
Yet when thofe different tribes of fifh are in the 
tranfparent channel, their very nature feems abfo- 
lutely changed ; for here is neither defire to deflroy 
nor perfecute, but all feems peace and friendship. 
Do they agree on a truce, a fufpenfion of hoflilities ? 
or by fome fecret divine influence, is defire taken 
away ?■ or are they otherwife rendered incapable of 
purfuing each other to destruction ? 
About noon we approached the admirable Manate 
Spring, three or four miles down the river. This 
charming nyrnphseum is the produCt of primitive 
nature, not to be imitated, much lefs equalled, by the 
united effort of human power and ingenuity ! As we 
approach it by water, the mind of the inquiring 
traveller is previously entertained, and gradually 
led on to greater difcovery 9 firft by a view of the 
fublime dark grove, lifted up on Shore, by a range 
or curved chain of hills, at a fmall distance from the 
lively green verge of the river, on the eaSt banks 5 
as we gently defcend floating fields of theNymphsea 
nelumbo, interfered with viflas of the yellow green 
Piflia ftratiotes, which cover a bay or cove of the 
river oppofite the circular woodland hills. 
It is amazing and almoSt incredible, what troops 
and bands of fifh and other watery inhabitants are 
now in fight, all peaceable ; and in what variety of 
gay colours and forms, continually afcending and 
descending, roving and figuring amongft one ano- 
ther, yet every tribe affociating feparately. We 
now afeendei the crystal Stream ; the current fwift ; 
3 we 
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