•TRAVELS m 
I30 
creature is counted wholefome and pleafant food % 
the Indians call them by a name which fignifies the 
big beaver. My companion, who was a trader in 
Talahafochte laft winter, fa w three of them at one 
time in this fpring 1 they feed chiefly on aquatic 
grafs and weeds. The ground round about the head 
of the bafon is generally level, for the diftance of 
a few yards ; then gradually alcends, forming mode- 
rately high hills : the foil at top is a light, grayifh, 
fandy mould, which continues fome feet in depth, 
lying on a ftratum of yellowiftt clay, then clay and 
gravel, then fand, and fo on, Aratum upon ftratum, 
down t:o the general foundation of teftaceous rocks. 
In other places a deep ftratum of whitifh, chalky 
limeftone. The vegetable productions which cover 
and ornament thofe eminences, are generally Live 
Oaks, Magnolia grandiflora, in the Creek tongue 
Tolo-chlucco, which fignifies the Big Bay, Laurus 
Borbonia or Red Bay, in the Creek tongue Eto* 
mico, that is King’s tree, Glea Americana and Li- 
quidambar, with other trees, ftirubs, and herbace- 
ous plants common in Eaft Florida. 
The hills and groves environing this admirable 
fountain, affording amufing fubjedts of inquiry, oc- 
cafioned my ftay here a great part of the day ; and 
towards evening we returned to the town. 
Next day, early in the morning, we crofted the 
river, landing on the other fhore oppofite the town, 
fwimming our horfes by the fide of the canoe, each 
of us holding his horfe by the bridle whilft an Indian 
paddled us over. After crofting, we {truck off 
from the river into the forefts, fometimes falling 
into, and keeping for a time, the ancient Spanifti 
high road to Fenfacola, now almoft obliterated : we 
oafled four or five miles through old Spanifh fields* 
There 
