NORTH AMERICA. 
345 
The Tanafe is now greatly increafed from the 
conflux of the multitude of rivu’ets and brooks, 
defcending from the hills on either fide, generoufly 
contributing to eftablifn his future fame, already a 
fpacious river. 
The mountains recede, the vale expands ; two 
beautiful rivulets ftream down through lateral vales, 
gliding in Terpentine mazes over the green turfy 
knolls, and enter the Tanafe nearly oppofue to each 
other. Straight forward the expand ve green vale 
feems yet infinite : now on the right hand a lofty 
pyramidal hill terminates a fpur of the adjacent 
mountain, and advances almoft into the river ; 
but immediately after doubling this promontory, 
an expanded wing of the vale fpreads on my right, 
down which came precipitately a very beautiful 
creek, which flowed into the river juft before me ; 
but now behold, high upon the fide of a diftant 
mountain overlooking the vale, the fountain of this 
brilk-flowing creek •, the unparalleled waterfall ap- 
pears as a vaft edifice with cryftai front, or a field 
of ice lying on the bofom of the hill. 
I now approach the river at the fording place, 
which was greatly fwollen by the floods of rain that 
fell the day before, and ran with foaming rapidity ; 
but obferving that it had fallen feveral feet per- 
pendicular, and perceiving the bottom or bed of 
the river to be level, and covered evenly with peb- 
bles, I ventured to crofs over ; however I was obli- 
ged to fwim two or three yards at the deepeft chan- 
nel of it, and landed fafeiy on the banks of a fine 
meadow, which lay on the oppofite fhore, where I 
immediately alighted and fpread abroad on the turf 
my linen, books, and fpecimens of plants, &c. to dry, 
turned out my fteedto graze, and then advanced in- 
to 
