Travels through North & South Carolina, Georgia, East & West Florida, the Cherokee country, the extensive territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the country of the Chactaws; containing, an account of the soil and natural productions of those regions, together with observations on the manners of the Indians. : Embellished with copper-plates. / By William Bartram.

JOURNAL OF THE TRAVELS CONTINUED. PART II.

CHAP. I.

APRIL 22d, 1776, I sat off from Charleston for the Cherokee nation, and after riding this day about twenty-five miles, arrived in the evening at Jacksonsburg, a village on Ponpon river. The next day's journey was about the same distance, to a public house or inn on the road.

THE next day, early in the morning, I sat off again, and about noon stopped at a public house to dine; after the meridan heats were abated, pro|ceeding on till evening, obtained good quarters at a private house, having rode this day about thirty miles. At this plantation I observed a large or|chard of the European Mulberry trees (Morns alba) some of which were grafted on stocks of the native Mulberry (Morus rubra;) these trees were cultiva|ted for the purpose of feeding silk-worms (phalaena bombyca.) Having breakfasted I sat forward again.

I SOON entered a high forest, continuing the space of fifteen miles to the Three Sisters, a public ferry on Savanna River: the country generally very level; the soil a dark, loose, fertile mould, on a stratum of cinerious coloured tennacious clay; the ground shaded with its native forests, consisting of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Black Oak, Quercus tinctoria, Q. rubra, Q. phel|los, Q. prinos, Q. hemispherica, Juglans nigra, J. rustica, J. exaltata, Magnolia grandiflora, Frax|inus excessior, Acer rubrum, Liriodendron tulipif|era, Populus heterophylla, Morus rubra, Nyssa syl|vatica, Platanus occidentales, Tilia, Ulmus cam|pestris, U. subifer, Laurus sassafras, L. Borbonia, Ilex aquifolium, Fagus sylvatica, Cornus Florida, Halesia, AEsculus pavia, Sambucus, Callicarpa and Stewartia malachodendron, with a variety of other trees and shrubs. This ancient sublime forest is frequently intersected with extensive avenues, vis|tas and green lawns, opening to extensive savan|nas and far distant Rice plantaions, agreeably em|ploys the imagination and captivates the senses by their magnificence and grandeur.

THE gay mock-bird, vocal and joyous, mounts a|lost on silvered wings, rolls over and over, then gently descends and presides in the choir of the tuneful tribes.

HAVING dined at the ferry, I crossed the river in|to Georgia; on landing and ascending the bank, which has here a North prospect, I observed the Dirca palustris, growing six or seven feet high. I rode about twelve miles further through Pine fo|rests and savannas; in the evening I took up my quarters at a delightful habitation, though not a common tavern; having ordered my horse a sta|ble and provender, and refreshed my spirits with a

draught of cooling liquor, I betook myself to con|templation in the groves and lawns; directing my steps towards the river, I observed in a high Pine forest on the border of a savanna, a great number of cattle herded together, and on my nearer ap|proach discovered it to be a cow pen; on my com|ing up I was kindly saluted by my host and his wife, who I found were superintending a number of slaves, women, boys and girls, that were milking the cows. Here were about forty milch cows and as many young calves, for in these Southern countries the calves run with the cows a whole year, the people milking them at the same time. The pen includ|ing two or three acres of ground, more or less, ac|cording to the stock, adjoining a rivulet or run of water, is inclosed by a fence; in this inclosure the calves are kept while the cows are out at range; a small part of this pen is partioned off to receive the cows when they come up at evening; here are several stakes drove into the ground, and there is a gate in the partition fence for a communication between the two pens. When the milkmaid has taken her share of milk, she looses the calf, who strips the cow, which is next morning turned out again to range.

I FOUND these people, contrary to what a travel|ler might, perhaps, reasonably expect, from their occupation and remote situation from the capital or any commercial town, to be civil and courteous, and though educated as it were in the woods, no strangers to sensibility and those moral virtues which grace and ornament the most approved and admi|red characters in civil society.

AFTER the vessels were filled with milk, the dai|ly and liberal aid of the friendly kine, and the good

wife, with her maids and servants, were returning with it to the dairy: the gentleman was at leisure to attend to my enquiries and observations, which he did with complaisance, and apparent pleasure. On my observing to him that his stock of horned cattle must be very considerable to afford so many milch cows at one time, he answered, that he had about fifteen hundred head: "my stock is but young, having lately removed from some distance to this place; I found it convenient to part with most of my old stock and begin here anew; Hea|ven is pleased to bless my endeavours and industry with success even beyond my own expectations." Yet continuing my interrogatories on this subject: your stock I apprehend must be very profitable, be|ing so convenient to the capital and sea port, in af|fording a vast quantity of beef, butter, and cheese, for the market, and must thereby contribute greatly towards your emolument: "yes, I find my stock of cattle very profitable, and I constantly contribute towards supplying the markets with beef, but as to the articles of butter and cheese, I make no more than what is expended in my own houshold, and I have a considerable family of black people who though they are slaves must be fed, and cared for; those I have were either chosen for their good qua|lities, or born in the family, and finding from long experience and observation, that the better they are fed, clothed and treated, the more service and pro|fit we may expect to derive from their labour: in short, I find my stock produces no more milk, or any article of food or nourishment, than what is expended to the best advantage amongst my fami|ly and slaves."

HE added, come along with me towards the ri|ver

bank, where I have some men at work squaring Pine and Cypress timber for the West-India market; I will shew you their days work, when you will rea|dily grant that I have reason to acknowledge my|self sufficiently gratified for the little attention be|stowed towards them. At yonder little new habi|tation near the bluff, on the banks of the river I have settled my eldest son; it is but a few days since he was married to a deserving young woman.

HAVING at length arrived near the high banks of the majestic savanna, we stood at the timber land|ing: almost every object in our progress having contributed to demonstrate this good man's system of economy to be not only practicable but eligible, and the slaves appeared on all sides as a crowd of witnesses to justify his industry, humanity and libe|ral spirit.

THE slaves comparatively of a gigantic stature, fat and muscular, mounted on the massive timber logs, the regular heavy strokes of their gleaming axes re-echo in the deep forests, at the same time contented and joyful the sooty sons of Afric forget|ing their bondage, in chorus sing the virtues and beneficence of their master in songs of their own composition.

THE log or timber landing is a capacious open area, the lofty pines * 1.1 having been felled and clear|ed away for a considerable distance round about, near an almost perpendicular bluff or steep bank of the river, rising up immediately from the water to the height of sixty or seventy feet. The logs be|ing dragged by timber wheels to this yard, and land|ed

as near the brink of this high bank as possible with safety, and laid by the side of each other, are rolled off and precipitated down the bank into the river, where being formed into rafts, they are con|ducted by slaves down to Savanna, about fifty miles below this place.

HAVING contemplated these scenes of art and in|dustry, my venerable host in company with his son, conducted me to the neat habitation which is situ|ated in a spacious airy forest, a little distance from the river bank, commanding a comprehensive and varied prospect; an extensive reach of the river in front, on the right hand a spacious lawn or Savan|na, on the left the timber yard, the vast fertile low lands and forest on the river upwards, and the plantations adjoining; a cool evening arrived after a sultry day, as we approach the door conducted by the young man, his lovely bride arrayed in native innocence and becoming modesty, with an air and smile of grace and benignity, meets and salutes us: what a Venus! what an Adonis! said I in silent trans|port; every action and feature seemed to reveal the celestial endowments of the mind: though a native sprightliness and sensibility appeared, yet virtue and discretion direct and rule. The dress of this beauteous sylvan queen was plain but clean, neat and elegant, all of cotton and of her own spin|ning and weaving.

NEXT morning early I sat forward prosecuting my tour. I pursued the high road leading from Savanna to Augusta for the distance of one hundred miles or more, and then recrossed the river at Sil|ver Bluff, a pleasant villa, the property and seat of G. Golphin, Esquire, a gentleman of very distin|guished

talents and great liberality, who possessed the most extensive trade, connections and influence, amongst the South and South-West Indian tribes, particularly with the Creeks and Chactaws, of whom I fortunately obtained letters of recommendation and credit to the principal traders residing in the Indian towns.

SILVER BLUFF is a very celebrated place; it is a considerable height upon the Carolina shore of the Savanna river, perhaps thirty feet higher than the low lands on the opposite shore, which are subject to be overflowed in the spring and fall: this steep bank rises perpendicular out of the river, discover|ing various strata of earth; the surface for a consi|derable depth is a loose sandy loam, with a mixture of sea shells, especially ostreae; the next stratum is clay, then sand, next marl, then clays again of vari|ous colours and qualities, which last insensibly mix|es or unites with a deep stratum of blackish or dark slate coloured saline and sulphureous earth, which seems to be of an aluminous or vitriolic quality, and lies in nearly horizontal lamina or strata of va|rious thickness, we discovered bellemnites, pyrites, markasites and sulphureous nodules, shining like brass, some single of various forms, and others con|glomerated, lying in this black slaty-like mucaeus earth; as also sticks, limbs and trunks of trees, leaves, acorns and their cups, all transmuted or changed black, hard and shining as charcoal; we also see animal substances, as if petrified, or what are called sharks' teeth, (dentes charchariae) but these heterogeneous substances or petrifactions are the most abundant and conspicuous where there is a looser kind of earth, either immediately upon this vast stratum of black earth, or in the divisions of

the lamina. The surface of the ground upon this bluff, which extends a mile and an half or two miles on the river, and is from an half mile to a mile in breadth, nearly level, and a good fertile soil, as is evident from the vast Oaks, Hickory, Mulberry, Black walnut and other trees and shrubs, which are left standing in the old fields which are spread a|broad to a great distance, and discover various mo|numents and vestiges of the residence of the anci|ents, as Indian conical mounts, terraces, areas, &c. as well as remains or traces of fortresses of regular formation, as if constructed after the modes of Eu|ropean military architects, and are supposed to be ancient camps of the Spaniards who formerly fixed themselves at this place in hopes of finding silver.

BUT perhaps Mr. Golphin's buildings and im|provements will prove to be the foundation of mo|numents of infinitely greater celebrity and perma|nency than either of the preceding establishments.

THE place which at this day is called fort Moore, is a stupendous bluff, or high perpendicular bank of earth, rising out of the river on the Carolina shore, perhaps ninety or one hundred feet above the common surface of the water, and exhibits a singu|lar and pleasing spectacle to a stranger, especially from the opposite shore, or as we pass up or down the river, presenting a view of prodigious walls of party-coloured earths, chiefly clays and marl of va|rious colours, as brown, red, yellow, blue, purple, white, &c. in horizontal strata, one over the other.

WAITING for the ferry boat to carry me over, I walked almost round the under side of the bluff, betwixt its steep wall and the water of: the river,

which glided rapidly under my feet; I came to the carcase of a calf, which the people told me had fallen down from the edge of the precipice above, being invited too far by grass and sweet herbs, which they say frequently happens at this place. In early times, the Carolinians had a fort, and kept a good garrison here as a frontier and Indian trading post, but Augusta superceding it, this place was dis|mantled, and since that time, which probably can|not exceed thirty years, the river hath so much en|croached upon the Carolina shore, that its bed now lies where the site of the fort then was; indeed some told me that the opposite Georgia shore, where there is now a fine house and corn field, occupies the place.

THE site of Augusta is perhaps the most delight|ful and eligible of any in Georgia for a city, an ex|tensive level plain on the banks of a fine navigable river, which has its numerous sources in the Chero|kee mountains, a fruitful and temperate region; whence after roving and winding about those fer|tile heights, they meander through a fertile hilly country, and one after another combine in forming the Tugilo and Broad rivers, and then the famous Savanna river, thence continues near an hundred miles more, following its meanders and falls over the cataracts at Augusta, which crosses the river at the upper end of the town: these falls are four or five feet perpendicular height in the summer season when the river is low: from these cataracts up|wards, this river with all its tributaries, as Broad river, Little river, Tugilo, &c. are one continued ra|pid, with some short intervals of still water, naviga|ble for canoes. But from Augusta downwards to the ocean, a distance of near three hundred miles

by water. The Savanna uninterruptedly flows with a gentle meandring course, and is navigable for vessels of twenty or thirty tons burthen to Savanna, where ships of three hundred tons lie in a capacious and secure harbour.

AUGUSTA thus seated at the head of navigation, and just below the conflux of several of its most con|siderable branches, without a competitor, commands the trade and commerce of vast fruitful regions a|bove it, and from every side to a great distance; and I do not hesitate to pronounce as my opinion, will very soon become the metropolis of Georgia. * 1.2

I CHOSE to take this route up Savanna river, in preference to the strait and shorter road from Charleston to the Cherokee country by fort Ninety Six, because by keeping near this great river, I had frequent opportunities of visiting its steep banks, vast swamps and low grounds, and had the advan|tage without great delay, or deviating from the main high road, of observing the various soils and situations of the countries through which this fa|mous river pursues its course, and of examining the various productions, mineral, vegetable and animal; whereas had I pursued the great trading path by Ninety-Six, should have been led over a high, dry, sandy and gravelly ridge, and a great part of the distance an old settled or resorted part of the coun|try, and consequently void of the varieties of origi|nal or novel productions of nature.

BEFORE I leave Augusta, I shall recite a curious phenomenon, which may furnish ample matter for

philosophical discussion to the curious naturalists. On the Georgia side of the river, about fifteen miles below Silver Bluff, the high road crosses a ridge of high swelling hills of uncommon elevation, and per|haps seventy feet higher then the surface of the ri|ver; these hills are from three feet below the com|mon vegetative surface, to the depth of twenty or thirty feet, composed entirely of fossil oyster shells, internally of the colour and consistency of clear white marble; they are of an incredible magni|tude, generally fifteen or twenty inches in length, from six to eight wide and two to four in thickness, and their hollows sufficient to receive an ordinary man's foot; they appear all to have been opened before the period of petrefaction, a transmutation they seem evidently to have suffered; they are un|doubtedly very ancient or perhaps antideluvian. The adjacent inhabitants burn them to lime for build|ing, for which purpose they serve very well; and would undoubtedly afford an excellent manure when their lands require it, these hills being now remark|ably fertile. The heaps of shells lie upon a stra|tum of yellowish sandy mould, of several feet in depth, upon a foundation of soft white rocks that has the outward appearance of free-stone, but on strict examination is really a testaceous concrete or composition of sand and pulverised sea shells; in short, this testaceous rock approaches near in qua|lity and appearance to the Bahama or Bermudian white rock.

THESE hills are shaded with glorious Magnolia grandiflora, Morus rubra, Tilia, Quercus, Ulmus, Juglans, &c. with aromatic groves of fragrant Callicanthus Floridus, Rhododendron ferruginium, Laurus Indica, &c. AEsculus pavia, Cornus Flori|da

Azalea coccinea, Philadelphus inodorous and others; but who would have expected to see the Dirca palustris and Dodecathean meadea grow in abundance in this hot climate! it is true they are seen in the rich and deep shaded vales, between the hills and North exposure; but they attain to a degree of magnitude and splendor never seen in Pennsylvania.

CHAP. II.

AFTER conferring with gentlemen in Augus|ta, conversant in Indian affairs, concerning my fu|ture travels in those distant, unexplored regions, and obtaining letters to their agents in the Indian territories, I sat off, proceeding for Fort James Dartmouth, at the confluence of Broad River with Savanna, the road leading me near the banks of the river for the distance of near thirty miles, crossing two or three of its considerable branches, besides rivulets and smaller brooks. The surface of the land uneven, by means of ridges or chains of swell|ing hills and corresponding vales, with level downs; the soil a loose, greyish brown loamy mould on the hills, but darker and more cohesive and humid in the vales and downs; this superficial, vegetative earth, covers a deep stratum of very tenaceous yellowish clay: the downs afford grass and various herbage; the vales and hills forest trees and shrubs of various tribes, i. e. Quereus tinctoria, Q. alba, Q. rubra, Q. lobata, Acer rubrum, A. Saccharinum, A. glaucum, Morus rubra, Gleditsia triacanthus, Juglans hicko|ry, various species, Quercus phillos, Quer. dentata, s. hemispherica, Quercus aquatica, or Maryland Water Oak, Ulmus sylvatica, Liriodendron, Li|quid-amber, Diospyros, Cornus Florida, Prunus In|dica, Prunus padus and AEsculus pavia: and near water courses in the vales, Stewartia malachoden|dron, Halesia, AEsculus sylvatica, Styrax, Carpinus, Magnolia acuminata, Mag. tripetala, Mag. auri|culata, Azalea, &c. The rich humid lands in the vales bordering on creeks and bases of the hills, likewise produce various trees, shrubs and plants, as Cercis, Corylus, Ptelea, Evonimus, Philadelphus

inodorous, Staphylea trifoliata, Chionanthus, Ha|mamelis, Callicarpa, Sambucus, Cornus alba, Vi|burnum dentatum, Spirea opulifolia, Cornus san|guinea, Cephalanthus, &c. and of herbaccae a vast variety and abundance, as Verbesina, Rudbeckea, Phaciolus, Tripsacum, Aconitum napellus, Delphi|nium, Angelica luceda, Tradescantia, Trillium ses|sile, Trillium canuum, Actaea, Chelone, Glycine apios, Convalaria racemosa, Mediola, Carduus, Bidens frondosa, Arum triphyllum, Coreopsis alter|nifolia, Circea, Commelina, After, Solidago, Eu|patorium, Helianthus and Silphium, together with a variety of other tribes and species new to me. In the evening I arrived at Little river, and took up my quarters at a public house on its banks, near its confluence with the Savanna. This is a beauti|ful rapid water, about fifty yards over; on a branch of this river is situated the town of Wrightsborough.

NEAR the ford, on the banks of this river, I first observed a very curious shrub, a beautiful ever|green, which appears to be allied to the Rhodo|dendron, though the seed vessels seem to bear more the characteristics of the Kalmia. This shrub grows in copses or little groves, in open, high situations, where trees of large growth are but scatteringly planted; many simple stems arise together from a root or source erect, four, five and six feet high; their limbs or branches, which are produced to|wards the top of the stems, also stand nearly erect, lightly diverging from the main stems, which are furnished with moderately large ovate pointed in|tire leaves, of a pale or yellowish green colour; these leaves are of a firm, compact texture, both surfaces smooth and shining, and stand nearly erect

upon short petioles; the branches terminate with long, loose panicles or spikes of white flowers, whose sedgments are five, long and narrow.

I AROSE early next morning and continued my journey for Fort James. This day's progress was agreeably entertaining, from the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and vari|ety of objects and views; the wild country now al|most depopulated, vast forests, expansive plains and detached groves; then chains of hills whose gra|velly, dry, barren summits present detached piles of rocks, which delude and flatter the hopes and ex|pectations of the solitary traveller, full sure of hospitable habitations; heaps of white, gnawed bones of the ancient buffaloe, elk and deer, indis|criminately mixed with those of men, half grown over with moss, altogether, exhibit scenes of un|cultivated nature, on reflection, perhaps, rather disagreeable to a mind of delicate feelings and sen|sibility, since some of these objects recognize past transactions and events, perhaps not altogether re|con••ilable to justice and humanity.

HOW harmonious and sweetly murmur the purling tills and fleeting brooks, ••oving along the shadowy vales, passing through dark, subterranean caverns, or dashing over steep rocky precipices, their cold, humid banks condensing the volatile vapours, which fall and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in chrystaline drops, on the leaves and elastic twigs of the aromatic shrubs and incar|nate flowers. In these cool, sequestered, rocky vales, we behold the following celebrated beauties of the hills, i. e. fragrant Calycanthus, blushing Rhodo|dendron ferruginium, delicate Philadelphus inodo|rus, which displays the white wavy mantle, with the sky robed Delphinium, perfumed Convalaria and fiery Aza••••••, flaming on the ascending hills or wa|vy

surface of the gliding brooks. The epithet fiery, I annex to this most celebrated species of Azalea, as being expressive of the appearance of it in flow|er, which are in general of the colour of the finest red lead, orange and bright gold, as well as yel|low and cream colour; these various splendid co|lours are not only in separate plants, but frequent|ly all the varieties and shades are seen in separate branches on the same plant, and the clusters of the blossoms cover the shrubs in such incredible pro|fusion on the hill sides, that suddenly opening to view from dark shades, we are alarmed with the apprehension of the hills being set on fire. This is certainly the most gay and brilliant flowering shrub yet known: they grow in little copses or clumps, in open forests as well as dark groves, with other shrubs, and about the bases of hills, especially where brooks and rivule••s wind about them; the bushes seldom rise above six or seven feet in height, and generally but three, four and five, but branch and spread their tops greatly; the young leaves are but very small whilst the shrubs are in bloom, from which circumstance the plant exhibits a greater shew of splendour.

TOWARDS evening I crossed Broad river at a good ford, just above its confluence with the Savanna, and arrived at Fort James, which is a four square stockade, with saliant bastions at each angle, mount|ed with a block-house, where are some swivel guns, one story higher than the curtains, which are pier|ced with loop-holes, breast high, and defended by small arms; the fortification encloses about an a|cre of ground, where is the governor's or comman|dant's house, a good building, which is flanked on each side by buildings for the officers and barracks

for the garrison, consisting of fifty ranges, including officers, each having a good horse well equipt, a rifle, two dragoon pistols and a hanger, besides and powder horn, shot pouch and tomahawk. The fort stands on an eminence in the forks between the Sa|vanna and Broad rivers, about one mile above Fort Charlotta, which is situated near the banks of the Savanna, on the Carolina side; Fort James is situ|ated nearly at an equal distance from the banks of the two rivers, and from the extreme point of the land that separates them. The point or peninsula between the two rivers, for the distance of two miles back from the fort, is laid out for a town, by the name of Dartmouth, in honour to the earl of Dart|mouth, who, by his interest and influence in the British councils, obtained from the king a grant and powers in favour of the Indian trading company of Georgia, to treat with the Creeks for the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of a quantity of land sufficient to discharge their debts to the traders, for the security and defence of which territory this fortress was established.

THIS territory, called the New Purchase, con|tains about two millions of acres, lying upon the head of Great Oge••hee, between the banks of the Sa|vanna and Alatamaha, touching on the Ocone and taking within its precincts all the waters of Broad and Little rivers, comprehends a body of excellent fertile land, well watered by innumerable rivers, creeks and brooks.

I MADE a little excursion up the Savanna river, four or five miles above the fort, with the surgeon of the garrison, who was so polite as to attend me to shew me some remarkable Indian monuments, which are worthy of every travellers notice. These wonderful labours of the ancients stand in a level

plain, very near the bank of the river, now twen|ty or thirty yards from it; they consist of conical mounts of earth and four square terraces &c. The great mount is in the form of a cone, about forty or fifty feet high, and the circumference of its base two or three hundred yards, entirely composed of the loamy rich earth of the low grounds; the top or apix is flat; a spiral path or track leading from the ground up to the top is still visible, where now grows a large, beautiful spreading Red Cedar (Ju|niperus Americana;) there appears four niches, ex|cavated our of the sides of this hill, at different heights from the base, fronting the four cardinal points; these niches or sentry boxes are entered in|to from the winding path, and seem to have been ment for resting places or look-outs. The circum|jacent level grounds are cleared and planted with Indian Corn at present, and I think the proprietor of these lands, who accompanied us to this place, said that the mount itself yielded above one hun|dred bushels in one season: the land hereabouts is indeed exceeding fertile and productive.

IT is altogether unknown to us, what could have induced the Indians to raise such a heap of earth in this place, the ground for a great space around be|ing subject to inundations, at least once a year, from which circumstance we may conclude they had no town or settled habitations here: some ima|gine these 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were constructed for look-out towers. It is reasonable to suppose, however, that they were to serve some important purpose in those days, as they were public works, and would have required the united labour and attention of a whole nation, circumstanced as they were, to have con|structed one of them almost in an age. There are

several less ones round about the great one, with some very large tetragon terraces on each side, near one hundred yards in length, and their surface four, six, eight and ten feet above the ground on which they stand.

WE may however hazard a conjecture, that as there is generally a narrow space or ridge in these low lands, immediately bordering on the rivers bank, which is eight or ten feet higher than the adjoin|ing low grounds, that lie betwixt the stream and the heights of the adjacent main land, which, when the river overflows its banks, are many feet under water, when, at the same time, this ridge on the river bank is above water and dry, and at such in|undations appears as an island in the river. Now these people might have had a town on this ridge, and this mount raised for a retreat and refuge in case of an inundation, which are unforeseen and sur|prise them very suddenly, spring and autumn.

HAVING finished my collections and observations, which were extended to a considerable distance in the environs of Dartmouth; May 10th sat off a|gain, proceeding for Keowe, rode six or eight miles up the river above the fort, crossed over into Ca|rolina and soon got into the high road, but had not proceeded far when I was surprised by a sudden ve|ry heavy shower of rain, attended with terrific thun|der, but luckily found present shelter at a farm house, where I continued above and hour before its fury abated, when I proceeded again, and not|withstanding this detention and obstacles in conse|quence of the heavy rains in raising the creeks, tra|velled thirty-five miles, and arrived in the evening at Mr. Cameron's, deputy commissary for Indian affairs for the Cherokee nation, to whom I was re|commended

by letters from the honourable John Stewart, superintendant, residing in Charleston, mentioning my business in the Cherokee country.

THE road this day had led me over an uneven country, its surface undulated by ridges or chains of hills, sometimes rough with rocks and stones, yet generally productive of forests, with a variety of vegetables of inferior growth, i. e. Querous, va|rious species, Juglans hickory, varieties, Lirioden|dron, Fraxinus, Fagus sylvatica, Fagus castania, Fagus pumila, s. Chinkapin, Nyssa sylvatica, Acer rubrum, AEsculus sylvatica, Magnolia acuminata, Magnolia tripetala, Andromeda arborea, Hopea tinctoria AEsculus pavia, Vibernum, Azalea flammea and other species; Hydrangea, Calycanthus, &c.

THE season being uncommonly wet, almost daily showers of rain and frequently attended with tre|menduous thunder, rendered travelling disagreea|ble, toilsome and hazardous, through an uninha|bited wilderness, abounding with rivers and brooks; I was prevailed upon by Mr. Cameron to stay at his house a few days, until the rains ceased and the rivers could be more easily forded.

THE Angelica lucido or Nondo grows here in a|bundance; its aromatic carminative root is in taste much like that of the Ginseng (Panax) though more of the taste and scent of Anise seed; it is in high estimation with the Indians as well as white inha|bitants, and sells at a great price to the Southern Indians of Florida, who dwell near the sea coast where this never grows spontaneously. I observed a charming species of Malva, having panicles of large splended purple or deep blue flowers, and a|nother species of Malva, very singular indeed, for

it is a climber; the leaves are broad, which, with the whole plant, are hoary; the flowers are very small, of a greenish white: and here grows in a|bundance a beautiful species of Delphinium; the flowers differ in no respect from those of the com|mon branching Larkspur of the gardens; they are of a fine deep blue colour, and disposed in long spa••sed spikes; the leaves are compound, almost linear, but the segments not so fine cut as those of the garden Larkspur.

THE weather now settled and fair, I prepared to proceed for Fort Prince George Keowe, having obtained of the agreeable and liberal Mr. Came|ron, ample testimonials and letters of recommen|dation to the traders in the nation; this gentleman also very obligingly sent a young Negro slave a|long, to assist and pilot me as far as Senica.

MAY 15th I left Lough-abber, the seat of Mr. Cameron. In the course of this day's journey I crossed several rivers and brooks, all branches of Savanna, now called Keowe, above its confluence with the Tugilo, the West main branch. The face of the country uneven, by means of ridges of hills and water courses; the hills somewhat rocky near their summits and at the banks of rivers and creeks, but very fertile, as there is a good depth of a loose dark and moist vegetative mould, on a stratum of reddish brown tenaceous clay, and sometimes a deep stratum of dusky brown marl. The vegetable pro|ductions observed during this day's progress, were generally the same as already recited since leaving Dartmouth. The flaming Azalea abound and illu|minate the hill sides, and a new and singularly beautiful species of AEsculus pavia, situated above them, towards the summits of these low hills; this

conspicuously beautiful flowering shrub, grows to the height of five or six feet, many divergent crook|ed stems arise together from a root or source, which dividing their branches, wreath about every way, after a very irregular and free order; the exterior subdivisions of these limbs terminate with a heavy cluster or thyrsis of rose or pink coloured flowers, speckled or variegated with crimson, larger, more expansive and regular in their formation than those of the Pavia; and these heavy spikes of flowers, charged with the morning dews, bend the slender flexile stems to the ground: the compound leaves are of the configuration of those of the Pavia, but broader and their veins more prominent. The shrubs growing about the tops of the more barren grassy hills, where large trees are few and scattered shew themselves to great advantage, and make a fine appearance.

THERE are abundance of Grape vines (Vitis vini|fera) which ramble and spread themselves over the shrubs and low trees in these situations, and I was assured produce fruit affording an excellent juice; the grapes are of various colours when ripe, of the figure and about the size of the European wine grapes. Arrived at Sinica in the evening, af|ter travelling forty five miles through an uninha|bited wilderness.

THE Cherokee town of Sinica is a very respecta|ble settlement, situated on the East bank of the Ke|owe river, though the greatest number of Indian habitations are on the opposite shore, where like|wise stands the council-house in a level plain be|twixt the river and a range of beautiful lofty hills, which rise magnificently, an seem to bend over

the green plains and the river; but the chief's house, with those of the traders, and some Indian dwellings are seated on the ascent of the heights on the op|posite shore; this situation in point of prospect far excels the other, as it overlooks the whole settle|ment, the extensive fruitful plains on the river a|bove and below, and the plantations of the inhabit|ants, commanding a most comprehensive diversified view of the opposite elevations.

SINICA is a new town rebuilt since the late Indi|an war, when the Cherokees were vanquished and compelled to sue for peace, by general Middletor, commander of the Carolinian auxiliaries acting a|gainst them, when the lower and middle settlements were broken up: the number of inhabitants are now estimated at about five hundred, and they are able to muster about one hundred warriors.

NEXT day I left Sinica alone, and after riding a|bout sixteen miles, chiefly through high forests of excellent land at a little distance from the river, ar|rived in the evening at fort Prince George Keowe.

KEOWE is a most charming situation, and the ad|jacent heights are naturally so formed and disposed, as with little expence of military architecture to be rendered almost impregnable; in a fertile vale, at this season enamelled with the incarnate fragrant strawberries and blooming plants, through which the beautiful river meanders, sometimes gently flowing, but more frequently agitated, gliding swiftly between the fruitful strawberry banks, envi|roned at various distances, by high hills and moun|tains, some rising boldly almost upright upon the verge of the expansive lawn, so as to overlook and shadow it, whilst others more lofty, superb, misty and blue, majestically mount far above.

THE evening still and calm, all silent and peace, able a vivifying gentle breeze continually wafted from the fragrant strawberry fields, and aromatic Calycanthean groves on the surrounding heights, the wary moor fowl thundering in the distant echo|ing hills, how the groves and hills ring with the sh••••ll perpetual voice of the whip-poor-will!

ABANDONED as my situation now was, yet thank heaven many objects met together at this time, and conspired to conciliate, and in some degree com|pose my mind, heretofore somewhat dejected and unnarmonized: all alone in a wild Indian country, a thousand miles from my native land, and a vast distance from any settlements, of white people. It is true, here were some of my own colour, yet they were strangers, and though friendly and hospitable, their manners and customs of living so different from what I had been accustomed to, administered but little to my consolation: some hundred miles yet to travel, the savage vindictive inhabitants late|ly ill-treated by the frontier Virginians, blood be|ing spilt between them and the injury not yet wip|ed away by formal treaty; the Cherokees extreme|ly jealous of white people travelling about their mountains, especially if they should be seen peep|ing in amongst the rocks or digging up their earth.

THE vale of Keowe is seven or eight miles in ex|tent, that is from the little town of Kussage * 1.3 about a mile above, thence down the river six or seven miles, where a high ridge of hills on each side of the river almost terminates the vale, but opens again below the narrow ridge, and continues ten or twelve

miles down to Sinica, and in which one and two miles: this fertile vale within the remembrance of some old traders with whom I conversed, was one continued settlement, the swelling sides of the ad|joining hills were then covered with habitations, and the rich level grounds beneath lying on the ri|ver, was cultivated and planted, which now exhibit a very different spectacle, humiliating indeed to the present generation, the posterity and feeble remains of the once potent and renowned Cherokees: the vestiges of the ancient Indian dwellings are yet vi|sible on the feet of the hills bordering and fronting on the vale, such as posts or pillars of their habita|tions, &c.

THERE are several Indian mounts or tumuli, and terraces, monuments of the ancients, at the old site of Keowe, near the fort Prince George, but no In|dian habitations at present; and here are several dwellings inhabited by white people concerned in the Indian trade; Mr. D. Homes is the principal trader here.

THE old fort Prince George now bears no marks of a fortress, but serves for a trading house.

CHAP. III.

I WAITED two or three days at this post expecting the return of an Indian, who was out hunting; this man was recommended to me as a suitable person for a protector and guide to the Indian settlements over the hills, but upon information that he would not be in shortly, and there being no other person suitable for the purpose, rather than be detained, and perhaps thereby frustrated in my purposes, de|termined to set off alone and run all risks.

I CROSSED the river at a good ford just below the old fort. The river here is near one hundred yards over: after an agreeable progress for about two miles over delightful strawberry plains, and gently swelling green hills, began to ascend more steep and rocky ridges. Having gained a very conside|rable elevation, and looking around, I enjoyed a very comprehensive and delightful view: Keowe which I had but just lost sight of, appears again, and the serpentine river speeding through the lucid green plain apparently just under my feet. After observing this delightful landscape I continued on again three or four miles, keeping the trading path which led me over uneven rocky land, and crossing rivulets and brooks, rapidly descending over rocky precipices, when I came into a charming vale, em|bellished with a delightful glittering river, which meandered through it, and crossed my road: on my left hand upon the grassy bases of the rising hills, appears the remains of a town of the ancients, as

the tumuli, terraces, posts or pillars, old Peach and Plumb orchards, &c. sufficiently testify. These vales and swelling bases of the surrounding hills, afford vast crops of excellent grass and herbage fit for pasturage and hay; of the latter Plantago Vir|ginica, Sanguis orba, Geum, Fragaria, &c. The Pa|nax quinquifolium, or Ginseng, now appears plenti|fully on the North exposure of the hill, growing out of the rich mellow humid earth amongst the stones or fragments of rocks.

HAVING crossed the vales, began to ascend again the more lofty ridges of hills, then continued about eight miles over more gentle pyramidal hills, nar|row vales and lawns, the soil exceedingly fertile, producing lofty forests and odoriferous groves of Calycanthus, near the banks of rivers, with Halesia, Philadelphus inodorus, Rhododendron ferruginium, Aazalea, Stewartia montana * 1.4 fol••ovatis acumina|tis serratis, flor. nivea, staminum corona fulgida, pericarp. pomum exsuccum, apice acuminato de|hiscens, Cornus Florida, Styrax, all in full bloom, and decorated with the following sweet roving clin bers, i. e. Bignonia sempervirens, Big. 〈◊〉〈◊〉|ra, Lonicera sempervirens, Rosa paniculata, &c.

NOW at once the mount divides, and discloses to view the ample Occonue vale, encircled by a wreath of uniform hills; their swelling bases clad in cheer|ful verdure, over which ••ssaing from between the mountains, plays along a glittering river, meander|ing through the meadows, which crossing at the upper end of the vale, I began to ascend the Oc|conne mountain. On the foot of the hills are the

ruins of the antient Occonne town: the first step after leaving the verdant beds of the hills was a ve|ry high rocky chain of pointed hills, extremely well timbered with the following trees: Quercus tincto|ria, Quere. alba, Quere. rubra, Fraxinus excelsior, Juglans hickory, various species, Ulmus, Tilia, A|cer saccharinum, Mosus, Juglans nigra, Juglans al|ba, Annona glabra, Robinia p••••udacacia, Magnolia 〈◊〉〈◊〉, AEsculus sylvatica, with many more, par|ticularly a species of Robinia new to me, though per|haps the same as figured and slightly described by Catesoy in his Nat. Hist. Carol. This beautiful flowering tree grows twenty and thirty feet high, with a crooked leaning trunk, the branches spread great|ly, and wreath about, some almost touching the ground; however there appears a singular pleasing wildness and freedom in its manner of growth, the slender subdivisions of the branches terminate with heavy compound panicles of rose or pink coloured flowers, amidst a wreath of beautiful pinnated leaves.

MY next flight was up a very high peak, to the top of the Occonne mountain, where I rested; and turning about found that I was now in a very ele|vated situation, from whence I enjoyed a view in|expressibly magnificent and comprehensive. The mountainous wilderness through which I had lately traversed down to the region of Augusta, appear|ing regularly undulated as the great ocean after a tempest; the undulations gradually depressing, yet perfectly regular, as the squamma•• of fish or im|brications of tile on a roof: the nearest ground to me of a perfect full green, next more glau••ous, and lastly almost blue as the ether with which the

the most distant curve of the horizon seems to be blended.

MY imagination thus wholly engaged in the con|templation of this magnificent landscape, infinitely varied, and without bound, I was almost insensible or regardless of the charming objects more within my reach; a new species of Rhododendron foremost in the assembly of mountain beauties, next the flam|ing Azalea, Kalmia latifolia, incarnate Robinia, snowy mantled Philadelphus inodorus, perfumed Ca|lycanthus, &c.

THIS species of Rhododendron grows six or seven feet high, many nearly erect stems arise together from the root forming a group or coppice. The leaves are three or four inches in length, of an ob|long figure, broadest toward the extremity, and terminating with an obtuse point; their upper sur|face of a deep green and polished, but the nether surface of a rusty iron colour, which seems to be effected by innumerable minute reddish vesicles, be|neath a fine short downy pubescence; the nume|rous flexile branches terminate with a loose spiked raceme, or cluster of large deep rose coloured flow|ers, each flower being affixed in the diffused cluster by a long peduncle, which with the whole plant possess an agreeable perfume.

AFTER being recovered of the fatigue and labour in ascending the mountain, I began again to pro|secute my task, proceeding through a shady forest, and soon after gained the most elevated crest of the Occonne mountain, and then began to descend the other side; the winding rough road carrying me over rocky hills and levels, shaded by incomparable forests, the soil exceedingly rich, and of an excel|lent

quality for the production of every vegetable suited to the climate, and seems peculiarly adapted for the cultivation of Vines (Vitis vinifera) Olives, (Olea Europea) the Almond tree (Amygdalus com|munis) Fig (Ficus carica.) and perhaps the Pom|granate (Punica granatum) as well as Peaches,(A|myg. Persica) Prunus, Pyrus, of every variety: a|rising again steep rocky ascents, and then rich le|vels, where grew many trees and plants common in Pennsylvania, New-York and even Canada, as Pinus strobus, Pin. sylvestris, Pin. abies, Acer sacchari|num, Acer striatum, s. Pennsylvanicom, Populus trimula, Betula nigra, Juglans alba, &c. but what seems remarkable, the yellow Jessamine, (Bignonia sempervirens) which is killed by a very slight frost in the open air in Pennsylvania, here on the sum|mits of the Cherokee mountains associates with the Canadian vegetables, and appears roving with them in perfect bloom and gaiety; as likewise Halesia diptera, and Hal. tetrraptera, mountain Stewartia, Styrax, Ptelea, and AEsculus pavia, but all these bear our hardest frosts in Pennsylvania. Now I enter a charming narrow vale, through which flows a rapid large creek, on whose banks are happily as|sociated the shrubs already recited, together with the following; Staphylaea, Euonismus Americana, Hamamelis, Azalea, various species, Aristalochia frutescens, s. odoratissima, which rambles over the trees and shrubs on the prolific banks of these moun|tain brooks. Passed through magnificent high fo|rests, and then came upon borders of an ample meadow on the left, embroidered by the shade of a high circular amphitheatre of hills, the circular rid|ges rising magnificently one over the other: on the green turfy bases of these ascents appear the ruins

of a town of the ancients; the upper end of this spacious green plain is divided by a promontory or spur of the ridges before me, which projects into it; my road led me up into an opening of the as|cents through which the glittering brook which wa|tered the meadows ran rapidly down, dashing and roaring over high rocky steps. Continued yet as|cending until I gained the top of an elevated rocky ridge, when appeared before me a gap or opening between other yet more lofty ascents, thro' which continuing as the rough rocky road led me, close by the winding banks of a large rapid brook, which at length turning to the left, pouring down rocky precipices, glided off through dark groves and high forests, conveying streams of fertility and pleasure to the fields below.

THE surface of the land now for three or four miles is level, yet uneven, occasioned by natural mounds or rocky knobs, but covered with a good staple of rich earth, which affords forests of timber trees and shrubs. After this, gently descending a|gain, I travelled some miles over a varied situation of ground, exhibiting views of grand forests, dark detached groves, vales and meadows, as heretofore, and producing the like vegetable and other works of nature; the meadows affording exuberant pasturage for cattle, and the bases of the encircling hills, flow|ering plants, and fruitful strawberry beds: observed frequently ruins of the habitations or villages of the ancients. Crossed a delightful river, the main branch of Tugilo, when I began to ascend again, first over swelling turfy ridges, varied with groves of stately forest trees, then ascending again more steep, grassy hill sides, rested on the top of mount Magnolia, which appeared to me to be the highest ridge of the Cherokee mountains, which separates

the waters of Savanna river from those of the Ta|nase or great main branch of the Cherokee river, which running rapidly a North-West course thro' the mountains, is joined from the North-East by the Holstein, thence taking a West course yet a|mongst the mountains receiving into it from either hand many large rivers, leaves the mountains im|mediately after being joined by a large river from the East, becomes a mighty river by the name of Hogehege, thence meanders many hundred miles through a vast country consisting of forests, mea|dows, groves, expansive savannas, fields and swel|ling hills, most fertile and delightful, flows into the beautiful Ohio, and in conjunction with its transpa|rent waters, becomes tributary to the sovereign Missisippi.

THIS exalted peak I named mount Magnolia * 1.5, from a new and beautiful species of that celebrated family of flowering trees, which here, at the cas|cades of Falling Creek, grows in a high degree of perfection, for although I had noticed this curious tree several times before, particularly on the high ridges betwixt Sinica and Keowe, and on ascending the first mountain after leaving Keowe, when I ob|served it in flower, but here it flourishes and com|mands our attention.

THIS tree, or perhaps rather a shrub, rises eigh|teen to thirty feet in height, there are usually ma|ny stems from a root or source, which lean a little, or slightly diverge from each other, in this respect imitating the Magnolia tripetala; the crooked wreathing branches arising and subdividing from the main stem without order or uniformity, their

extremities turn upwards, producing a very large rosaceous, perfectly white, double or polypetalous flower, which is of a most fragrant scent; this fine flower sits in the center of a radices of very large leaves, which are of a singular figure, somewhat lanciolate, but broad towards their extremities, ter|minating with an acuminated point, and backwards they attenuate and become very narrow towards their bases, terminating that way with two long, narrow ears or lappets, one on each side of the in|sertion of the petiole; the leaves have only short, footstalks, sitting very near each other, at the ex|tremities of the floriferous branches, from whence they spread themselves after a regular order, like the spokes of a wheel, their margins touching or lightly laping upon each other, form an expansive umbrella superbly crowned or crested with the fra|grant flower, representing a white plume; the blossom is succeeded by a very large crimson cone or strobile, containing a great number of scarles berries, which, when ripe, spring from their cells and are for a time suspended by a white silky web or thread. The leaves of these trees which grow in a rich, light, humid soil, when fully expanded and at maturity, are frequently above two feet in length and six or eight inches where broadest. I discover|ed in the maritime parts of Georgia, particularly on the banks of the Alatamaha, another new spe|cies of Magnolia, whose leaves were nearly of the figure of those of this tree, but they were much less in size, not more than six or seven inches in length, and the strobile very small, oblong, sharp pointed and of a fine deep crimson colour, but I never saw the flower. These trees grow strait and erect, thir|ty feet or more in height, and of a sharp conical form, much resembling the Cucumber tree (Mag. ac••minata) in figure.

THIS day being remarkably warm and sultry, which, together with the labour and fatigue of a|scending the mountains, made me very thirsty and in some degree sunk my spirits. Now past mid-day, I sought a cool shaded retreat, where was water for refreshment and grazing for my horse, my faith|ful slave and only companion. After proceeding a little farther, descending the other side of the moun|tain, I perceived at some distance before me, on my right hand, a level plain supporting a grand high forest and groves; the nearer I approach my steps are the more accelerated from the flattering pros|pect opening to view; I now enter upon the verge of the dark forest, charming solitude! as I advan|ced through the animating shades, observed on the farther grassy verge a shady grove, thither I direct|ed my steps; on approaching these shades, between the stately columns of the superb forest trees, pre|sented to view, rushing from rocky precipices, un|der the shade of the pensile hills, the uparalleled cascade of Falling Creek, rolling and leaping off the rocks, which uniting below, spread a broad, glit|tering sheet of chrystal waters, over a vast convex elivation of plain, smooth rocks, and are immedi|ately received by a spacious bason, where, trembling in the centre through hurry and agitation, they gen|tly subside, encircling the painted still verge, from whence gliding swiftly, they soon form a delightful little river, which continuing to flow more mode|rately, is restrained for a moment, gently undu|lating in a little lake, they then pass on rapidly to a high perpendicular steep of rocks, from whence these delightful waters are hurried down with irresistible rapidity. I here seated myself on the moss clad rocks, under the shade of spreading 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and floriferous fragrant shrubs, in full view of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cascades.

AT this rural retirement were assembled a char|ming circle of mountain vegetable beauties, Mag|nolia auriculata, Rhododendron ferruginium, Kal|mia latifolia, Robinia montana, Azalea flammula, Rosa paniculata, Calycanthus Floridus, Philadelphus inodorus, perfumed Convalaria majalis, Anemone thalictroides, Anemone hepatica, Erythronium ma|culatum, Leontice thalictroides, Trillium sessile, Trillium cesnum, Cypripedium, Arethuza, Ophrys, Sanguinaria, Viola uvul••ria, Epigea, Mitchella re|pens, Stewartia, Halesia, Styrax, Lonicera, &c. some of these roving beauties are strolling over the mossy, shelving, humid rocks, or from off the expan|sive wavy boughs of trees, bending over the floods, salute their delusive shades, playing on the surface, some plunge their perfumed heads and bathe their flexile limbs in the silver stream, whilst others by the mountain breezes are tossed about, their blooming tufts bespangled with pearly and chrystaline dew|drops collected from the falling mists, glisten in the rain bow arch. Having collected some valuable spe|cimens at this friendly retreat, I continued my lone|some pilgrimage. My road for a considerable time led me winding and turning about the steep rocky hills; the descent of some of which were very rough and troublesome, by means of fragments of rocks, slippery clay and talc; but after this I entered a spacious forest, the land having gradually acquired a more level surface; a prettey grassy vale appears on my right, through which my wandering path led me, close by the banks of a delightful creek, which some|times falling over steps of rocks, glides gently with serpentine meanders through the meadows.

AFTER crossing this delightful brook and mead, the land rises again with sublime magnificence, and

I am led over hills and vales, groves and high fo|rests, vocal with the melody of the feathered song|sters, the snow-white cascades glittering on the sides of the distant hills.

IT was now after noon; I approached a charm|ing vale, amidst sublimely high forests, awful shades! darkness gathers around, far distant thunder rolls over the trembling hills; the black clouds with au|gust majesty and power, moves slowly forwards, shading regions of towering hills, and threatning all the destructions of a thunder storm; all around is now still as death, not a whisper is heard, but a total inactivity and silence seems to pervade the earth; the birds afraid to utter a chirrup, and in low tremulous voices take leave of each other, seeking covert and safety; every insect is silenced, and nothing heard but the roaring of the approach|ing hurricane; the mighty cloud now expands its sable wings, extending from North to South, and is driven irresistibly on by the tumultuous winds, spreading his livid wings around the gloomy con|cave, armed with terrors of thunder and fiery shafts of lightning; now the lofty forests bend low beneath its fury, their limbs and wavy boughs are tossed about and catch hold of each other; the mountains tremble and seem to real about, and the ancient hills to be shaken to their foundations: the furious storm sweeps along, smoaking through the vale and over the resounding hills; the face of the earth is obscured by the deluge descending from the firmament, and I am deafened by the din of thunder; the tempestuous scene damps my spirits, and my horse sinks under me at the tremendous peals, as I hasten on for the plain.

THE storm abating, I saw an Indian hunting ca|bin

on the side of a hill, a very agreeable prospect, especially in my present condition; I made up to it and took quiet possession, there being no one to dispute it with me except a few bats and whip poor|wills, who had repaired thither for shelter from the violence of the hurricane.

HAVING turned out my horse in the sweet mea|dows adjoining, and finding some dry wood under shelter of the old cabin, I struck up a fire, dryed my clothes and comforted myself with a frugal re|past of biscuit and dried bees, which was all the food my viaticum afforded me by this time, except|ing a small piece of cheese which I had furnished myself with at Charleston and kept till this time.

THE night was clear, calm and cool, and I rest|ed quietly. Next morning at day break I was a|wakened and summoned to resume my daily task, by the shrill cries of the social night hawk and ac|tive merry mock-bird. By the time the rising sun had gilded the tops of the towering hills, the moun|tains and vales rang with the harmonious shouts of the pious and cheerful tenants of the groves and ••••eads.

I OBSERVED growing in great abundance in these mountain meadows, Sanguisorba Canadensis and Heracleum maximum, the latter exhibiting a fine shew, being rendered conspicuous even at a great distance, by its great height and spread, vast ••••••|natified leaves and expansive umbels of snow-white flowers; the swelling bases of the surrounding hills fronting the meadows, present, for my acceptance, the fragrant red strawberry, in painted beds of ma|ny acres surface, indeed I may safely say many hun|dreds.

AFTER passing through this meadow, the road led me over the bases of a ridge of hills, which as a bold 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dividing the fields I had just passed, form expansive green lawns. On these tow|ering hills appeared the ruins of the ancient famous town of Sticoe. Here was a vast Indian mount or tumalus and great terrace, on which stood the coun|cil house, with banks encompassing their circus; here were also old Peach and Plumb orchards, some of the trees appeared yet thriving and fruitful; presently after leaving these ruins, the vale and fields are divided by means of a spur of the moun|tains pushing forward; here likewise the road fork|ed, the left hand path continued up the mountains to the Overhill towns; I followed the vale to the right hand, and soon began again to ascend the hills, ri|ding several miles over very rough, stony land, yield|ing the like vegetable productions as heretofore; and descending again gradually, by a dubious wind|ing path, leading into a narrow vale and lawn, through which rolled on before me a delightful brook, water of the Tanase; I crossed it and con|tinued a mile or two down the meadows, when the high mountains on each side suddenly receding, dis|cover the opening of the extensive and fruitful vale of Cowe, through which meanders the head branch of the Tanase, almost from its source, sixty miles, following its course down to Cowe.

I LEFT the stream for a little while, passing swift|ly and foaming over its rocky bed, lashing the steep craggy banks, and then sudden'y sunk from my sight, murmuring hollow and deep under the rocky surface of the ground: on my right hand the•• vale expands, receiving a pretty silvery brook of water,

which came hastily down from the adjacent hills, and entered the river a little distance before me; I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 turn from the heights on my left, the road leading into the level lawns, to avoid the hollow rocky grounds, full of holes and cavities, arching over the river, through which the waters are seen gliding along, but the river is soon liberated from these solitary and gloomy recesses, and appears wa|ving through the green plain before me. I conti|nued several miles, pursuing my serpentine path, through and over the meadows and green fields, and crossing the river, which is here incredibly increased in size, by the continual accession of brooks flowing in from the hills on each side, dividing their green turfy beds, forming them into parterres, vis|tas and verdant swelling knolls, profusely produc|tive of flowers and fragrant strawberries, their rich juice dying my horses feet and ancles.

THESE swelling hills, the prolific beds on which the towering mountains repose, seem to have been the common situations of the towns of the acients, as appear from the remaining ruins of them yet to be seen; and the level rich vale and meadows in front, their planting grounds.

CONTINUING yet ten or twelve miles down the vale, my road leading at times close to the banks of the river, the Azalea, Kalmia, Rhododendron, Philadelphus, &c. beautifying his now elevated shores, and painting the coves with a rich and cheerful scenery, continually unfolding new pros|pects as I traverse the shores; the towering moun|tains seem continually in motion as I pass along, pompously rising their superb crests towards the lof|ty skies, traversing the far distant horizon.

THE Tanase is now greatly increased from the con|flux of the multitude of rivulets and brooks, de|scending from the hills on either side, generously contributing to establish his future fame, already a spacious river.

THE mountains recede, the vale expands, two beautiful rivulets stream down through lateral vales, gliding in serpentine mazes over the green turfy knolls, and enter the Tanase nearly opposite to each other. Strait forward the expansive green vale seems yet infinite: now on the right hand a lofty pyramidal hill terminates a spur of the adjacent mountain, and advances almost into the river; but immediately after doubling this promontory, an expanded wing of the vale spreads on my right, down which came precipitately, a very beautiful creek, which flowed into the river just before me; but now behold, high upon the side of a distant mountain overlooking the vale, the fountain of this brisk flowing creek; the uparalleled water fall ap|pears as a vast edifice with chrystal front, or a field of ice lying on the bosom of the hill.

I NOW approach the river at the fording place, which was greatly swolen by the floods of rain that fell the day before, and ran with foaming rapidi|ty, but observing that it had fell several feet per|pendicular, and perceiving the bottom or bed of the river to be level, and covered evenly with peb|bles, I ventured to cross over, however I was obli|ged to swim two or three yards at the deepest cha|nel of it, and landed safely on the banks of a fine meadow, which lay on the opposite shore, where I immediately ••lighted and spread abroad on the turf my linen, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and specimens of plants, &c. to dry, turned out my steed to graze and then avanced in|to

the strawberry plains to regale on the fragrant, delicious fruit, welcomed by communities of the splendid meleagris, the capricious roe-buck and all the free and happy tribes which possess and inhabit those prolific fields, who appeared to invite and join|ed with me in the participation of the bountiful re|past presented to us from the lap of nature.

I MOUNTED again and followed the trading path about a quarter of a mile through the fields, then gently ascended the green beds of the hills, and en|tered the forests, being a point of a chain of hills pro|jecting into the green vale or low lands of the ri|ver; this forest continued about a mile, the surface of the land level but rough, being covered with stones or fragments of rocks, and very large, smooth pebbles of various shapes and sizes, some of ten or fifteen pounds weight: I observed on each side of the road many vast heaps of these stones, Indian graves undoubtedly. * 1.6

AFTER I left the graves, the ample vale soon of|fered on my right hand, through the tall forest trees, charming views, and which exhibited a plea|sing contrast, immediately out of the gloomy shades and scenes of death, into expansive, lucid, green, flowery fields, expanding between retiring hills and turfy eminences, the rapid Tana•••• gliding through as a vast serpent rushing after his prey.

MY winding path now leads me again over the green fields into the meadows, sometimes visiting

the decorated banks of the river, as it meanders through the meadows, or boldy sweeps along the ba|ses of the mountains, its surface receiving the ima|ges reflected from the flowery banks above.

THUS was my agreeable progress for about fif|teen miles, since I came upon the sources of the Tanase, at the head of this charming vale: in the evening espying a human habitation at the foot of the sloping green hills, beneath lofty forests of the mountains on the left hand, and at the same time observed a man crossing the river from the oppo|site shore in a canoe and coming towards me, I wait|ed his approach, who hailing me, I answered I was for Cowe; he intreated me very civilly to call at his house, adding that he would presently come to me.

I WAS received and entertained here until next day with the most perfect civility. After I had di|ned, towards evening, a company of Indian girls, inhabitants of a village in the hills at a small dis|tance, called, having baskets of strawberries; and this man, who kept here a trading-house, and be|ing married to a Cherokee woman of family, was indulged to keep a stock of cattle, and his help|mate being an excellent house-wife and a very a|greeable good woman, treated us with cream and strawberries.

NEXT morning after breakfasting on excellent coffee, relished with bucanned venison, hot corn cakes, excellent butter and cheese, sat forwards a|gain for Cowe, which was about fifteen miles dis|tance, keeping the trading path which coursed through the low lands between the hills and the ri|ver, now spacious and well beaten by travellers,

but somewhat intricate to a stranger, from the fre|quent colateral roads falling into it from villages or towns over the hills: after riding about four miles, mostly through fields and plantations, the soil incredibly fertile, arrived at the town of E|choe, consisting of many good houses, well in|habited; I passed through and continued three miles farther to Nucasse, and three miles more brought me to Whatoga: riding through this large town, the road carried me winding about through their little plantations of Corn, Beans, &c. up to the coun|cil-house, which was a very large dome or ro••un|da, situated on the top of an ancient artificial mount, and here my road terminated; all before me and on every side appeared little plantations of young Corn, Beans, &c. divided from each other by narrow strips or borders of grass, which marked the bounds of each one's property, their habitation standing in the midst: finding no common high road to lead me through the town, I was now at a stand how to proceed farther, when observing an Indian man at the door of his habitation, three or four hundred yards distance from me, beckoning to come to him, I ventured to ride through their lots, be|ing careful to do no injury to the young plants, the rising hopes of their labour and industry, cross|ed a little grassy vale watered by a silver stream, which gently undulated through, then ascended a green hill to the house, where I was cheerfully welcomed at the door and led in by the chief, gi|ving the care of my horse to two handsome youths, his sons. During my continuance here, about half an hour, I experienced the most perfect and agree|able hospitality conferred on me by these happy peo|ple; I mean happy in their dispositions, in their ap|prehensions of rectitude with regard to our social

or moral conduct: O divine simplicity and truth, friendship without fallacy or guile, hospitality disin|terested, native, undefiled, unmodifyed by artifici|al refinements.

MY venerable host gracefully and with an air of respect, led me into an airy, cool apartment, where being seated on cabins, his women brought in a re|freshing repast, consisting of sodden venison, hot corn cakes, &c. with a pleasant cooling liquor made of hommony well boiled, mixed afterwards with milk; this is served up either before or after eat|ing in a large bowl; with a very large spoon or la|dle to sup it with.

AFTER partaking of this simple but healthy and liberal collation and the dishes cleared off, Tobac|co and pipes were brought, and the chief filling one of them, whose stem, about four feet long, was sheathed in a beautiful speckled snake skin, and a|dorned with feathers and strings of wampum, lights it and smoaks a few whiffs, puffing the smoak first towards the sun, then to the four cardinal points and lastly over my breast, hands it towards me, which I cheerfully received from him and smoaked, when we fell into conversation; he first enquired if I came from Charleston? if I knew John Stewart, Esq.? how long since I left Charleston? &c. Having sa|tisfied him in my answers in the best manner I could, he was greatly pleased, which I was convinced of by his attention to me, his cheerful manners and his ordering my horse a plentiful bait of corn, which last instance of respect is conferred on those only to whom they manifest the highest esteem, saying that corn was given by the Great Spirit only for food to man.

I ACQUAINTED this ancient prince and patriarch of the nature and design of my peregrinations, and that I was now for Cowe, but having lost my road in the town, requested that I might be informed. He cheerfully replied, that he was pleased I was come in their country, where I should meet with friendship and protection and that he would him|self lead me into the right path.

AFTER ordering my horse to the door we went forth together, he on foot and I leading my horse by the bridle, thus walking together near two miles, we shook hands and parted, he returning home and I continuing my journey for Cowe.

THIS prince is the chief of Whatoga, a man uni|versally beloved, and particularly esteemed by the whites for his pacific and equitable disposition, and revered by all for his exemplary virtues, just, mo|derate, magnanimous and intrepid.

HE was tall and perfectly formed; his counte|nance cheerful and lofty and at the same time tru|ly characteristic of the red men, that is, the brow ferocious and the eye active, piercing or fiery, as an eagle. He appeared to be about sixty years of age, yet upright and muscular, and his limbs active as youth.

AFTER leaving my princely friend, I travelled a|bout five miles through old plantations, now under grass, but appeared to have been planted the last season; the soil exceeding fertile, loose, black, deep and fat. I arrived at Cowe about noon; this set|tlement is esteemed the capital town; it is situated on the bases of the hills on both sides of the river, near to its bank, and here terminates the great vale

of Cowe, exhibiting one of the most charming na|tural mountainous landscapes perhaps any where to be seen; ridges of hills rising grand and sublime|ly one above and beyond another, some boldly and majestically advancing into the verdent plain, their feet bathed with the silver flood of the Tana|se, whilst others far distant, veiled in blue mists, sub|limely mount aloft, with yet greater majesty lift up their pompous crests and overlook vast regions.

THE vale is closed at Cowe by a ridge of mighty hills, called the Jore mountain, said to be the high|est land in the Cherokee country, which crosses the Tanase here.

ON my arrival at this town I waited on the gen|tlemen to whom I was recommended by letter, and was received with respect and every demonstra|tion of hospitality and friendship.

I TOOK my residence with Mr. Galahan the chief trader here, an ancient respectable man who had been many years a trader in this country, and is esteemed and beloved by the Indians for his hu|manity, probity and equitable dealings with them, which to be just and candid I am obliged to ob|serve (and blush for my countrymen at the recital) is somewhat of a prodigy, as it is a fact, I am afraid too true, that the white traders in their commerce with the Indians, give great and frequent occasions of complaint of their dishonesty and violence; but yet there are a few exceptions, as in the conduct of this gentleman, who furnishes a living instance of the truth of the old proverb, that "Honesty is the best policy," for this old honest Hibernian has often been protected by the Indians, when all others round

about him have been ruined, their property seized and themselves driven out of the country or slain by the injured, provoked natives.

NEXT day after my arrival I crossed the river in a canoe, on a visit to a trader who resided amongst the habitations on the other shore.

AFTER dinner, on his mentioning some curious scenes amongst the hills, some miles distance from the river, we agreed to spend the afternoon in ob|servations on the mountains.

AFTER riding near two miles through Indian plan|tations of Corn, which was well cultivated, kept clean of weeds and was well advanced, being near eighteen inches in height, and the Beans planted at the Corn-hills were above ground; we leave the fields on our right, turning towards the mountains and ascending through a delightful green vale or lawn, which conducted us in amongst the pyrami|dal hills and crossing a brisk flowing creek, mean|dering through the meads which continued near two miles, dividing and branching in amongst the hills; we then mounted their steep ascents, rising gradually by ridges or steps one above another, fre|quently crossing narrow, fertile dales 〈◊〉〈◊〉 we ascend|ed; the air feels cool and animating, being charg|ed with the fragrant breath of the mountain beau|ties, the blooming mountain cluster Rose, blushing Rhododendron and fair Lilly of the valley: having now attained the summit of this very elevated ridge, we enjoyed a fine prospect indeed; the enchanting Vale of Keowe, perhaps as celebrated for fertility, fruitfulness and beautiful prospects as the Fields of Pharsalia or the Vale of Tempe: the town, the elevated peeks of the Jore mountains, a very dis|tant

prospect of the Jore village in a beautiful lawn, lifted up many thousand feet higher than our pre|sent situation, besides a view of many other villa|ges and settlements on the sides of the mountains, at various distances and elevations; the silver rivu|lets gliding by them and snow white cataracts glim|mering on the sides of the lofty hills; the bold pro|montories of the Jore mountain stepping into the Tanase river, whilst his foaming waters rushed be|tween them.

AFTER viewing this very entertaining scene we began to descend the mountain on the other side, which exhibited the same order of gradations of ridges and vales as on our ascent, and at length rest|ed on a very expansive, fertile plain, amidst the tow|ering hills, over which we rode a long time, through magnificent high forests, extensive green fields, meadows and lawns. Here had formerly been a very flourishing settlement, but the Indians desert|ed it in search of fresh planting land, which they soon found in a rich vale but a few miles distance over a ridge of hills. Soon after entering on these charming, sequestered, prolific fields, we came to a fine little river, which crossing, and riding over fruitful strawberry beds and green lawns, on the sides of a circular ridge of hills in front of us, and going round the bases of this promontory, came to a fine meadow on an arm of the vale, through which meandered a brook, its humid vapours bedewing the fragrant strawberries which hung in heavy red clus|ters over the grassy verge; we crossed the rivulet, then rising a sloping, green, turfy ascent, alighted on the borders of a grand forest of stately trees, which we penetrated on foot a little distance to a horse-stamp, where was a large squadron of those

useful creatures, belonging to my friend and com|panion, the trader, on the sight of whom they as|sembled together from all quarters; some at a dis|tance saluted him with shrill neighings of gratitude, or came prancing up to lick the salt out of his hand; whilst the younger and more timorous came gal|loping onward, but coyly wheeled off, and fetching a circuit stood aloof, but as soon as their lord and master strewed the chrystaline salty bait on the hard beaten ground, they all, old and young, docile and timorous, soon formed themselves in ranks and fell to licking up the delicious morsel.

IT was a fine sight; more beautiful creatures I never saw; there were of them of all colours, si|zes and dispositions. Every year as they become of age he sends off a troop of them down to Charleston, where they are sold to the highest bid|der.

HAVING paid our attention to this useful part of the creation, who, if they are under our dominion, have consequently a right to our protection and fa|vour. We returned to our trusty servants that were regaling themselves in the exuberant sweet pastures and strawberry fields in sight, and mounted again; proceeding on our return to town, continu|ed through part of this high forest skirting on the meadows; began to ascend the hills of a ridge which we were under the necessity of crossing, and having gained its summit, enjoyed a most enchanting view, a vast expanse of green meadows and strawberry fields; a meandering river gliding through, salu|ting in its various turnings the swelling, green, tur|fy knolls, embellished with parterres of flowers and fruitful strawberry beds; flocks of turkies strolling about them; herds of deer prancing in the meads

or bounding over the hills; companies of young innocent Cherokee virgins, some busily gathering the rich fragrant fruit, others having already filled their baskets, lay reclined under the shade of flori|ferous and fragrant native bowers of Magnolia, A|zalea, Philadelphus, perfumed Calycanthus, sweet Yellow Jessamine and cerulian Glycine frutescens, disclosing their beauties to the fluttering breeze, and bathing their limbs in the cool fleeting streams; whilst other parties, more gay and libertine, were yet collecting strawberries or wantonly chasing their companions, tantalising them, staining their lips and cheeks with the rich fruit.

THIS sylvan scene of primitive innocence was en|chanting, and perhaps too enticing for hearty young men long to continue idle spectators.

IN fine, nature prevailing over reason, we wish|ed at least to have a more active part in their deli|cious sports. Thus precipitately resolving, we cau|tiously made our approaches, yet undiscovered, al|most to the joyous scene of action. Now, although we meant no other than an innocent frolic with this gay assembly of hamadryades, we shall leave it to the person of feeling and sensibility to form an idea to what lengths our passions might have hurried us, thus warmed and excited, had it not been for the vigilance and care of some envious matrons who lay in ambush, and espying us gave the alarm, time enough for the nymphs to rally and assemble toge|ther; we however pursued and gained ground on a group of them, who had incautiously strolled to a greater distance from their guardians, and finding their retreat now like to be cut off, took shelter under cover of a little grove, but on perceiving themselves to be discovered by us, kept their stati|on,

on, peeping through the bushes; when observing our approaches, they confidently discovered them|selves and decently advanced to meet us, half un|veiling their blooming faces, incarnated with the modest maiden blush, and with native innocence and cheerfulness, presented their little baskets, merri|ly telling us their fruit was ripe and sound.

WE accepted a basket, sat down and regaled our|selves on the delicious fruit, encircled by the whole assembly of the innocently jocose sylvan nymphs; by this time the several parties under the conduct of the elder matrons, had disposed themselves in compa••ies on the green turfy banks.

MY young companion, the trader, by concessions and suitable apologies for the bold intrusion, having compromised the matter with them, engaged them to bring their collections to his house at a stipulated price, we parted friendly.

AND now taking leave of these Elysian fields, we again mounted the hills, which we crossed, and traversing obliquely their flowery beds, arrived in town in the cool of the evening.

CHAP. IV.

AFTER waiting two days at Cowe expecting a guide and protector to the Over hill towns, and at last being disappointed, I resolved to pursue the journey alone, though against the advice of the traders; the Overhill Indians being in an ill humour with the whites, in consequence of some late skir|mishes between them and the frontier Virginians, most of the Overhill traders having left the nation.

EARLY in the morning I sat off attended by my worthy old friend Mr. Gallahan, who obligingly ac|companied me near fifteen miles, we passed through the Jore village, which is pleasingly situated in a little vale on the side of the mountain, a pretty ri|vulet or creek winds about through the vale, just under the village; here I observed a little grove of the Casine yapon, which was the only place I had seen it grow in the Cherokee country, the In|dians call it the beloved tree, and are very careful to keep them pruned and cultivated, they drink a very strong infusion of the leaves, buds and tender branches of this plant, which is so celebrated, indeed venerated by the Creeks, and all the Southern ma|ritime nations of Indians; then continued travel|ling down the vale about two miles, the road de|viating, turning and winding about the hills, and through groves and lawns, watered by brooks and rivulets, rapidly rushing from the towering hill on

every side, and flowing into the Jore, which is a considerable branch of the Tanase.

BEGAN now to ascend the mountain, following a small arm or branch of the vale, which led to a gap or narrow defile, compressed by the high pen|ding hills on each side, down which came rapidly a considerable branch of the Jore, dashing and roar|ing over rocky precipices.

NOW leaving Roaring creek on our right and accomplishing two or three ascents or ridges, ano|ther branch of the trading path from the Overhills to Cowe came in on our ••ight, and here my tran|sitory companion Mr. Gallahan parted from me, taking this road back to Cowe, when I was left a|gain wandering alone in the dreary mountains, not indeed totally pathless, nor in my present situation entirely agreeable, although such scenes of primi|tive unmodified nature always pleased me.

MAY we suppose that mankind feel in their hearts, a predilection for the society of each other; or are we delighted with scenes of human arts and culti|vation, where the passions are flattered and enter|tained with variety of objects for gratification?

I FOUND myself unable notwithstanding the at|tentive admonitions and pursuasive arguments of reason, entirely to e••ase from my mind, those im|pressions which I had received from the society of the amiable and polite inhabitants of Charleston; and I could not help comparing my present situation in some degree to Nebuchadnezzar's, when expe••led from the society of men, and constrained to roam in the mountains and wilderness, there to herd and feed with the wild beasts of the forest.

AFTER parting with my late companion, I went forward with all the alacrity that prudence would admit of, that I might as soon as possible see the end of my toil and hazard, being determined at all events to cross the Jore mountain; said to be the highest land in the Cherokee country.

AFTER to gentle descent I entered on an extreme stony narrow vale, through which coasted swiftly a large creek, twelve or fifteen yards wide, roaring over a rocky bed, which I crossed with difficulty and danger; the ford being incommoded by the li|ving rocks, full of holes and cliffs; after leaving this rocky creek my path led me upon another narrow vale or glade, down which came in great haste another noisy brook, which I repeatedly cross|ed and rocrossed, sometimes riding on narrow level grassy verges close to its banks, still ascending, the vale gradually terminated, being shut up by stu|pendous rocky hills on each side, leaving a very narrow gap or defile, towards which my road led me, ascending the steep sides of the mountains, when, after rising several wearisome ascents, and finding myself over heated and tired, I halted at a little grassy lawn through which meandered a sweet rivulet; here I turned my horse to graze, and sat down to rest on a green bank just beneath a high frowning promontory, or obtuse point of a ridge of the mountain yet above me, the friendly rivulet making a circuit by my feet, and now a little rest|ed, I took out of my wallet some biscuit and cheese, and a piece of neat's tongue, composing myself to ••ase and refreshment; when suddenly appeared within a few yards, advancing towards me from behind the point, a stout likely young Indian fellow, armed with a rifle gun, and two dogs attending,

upon sight of me he stood, and seemed a little surpri|sed, as I was very much; but instantly recollecting himself and assuming a countenance of benignity and cheerfulness, came briskly to me and shook hands heartily; and smilingly enquired from whence I came, and whither going, but speaking only in the Cherokee tongue, our conversation was not conti|nued to a great length. I presented him with some choice Tobacco, which was accepted with courtesy and evident pleasure, and to my enquires concern|ing the roads and distace to the Overhill towns, he answered me with perfect cheerfulness and good temper; we then again shook hands and parted in friendship, he descended the hills, singing as he went.

OF vegetable productions observed in this region, were the following viz. A••er striatum, A••. rubrum, Juglans nigra, Jug. alba, Jug. Hickory, Magnolia acuminata, Quercus alba, Q. tinctoria, Q. rubra, Q. prinus, with the other varieties common in Vir|ginia: Panax ginseng, Angelica lu••ida, Convalaria majalis, Halesia, Stewartia, Styrax, Staphylea, Evo|ni••nus, Viburnum, Cornus Florida, Botula nigra, Morus, Telea, Ulmus, Fraxinus, Hopea tinctorea, Annona, Bignonia sempervirens, Ari••talocha frute|scens, Bignonia radicans, &c. B••ing now refresh|ed by a simple but healthy meal, I began again to ascend the Jore mountains, which I at length ac|complished, and rested on the most elevated peak; from whence I beheld with rapture and astonish|ment, a sublimely awful scene of power and mag|nificence, a world of mountains piled upon moun|tains. Having contemplated this amazing prospect of grandeur, I descended the pinnacles, and again falling into the trading path, continued gently de|scending through a grassy plain, scatteringly planted

with large trees, and at a distance surrounded with high forests, I was on this elevated region sensible of an alteration in the air, from warm to cold, and found that vegetation was here greatly behind, in plants of the same kind of the country below: for instance, when I left Charleston, the yellow Jas|mine was rather past the blooming days, and here the buds were just beginning to swell, though some were in bloom: continued more than a mile through this elevated plain to the pitch of the mountain, from whence presented to view an expansive pros|pect, exhibiting scenes of mountainous landscape, Westward vast and varied, perhaps not to be ex|ceeded any where.

MY first descent and progress down the West side of the mountain was remarkably gradual, easy and pleasant, through grassy open forests for the distance of two or three miles; when my changeable path suddenly turned round an obtuse point of a ridge, and descended precipitately down a steep rocky hill for a mile or more, which was very toublesome, being incommoded with shattered fragments of the mountains, and in other places with boggy sinks, occasioned by oozy springs and rills stagnate sinking in miceous earth; some of these steep soft rocky banks or precipices seem to be continually crumbling to earth; and in these mouldering cliffs I disco|vered veins or stratas of most pure and clear white earth * 1.7, having a faint bluish or pearl colour gleam, somewhat exhibiting the appearance of the little cliffs or wavy crests of new fallen snowdrifts; we likewise observe in these dissolving rocky cliffs, veins of isinglass, (Mica. S. vitrum Muscoviticum) some

of the flakes or laminae incredibly large, entire and transparent, and would serve the purpose of lights for windows very well, or for lanthorns; and here appeared stratas of black lead (stibium.)

AT length, after much toil and exercise, I was a little releived by a narrow grassy vale or lawn at the foot of this steep descent, through which coursed along a considerable rapid brook, on whose banks grew in great perfection the glorious Mag|nolia auriculata, together with the other conspicu|ous flowering and aromatic shrubs already menti|oned; and I observed here in the rich bottoms near the creek, a new species of Hydrastis, having very large sinuated leaves and white flowers: after this I continued several miles over ridges and grassy vales, watered with delightful rivulets.

NEXT day proceeding on eight or ten miles, ge|nerally through spacious high forests and flowery lawns; the soil prolific, being of an excellent qua|lity for agriculture; came near the banks of a large creek or river, where this high forest ended on my left hand, the trees became more scattered and in|sensibly united with a grassy glade or lawn border|ing on the river; on the opposite bank of which appeared a very extensive forest, consisting entire|ly of the Hemlock spruce (P. abies) almost encir|cled by distant ridges of lofty hills.

SOON after crossing this large branch of the Ta|nase, I observed descending the heights at some distance, a company of Indians, all well mount|ed on horse back; they came rapidly forward; on their nearer approach I observed a chief at the head of the carravan, and apprehending him to be the Little Carpenter, emperor or grand chief of the

Cherokees; as they came up I turned off from the path to make way, in token of respect, which com|pliment was accepted and gratefully and magnani|mously returned, for his highness with a gracious and cheerful smile came up to me, and clapping his hand on his breast, offered it to me, saying, I am Ata-cul-culla, and heartily shook hands with me, and asked me if I knew it: I answered that the Good Spirit w••o goes before me spoke to me, and said, that is the great Ata-cul-culla, and added that I was of the tribe of white men, of Pennsylvania, who esteem themselves brothers and friends to the red men, but particularly so to the Cherokees, and that notwithstanding we dwelt at so great a dis|tance we were united in love and friendship, and that the name of Ata-cul-culla was dear to his white brothers of Pennsylvania.

AFTER this compliment, which seemed to be ac|ceptable, he enquired if I came lately from Charles|ton, and if John Stewart was well, saying that he was going to see him; I replied that I came late|ly from Charleston on a friendly visit to the Chero|kees; that I had the honour of a personal acquain|tance with the superintendant, the beloved man, who I saw well but the day before I sat off, and who, by letters to the principal white men in the nation, recommended me to the friendship and pro|tection of the Cherokees: to which the great chief was pleased to answer very respectfully, that I was welcome in their country as a friend and brother; and then shaking hands heartily bid me farewell, and his retinue confirmed it by an united voice of assent. After giving my name to the chief, request|ing my compliments to the superintendant, the em|peror moved, continuing his journey for Charles|ton,

and I yet persisting in my intentions of visiting the Overhill towns continued on; leaving the great forest I mounted the high hills, descending them again on the other side and so on repeatedly for several miles, without observing any variation in the natural productions since passing the Jore; and observing the slow progress of vegetation in this mountainous, high country; and, upon serious con|sideration, it appeared very plainly that I could not, with entire safely, range the Overhill settlements until the treaty was over, which would not come on till late in June, I suddenly came to a resoluti|on to defer these researches at this time, and leave them for the employment of another season and a more favourable opportunity, and return to Dart|mouth in Georgia, to be ready to join a company of adventurers who were to set off in July for Mo|bile in West Florida. The leader of this company had been recommended to me as a fit person to a|sist me on so long and hazardous a journey, through the vast territories of the Creeks.

THEREFORE next day I turned about on my re|turn, proceeding moderately, being engaged in no|ting such objects as appeared to be of any moment, and collecting specimens, and in the evening of next day arrived again at Cowe.

NEXT morning Mr. Galahan conducted me to the chief of Cowe, who d••ring absence had return|ed from the chace. The remainder of this day I spent in observations in and about the town, re|viewing my specimens, &c.

THE town of Cowe consists of about one hundred dwellings, near the banks of the Tanase, on both sides of the river.

THE Cherokees construct their habitations on a different plan from the Creeks, that is but one ob|long four square building, of one story high; the materials consisting of logs or trunks of trees, strip|ped of their bark, notched at their ends, fixed one upon another, and afterwards plaistered well, both inside and out, with clay well tempered with dry grass, and the whole covered or roofed with the bark of the Chesnut tree or long broad shingles. This building is however partitioned transversely, forming three apartments, which communicate with each other by inside doors; each house or habita|tion has besides a little conical house, covered with dirt, which is called the winter or hot-house; this stands a few yards distance from the mansion-house, opposite the front door.

THE council or town-house is a large rotunda, capable of accommodating several hundred people; it stands on the top of an ancient artificial mount of earth, of about twenty feet perpendicular, and the rotunda on the top of it being above thirty feet more, gives the whole fabric an elevation of about sixty feet from the common surface of the ground. But it may be proper to observe, that this mount on which the rotunda stands, is of a much ancient|er date than the building, and perhaps was ••ai••ed for another purpose. The Cherokees themselves are as ignorant as we are, by what people or for what purpose these artificial hills were raised; they have various stories concerning them, the best of which amounts to no more than mere conjecture, and leave us entirely in the dark; but they have a tradition common with the other nations of Indians, that they found them in much the same condition as they now appear, when their forefathers arrived

from the West and possessed themselves of the coun|try, after vanquishing the nations of red men who then inhabited it, who themselves found these mounts when they took possession of the country, the former possessors delivering the same story con|cerning them: perhaps they were designed and a|propriated by the people who constructed them, to some religious purpose, as great altars and temples similar to the high places and sacred groves anci|ently amongst the Canaanites and other nations of Palestine and Judea.

THE rotunda is constructed after the following manner, they first fix in the ground a circular range of posts or trunks of trees, about six feet high, at equal distances, which are not••hed at top, to receive into them, from one to another, a range of beams or wall plates; within this is another cir|cular order of very large and strong pillars, above twelve feet high, notched in like manner at top, to receive another range of wall plates, and within this is yet another or third range of stronger and higher pillars, but fewer in number, and standing at a greater distance from each other; and lastly, in the centre stands a very strong pillar, which forms the pinnacle of the building, and to which the raf|ters centre at top; these rafters are strengthened and bound together by cross beams and laths, which sustain the roof or covering, which is a layer of bark neatly placed, and tight enough to exclude the rain, and sometimes they cast a thin superficies of earth over all. There is but one large door, which serves at the same time to admit light from without and the smoak to escape when a fire is kin|dled; but as there is but a small fire kept, suffici|ent to give light at night, and that fed with dry

small sound wood divested of its bark, there is but little smoak; all around the inside of the building, betwixt the second range of pillars and the wall, is a range of cabins or sophas, consisting of two or three steps, one above or behind the other, in the|atrical order, where the assembly sit or lean down; these sophas are covered with matts or carpets, ve|ry curiously made of thin splints of Ash or Oak, woven or platted together; near the great pillar in the centre the fire is kindled for light, near which the musicians seat themselves, and round about this the performers exhibit their dances and other shews at public festivals, which happen almost every night throughout the year.

ABOUT the close of the evening I accompanied Mr. Galahan and other white traders to the rotun|da, where was a grand festival, music and dancing. This assembly was held principally to rehearse the ball-play dance, this town being challenged to play against another the next day.

THE people being assembled and seated in order, and the musicians having taken their station, the ball opens, first with a long harangue or oration, spoken by an aged chief, in commendation of the manly exercise of the ball-play, recounting the ma|ny and brilliant victories which the town of Cowe had gained over the other towns in the nation, not forgetting or neglecting to recite his own exploits, together with th••••e of other aged men now pre|sent, coadjutors in the performance of these ath|letic games in their youthful days.

THIS oration was delivered with great spirit and eloquence, and was meant to influence the passions

of the young men present, excite them to emulati|on and inspire them with ambition.

THIS prologue being at an end, the musicians be|gan, both vocal and instrumental, when presently a company of girls, hand in hand, dressed in clean white robes and ornamented with beads, bracelets and a profusion of gay ribbands, entering the door, immediately began to sing their responses in a gentle, low and sweet voice, and formed themselves in a semicircular file or line, in two ranks, back to back, facing the spectators and musicians, moving slowly round and round; this continued about a quarter of an hour, when we were surprised by a sudden very loud and shrill whoop, uttered at once by a company of young fellows, who came in briskly after one another, with rackets or hurls in one hand. These champions likewise were well dressed, paint|ed and ornamented with silver bracelets, gorgets and wampum, neatly ornamented with moccasins and high waving plumes in their diadems, who immedi|ately formed themselves in a semicircular rank al|so, in front of the girls, when these changed their order, and formed a single rank parallel to the men, raising their voices in responses to the tunes of the young champions, the semicircles continually moving round. There was something singular and divert|ing in their step and motions, and I imagine not to be learned to exactness but with great attention and perseverance; the step, if it can be so termed, was performed after the following manner, i. e. first, the motion began at one end of the semicir|cle, gently rising up and down upon their toes and heels alternately, when the first was up on tip-toe, the next began to raise the heel, and by the time the first rested again on the heel, the second was

on tip toe, thus from one end of the rank to the o|ther, so that some were always up and some down, alternately and regularly, without the least baulk or c••••fusion; and they at the same time, and in the same motion, moved on obliquely or sideways, so that the circle performed a double or complex mo|tion in its progression, and at stated times exhibit|ed a grand or universal movement, instantly and unexpectedly to the spectators, by each rank turn|ing to right and left, taking each others places; the movements were managed with inconceivable alertness and address, and accompanied with an in|stantaneous and universal elevation of the voice and shrill short whoop.

THE Cherokees besides the ball play dance, have a variety of others equally entertaining; the men especially exercise themselves with a variety of ges|ticulations and capers, some of which are ludicrous and diverting enough; and they have others which are of the martial order, and others of the chace; these seem to be somewhat of a tragical nature, wherein they exhibit astonishing feats of military prowess, masculine strength and activity. Indeed all their dances and musical entertainments seem to be theatrical exhibitions or plays, varied with co|mic and sometimes lascivious interludes; the wo|men however conduct themselves with a very be|coming grace and decency, insomuch that in amor|ous interludes, when their responses and gestures seem consenting to natural liberties, they veil them|selves, just discovering a glance of their sparkling eyes and blushing faces, expressive of sensibility.

NEXT morning early I sat off on my return, and meeting with no material occurrences on the road, in two days arrived safe at Keowe, where I tarried two or three days, employed in augmenting my

collections of specimens, and waiting for Mr. Ga|lahan who was to call on me here, to accompany him to Sinica, where he and other traders where to meet Mr. Cameron, the deputy commissary, who were to hold a congress at that town, with the chiefs of the Lower Cherokees, to consult preliminaries in|troductory to a general congress and treaty with these Indians, which was to be convened next June, and held in the Overhill towns.

I OBSERVED in the environs of Keowe, on the bases of the rocky hills, immediately ascending from the low grounds near the river bank, a great number of very singular antiquities, the work of the ancients; they seem to me to have been altars for sacrifice or sepulchres; they were constructed of four slat stones, two set on an edge for the sides, one closed one end, and a very large flat one lay ho|rizontally at top, so that the other end was open; this fabric was four or five feet in length, two feet high and three in width. I enquired of the trader what they were, who could not tell me certainly, but supposed them to be ancient Indian ovens; the In|dians can give no account of them: they are on the surface of the ground and are of different di|mensions.

I ACCOMPANIED the traders to Sinica, where we found the commissary and the Indian chiefs conven|ed in counsel; continued at Sinica sometime, em|ploying myself in observations and making collec|tions of every thing worthy of notice; and finding the Indians to be yet unsettled in their determina|tion and not in a good humour, I abandoned the project of visiting the regions beyond the Cherokee mountains for this season; sat off for my return to fort James Dartmouth, lodged this night in the

forests near the banks of a delightful large creek, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Keowe river, and next day arrived safe at Dartmouth.

List of the towns and villages in the Cherokee na|tion inhabited at this day, viz.

No.	1 Echoe	On the Tanase East of the Jore mountains. 4 towns.
	2 Nuc••sse
	3 Whatoga
	4 Cowe
	5 Ticoloosa	Inland on the branches of the Tanase. 4 towns.
	6 Jore
	7 Conisca
	8 Nowe
	9 Tomothle	On the Tanase over the Jore mountains. 8 towns.
	10 Noewe
	11 Tellico
	12 Clennuse
	13 Ocunnolufte
	14 Chewe
	15 Quanuse
	16 Tellowe
	17 Tellico	Inland towns on the branches of the Tanase and other waters over the Jore mountains. 5 towns.
	18 Chatuga
	19 Hiwasse
	20 Chewase
	21 Nuanha
	22 Tallase	Overhill towns on the Tanase or Cherokee river. 6 towns.
	23 Chelowe
	24 Sette
	25 Chote great
	26 Joco
	27 Tahasse

	28 Tam••hle	Overhill towns on the Tanase or Cherokee river. 5 towns.
	29 Tusk••ge
	30—Big Island
	31 Nilaque
	32 Niowe

Lower towns East of the mountains, viz.

No.	1 Sinica	On the Savanna or Keowe river.
	2 Keowe
	3 Kulsage
	4 Tugilo	On Tugilo river.
	5 Estotowe
	6 Qualatche	On Flint river.
7 Chote

Towns on the waters of other rivers. Estotowe great. Allagae. Jore. Nae oche.

In all forty-three towns.

CHAP. V.

BEING returned from the Cherokee country to Dartmouth, I understood that the company of adventurers for West Florida were very forward in their preparations, and would be ready to set off in a few weeks, so that I had but a little time al|lowed me to make provision and equip myself for the prosecution of so long and hazardous a journey.

OUR place of rendezvous was at fort Charlotte, on the opposite side of the river Savanna, and a|bout a mile from fort James. Having a desire to make little botanical excursions towards the head of Broad river, in order to collect some curiosities which I had observed thereabouts, which being ac|complished,

JUNE 22d set out from fort Charlotte in company with Mr. Whitfield, who was chief of our caravan. We travelled about twenty miles and lodged at the farm of Mons. St. Pierre, a French gentleman, who received and entertained us with great politeness and hospitality. The mansion-house is situated on the top of a very high hill near the banks of the river Savanna, which overlooks his very extensive and well cultivated plantations of Indian Corn (Zea) Rice, Wheat, Oats, Indigo, Convolvulus Batata, &c. these are rich low lands, lying very level betwixt these natural heights and the river; his gardens occupy the gentle descent on one side of the mount, and a very thriving vineyard consisting of about five acres on the other side,

NEXT morning after breakfast we sat off again, continuing nine or ten miles farther down the river, when we stopped at a plantation, the property of one of our companions, where we were joined by the rest of the company. After dining here we prepa|red to depart, and the gentleman of the house ta|king an affectionate leave of his wife and children, we sat off again, and proceeding six miles farther down the river, we crossed over into Georgia, ta|king a road which led us into the great trading path from Augusta to the Creek nation. As the soil, situation and productions of these parts, for several days journey, differ very little from the Northern districts of Georgia, already recited, when on the survey of the New Purchase, I apprehend it needless to enter again into a detail of particulars, since it would produce but little more than a recapitula|tion of that journey.

EARLY in the evening of the 27th we arrived at the Flat rock, where we lodged. This is a com|mon rendezvous or camping place for traders and Indians. It is an expansive clean flat or horizontal rock, but a little above the surface of the ground, and near the banks of a delightful rivulet or excel|lent water which is one of the head branches of Great Ogeche: in the loose, rich soil verging round this rock, grew several very curious herbaceous plants, particularly one of singular elegance and beauty, which I take to be a species of Ipomea (Ipomea, caule erect••, ramoso, tripedali, fol. radicalious, pinnatisidis, liniarious, humi-stratis, florib. incarna|tis intus maculis co••••ina••is adsperso.) It grows e|rect, three feet high, with a strong stem, which is decorated with plumed or pinnatisid liniar leaves, somewhat resembling those of the Delphinium or

Ipomea quamoclet; from about one half its length upwards, it sends out on all sides, ascendent branch|es which divide again and again; these terminate with large tubular or funnel formed flowers; their limbs equally divided into five segments; these beautiful flowers are of a perfect rose colour, ele|gantly besprinkled on the inside of their petals with crimson specks; the flowers are in great abundance and together with the branches and delicately fine cut leaves, compose a conical spike or compound pannicle. I saw a species of this plant, if not the very same, growing on the sea coast islands near St. Augustine. The blue flowered Malva and Del|phinium were its associates about the Flat-rock.

THERE are extensive Cane brakes or Cane mea|dows spread abroad round about, which afford the most acceptable and nourishing food for cattle.

THIS evening two companies of Indian traders from Augusta arrived and encamped near us; and as they were bound to the Nation, we conclud|ed to unite in company with them, they generously offering us their assistance, having many spare hors|es and others lightly loaded, several of ours by this time being jaded, this was a favourable oppor|tunity of relief in case of necessity.

NEXT morning, as soon as the horses were pack|ed and in readiness, we decamped and set forward together.

I THOUGHT it worthy of taking notice of a sin|gular method the traders make use of reduce the wild young horses to their hard duty. When any one persists in refusing to receive his load, if threats,

the discipline of the whip and other common abuse prove insufficient, after being haltered, a pack-horse|man catches the tip end of one of his ears betwixt his teeth and pinches it, when instantly the furious strong creature, trembling, stands perfectly still un|til he is loaded.

OUR caravan consisting of about twenty men and sixty horses, we made a formidable appear|ance, having now little to apprehend from preda|tory bands or out-laws.

THIS day's journey was for the most part over high gravelly ridges, and on the most elevated hills appeared emerging out of the earth, rocky cliffs of a dark reddish brown colour; their composition seemed to be a coarse, sandy, ferruginous concrete, but so firmly cemented as to constitute a perfect hard stone or rock, and appeared to be excavated or worn into cavities and furrows by the violence of the dash|ing billows and rapid currents of the ocean, which heretofore probably washed them; there were how|ever strata or veins in these rocks, of a finer com|position and compact consistence, and seemed pon|derous, rich iron ore. A little depth below the sandy, gravelly surface lies a stratum of very com|pact reddish yellow clay and fragments of ochre. The trees and shrubs common on these gravelly ridges are as follows, Diospyros, Qoerous rubra, Q. nigra, Q. tinctoria or great Black Oak, Q. alba, Q. lobata, p••st White Oak, Q. incana, ••oliis ovali|bus integerrimis subtus incanis, Pinus lutea, Pinus taeda, foliis geminatis et trinis, strobilo ovato bre|vi, cortice rimoso, Pinus palustris, foliis trinis lon|gissimis, strobilo elongato, Cornus Florida, Andro|meda arborea, Nyss•• sylvatica, Juglans hickory, Prunus padus, &c. Of herbacia, Solidago, Eupa|torium,

Sylphium, Rudbeckia, Gerardia, Asclepias, Agave Virginica, Eryngium, Thapsia, Euphorbia, Polymnia, &c.

IN the course of this day's journey we crossed two considerable rivulets, running swiftly over roc|ky beds. There is some very good land on the gra|dual descents of the ridges and their bottoms bor|dering on creeks, and very extensive grassy savan|nas and Cane meadows always in view on one hand or the other. At evening we came to camp on the banks of a beautiful creek, a branch of Great Oge|che, called Rocky Comfort, where we found ex|cellent accommodations, here being pleasant gras|sy open plains to spread our beds upon, environed with extensive Cane meadows, affording the best of food for our quadrupeds.

THE next day's journey led us over a level dis|trict; the land generally very fertile and of a good quality for agriculture, the vegetable surface being of a dark, loose, rich mould, on a stratum of stiff reddish brown clay. Crossing several considerable creeks, branches of the Ocone, North branch of the Alatamaha, at evening, July 1st, encamped on the banks of the Ocone, in a delightful grove of forest trees, consisting of Oak. Ash, Mulberry, Hickory, Black Walnut, Elm, Sa••••afras, Gleditsia, &c. This flourishing grove was an appendage of the high fo|rests we had passed through, and projected into an extensive, green, open, level plain, consisting of old Indian fields and plantations, being the rich low lands of the river, and stretching along its banks upwards to a very great distance, charmingly di|versified and decorated with detached groves and clumps of various trees and shrubs, and indented on its verge by advancing and retreating promon|tories of the high land.

OUR encampment was fixed on the site of the old Ocone town, which, about sixty years ago, was e|vacuated by the Indians, who finding their situati|on disagreeable from its vicinity to the white peo|ple, left it, moving upwards into the Nation or Upper Creeks, and there built a town, but that si|tuation not suiting their roving disposition, they grew sickly and tired of it, and resolved to seek a habitation more agreeable to their minds; they all arose, directing their migration South-Eastward to|wards the sea coast, and in the course of their jour|ney, observing the delightful appearance of the ex|tensive plains of Alachua and the fertile hills envi|roning it, they sat down and built a town on the banks of a spacious and beautiful lake, at a small distance from the plains, naming this new town Cus|cowilla: this situation pleased them, the vast de••a••ts, forests, lake and savannas around, affording un|bounded range of the best hunting ground for bear and deer, their favourite game. But although this situation was healthy and delightful to the utmost degree, affording them variety and plenty of every desirable thing in their estimation, yet troubles and afflictions found them out. This territory, to the promontory of Florida, was then claimed by the Tomocos, Utinas, Calloosas, Yamses and other remnant tribes of the ancient Floridans and the more Northern refugees, driven away by the Ca|rolinians, now in alliance and under the protection of the Spaniards, who assisting them, attacked the new settlement and for many years were very trou|blesome, but the Alachuas or Ocones being strength|ened by other emigrants and fugitive bands from the Upper Creeks, with whom they were confede|rated, and who gradually established other towns in this low country, stretching a line of settlements

[figure]

HYDRANGEA QUERCIFOLIA

across the isthmus, extending from the Alatamaha to the bay of Apalache: these uniting were at length able to face their enemies and even attack them in their own settlements, and in the end, with the assistance of the Upper Creeks, their uncles, van|quished their enemies and destroyed them, and then fell upon the Spanish settlements, which they also en|tirely broke up. But having treated of these matters in the journal of my travels into East Florida, I end this digression and proceed again on my journey.

AFTER crossing the Ocone by fording it, which is about two hundred and fifty yards over, we tra|velled about twenty miles and came to camp in the evening, passed over a pleasant territory, present|ing varying scenes of gentle swelling hills and le|vels, affording sublime forests, contrasted by expan|sive illumined green fields, native meadows and Cane brakes; the vegetables, trees, shrubs and plants the same as already noticed without any ma|terial variation. The next day's journey was a|bout twenty miles, having crossed the Oakmulge by fording it three or four hundred yards over. This river is the main branch of the beautiful Ala|tamaha; on the East bank of the river lies the fa|mous Oakmulge fields, where are yet conspicuous very wonderful remains of the power and grandeur of the ancients of this part of America, in the ru|ins of a capital town and settlement, as vast artifi|cial hills, terraces, &c. already particularly men|tioned in my tour through the lower districts of Georgia. The Oakmulge here is about forty miles distance from the Ocone, the other arm of the A|latamaha. In the evening we came to camp near the banks of Stony Creek, a large rapid water about six miles beyond the river.

NEXT day we travelled about twenty miles far|ther, crossing two considerable creeks named Great and Little Tobosochte, and at evening encamped close by a beautiful large brook called Sweet Wa|ter, the glittering wavy flood passing along active|ly over a bed of pebbles and gravel. The territo|ry through which we passed from the banks of the Oakmulge to this place, exhibited a delightful di|versified rural scene, and promises a happy, fruitful and salubrious region, when cultivated by industri|ous inhabitants, generally ridges of low swelling hills and plains supporting grand forests, vast Cane meadows, savannas and verdant lawns.

I OBSERVED here a very singular and beautiful shrub, which I suppose is a species of Hydrangia (H. quercifolia.) It grows in coppices or clumps near or on the banks of rivers and creeks; many stems usually arise from a root, spreading itself greatly on all sides by suckers or offsets; the stems grow five or six feet high, declining or diverging from each other, and are covered with several barks or rinds, the last of which being of a cinerious dirt colour and very thin, at a certain age of the stems or shoots, cracks through to the next bark, and is peeled off by the winds, discovering the under, smooth, dark reddish brown bark, which also cracks and peels off the next year, in like manner as the former; thus every year forming a new bark; the stems divide regularly or oppositely, though the branches are crooked or wreathe about horizontally, and these again divide, forming others which terminate with large heavy pannicles or thyrs•• of flowers, but these flowers are of two kinds; the numerous par|tial spikes which compose the pannicles and consist of a multitude of very small fruitful flowers, ter|minate

with one or more very large expansive neu|tral or mock flowers, standing on a long, slender, stiff peduncle; these flowers are composed of four broad oval petals or segments, of a dark rose or crimson colour at first, but as they become older acquire a deeper red or purplish hue, and lastly are of a brown or ferruginous colour; these have no perfect parts of generation of either sex, but disco|ver in their centre two, three or four papillae or rudiments; these neutral flowers, with the whole pannicle, are truly permanent, remaining on the plant for years, until they dry and decay; the leaves which clothe the plants are very large, pinnatifid or palmated and serrated, or toothed, very much resembling the leaves of some of our Oaks; they sit opposite, supported by slender petioles and are of a fine, full green colour.

NEXT day after noon we crossed Flint river by fording it, about two hundred and fifty yards o|ver, and at evening came to camp near the banks of a large and deep creek, a branch of the Flint. The high land excellent, affording grand forests, and the low ground vast timber and Canes of great height and thickness, Arundo gigantea. I observ|ed growing on the steep day banks of this creek, a species of shrub Hypericum, of extraordinary shew and beauty (Hypericum aureum.) It grows erect, three or four feet high, forming a globular top, representing a perfect little tree; the leaves are large, oblong, firm of texture, smooth and shining; the flowers are very large, their petals broad and conspicuous, which, with their tufts of golden fila|ments, give the little bushes a very splendid ap|pearance.

THE adjacent low grounds and Cane swamp af|forded

excellent food and range for our horses, who, by this time, through fatigue of constant travelling, heat of the climate and season, were tired and dis|pirited, we came to camp sooner than usual and started later next day, that they might have time to rest and recruit themselves. The territory ly|ing upon this creek and the space between it and the river, presents every appearance of a delight|ful and fruitful region in some future day, it being a rich soil and exceedingly well situated for every branch of agriculture and grazing, diversified with hills and dales, savannas and vast Cane meadows, and watered by innumerable rivulets and brooks, all contiguous to the Flint river: an arm of the great Chata Uche or Apalachucla offers an uninter|rupted navigation to the bay of Mexico and Atlan|tic ocean, and thence to the West India islands and over the whole world.

OUR horses being hunted up and packed, sat for|ward again, proceeding moderately, ascending a higher country and more uneven by means of ridg|es of gentle hills; the country however very plea|sing, being diversified with expansive groves, savan|nas and Cane meadows, abounding with creeks and brooks gliding through the plains or roving about the hills, their banks bordered with forests and groves, consisting of varieties of trees, shrubs and plants; the summits of the hills frequently present|ing to view piles and cliffs of the ferruginous rocks the same species as observed on the ridges between the Flat-rock and Rocky Comfort.

NEXT day we travelled but a few miles; the heat and the burning flies tormenting our horses to such a degree, as to excite compassion even in the hearts of pack-horsemen. These biting flies are

of several species, and their numbers incredible; we travelled almost from sun-rise to his setting, a|midst a flying host of these persecuting spirits, who formed a vast cloud around our caravan so thick as to obscure every distant object; but our van al|ways bore the brunt of the conflict; the head, neck and shoulders of the leading horses were continual|ly in a gore of blood: some of these flies were near as large as humble bees; this is the hippobos|ca. They are armed with a strong sharp beak or probosces, shaped like a lancet, and sheathed in flexible thin valves; with this beak they instantly pierce the veins of the creatures, making a large orifice from whence the blood springs in large drops, rolling down as tears, causing a fierce pain or ach|ing for a considerable time after the wound is made; there are three or four species of this genus of less size but equally vexatious, as they are vastly more numerous, active and sanguineous; particularly, one about half the size of the first mentioned, the next less of a dusky colour with a green head; an|other yet somewhat less, of a splendid green and the head of a gold colour; the sting of this last is intolerable, no less acute than a prick from a red|hot needle, or a spark of fire on the skin; these are called the burning flies. Besides the preced|ing tormentors, there are three or four species of the ••silus or smaller biting slies; one of a greyish dusky colour, another much of the same colour, having spotted wings and a green head, and ano|ther very small and perfectly black; this last species lie in ambush in shrubby thickets and Cane brakes near water; whenever we approach the cool shades near creeks, impatient for repose and relief, al|most sinking under the persecutions from the evil

spirits, who continually surround and follow us over the burning desart ridges and plains, and here in some hopes of momentary peace and quietness, under cover of the cool humid groves, we are surprised and quickly invested with dark clouds of these persecuting demons, besides musquitoes and gnats (culex et cynips.)

THE next day being in like manner oppressed and harassed by the stinging flies and heats; we halted at noon, being unable longer to support ourselves under such grievances, even in our present situa|tion charming to the senses; on the acclivity of a high swelling ridge planted with open airy groves of the superb terebenthine Pines, glittering rills playing beneath, and pellucid brooks meandering through an expansive green savanna, their banks ornamented with coppices of blooming aromatic shrubs and plants perfuming the air. The meridi|an heats just allayed, the sun is veiled in a dark cloud, rising North-Westward; the air still, gloomy and sultry; the animal spirits sink under the con|flict, and we fall into a kind of mortal torpor rather than refreshing repose; and startled or terrified at each others plaintive murmurs and groans: now the earth trembles under the peals of incessant distant thunder, the hurricane comes on roaring, and I am shocked again to life: I raise my head and rub open my eyes, pained with gleams and flashes of lightning; when just attempting to wake up my af|flicted brethren and companions, almost overwhelm|ed with floods of rain, the dark cloud opens over my head, diveloping a vast river of the etherial fire, I am instantly struck dumb, inactive and be|numbed; at length the pulse of life begins to vibrate, the animal spirits begin to exert their powers, and I am by degrees revived.

IN the evening this surprising heavy tempest pass|ed off, we had a serene sky and a pleasant cool night; having had time enough to collect a great quantity of wood and Pine knots to feed our fires and keep up a light in our camp, which was a lucky precaution, as we found it absolutely necessary to dry our clothes and warm ourselves, for all our skins and bedding were cast over the packs of mer|chandize to prevent them and our provision from being injured by the deluge of rain; next day was cool and pleasant, the air having recovered its elas|ticity and vivific spirit; I found myself cheerful and invigorated; indeed all around us appeared re|animated, and nature presents her cheerful counte|nance; the vegetables smile in their blooming de|corations and sparkling crystaline dew-drop.

THE birds sing merrily in the groves, and the alert roe-buck whistles and bounds over the ample meads and green turfy hills. After leaving our encamp|ment we travelled over a delightful territory, pre|senting to view variable sylvan scenes, consisting of chains of low hills affording high forests, with ex|pansive savannas, Cane meadows and lawns between, watered with rivulets and glittering brooks; to|wards evening we came to camp on the banks of Pintchlucco, a large branch of the Chata Uche river.

THE next day's journey was over an uneven hilly country, but the soil generally fertile and of a quality and situation favourable to agriculture and grazing, the summits of the ridges rough with fer|ruginous rocks, in high cliffs and fragments, scat|tered over the surface of the ground; observed also high cliffs of stiff reddish brown clay, with veins or strata of ferruginous stones, either in detatched masses or conglomerated nodules or hematites with veins or masses of ochre.

NEXT day after traversing a very delightful ter|ritory, exhibiting a charming rural scenery of pri|mitive nature, gently descending and passing alter|nately easy declivities or magnificent terraces sup|porting sublime forests, almost endless grassy fields, detatched groves and green lawns for the distance of nine or ten miles, we arrived at the banks of the Chata Uche river opposite the Uche town, where after unloading our horses, the Indians came over to us in large canoes, by means of which, with the cheerful and liberal assistance of the Indians, fer|ried over their merchandize, and afterwards driv|ing our horses altogether into the river swam them over: the river here is about three or four hundred yards wide, carries fifteen or twenty feet water and flows down with an active current; the water is clear, cool and salubrious.

THE Uche town is situated in a vast plain, on the gradual ascent as we rise from a narrow strip of low ground immediately bordering on the river: it is the largest, most compact and best situated Indian town I ever saw; the habitations are large and neatly built; the walls of the houses are con|structed of a wooden frame, then lathed and plais|tered inside and out with a reddish well tempered clay or morter, which gives them the appearance of red brick walls, and these houses are neatly co|vered or roofed with Cypress bark or shingles of that tree. The town appeared to be populous and thriving, full of youth and young children: I sup|pose the number of inhabitants, men, women and children, might amount to one thousand or fifteen hundred, as it is said they are able to muster five hundred gun-men or warrior 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Their own national language is altogether or radically different from

the Creek or Muscogulge tongue, and is called the Savanna or Savanuca tongue; I was told by the tra|ders it was the same or a d••••lect of the Shawanese. They are in confederacy with the Creeks, but do not mix with them, and on account of their numbers and strength, are of importance enough to excite and draw upon them the jealousy of the whole Muscogulge confederacy, and are usually at variance, yet are wise enough to unite against a common enemy, to support the interest and glory of the general Creek confederacy.

AFTER a little refreshment at this beautiful town, we repacked and sat off again for the Apalachucla town, where we arrived after riding over a level plain, consisting of ancient Indian plantations, a beautiful landscape diversified with groves and lawns.

THIS is esteemed the mother town or capital of the Creek or Muscogulge confederacy: sacred to peace; no captives are put to death or human blood spilt here. And when a general peace is proposed, deputies from all the towns in the confederacy as|semble at this capital, in order to deliberate upon a subject of so high importance for the prosperity of the commonwealth.

AND on the contrary the great Coweta town, a|bout twelve miles higher up this river, is called the bloody town, where the Micos chiefs and warriors assemble when a general war is proposed, and here captives and state malefactors are put to death.

THE time of my continuance here, which was about a week, was employed in excursions round about this settlement. One day the chief trader of Apalachucla obliged me with his company on a

walk of about a mile and an half down the river, to view the ruins and site of the ancient Apalachuc|la: it had been situated on a peninsula formed by a doubling of the river, and indeed appears to have been a very famous capital by the artificial mounds or terraces, and a very populous settlement, from its extent and expansive old fields, stretching beyond the scope of the sight along the low grounds of the river. We viewed the mounds or terraces, on which formerly stood their town house or ro|tunda and square or areopagus, and a little back of this, on a level height or natural step, above the low grounds is a vast artificial terrace or four square mound, now seven or eight feet higher than the common surface of the ground; in front of one square or side of this mound adjoins a very exten|sive oblong square yard or artificial level plain, sunk a little below the common surface, and surrounded with a bank or narrow terrace, formed with the earth thrown out of this yard at the time of its for|mation: the Creeks of present inhabitants have a tradition that this was the work of the ancients, many ages prior to their arrival and possessing this country.

THIS old town was avacuated about twenty years ago by the general consent of the inhabitants, on account of its unhealthy situation, owing to the fre|quent inundations of the river over the low grounds; and moreover they grew timorous and dejected, apprehending themselves to be haunted and possess|ed with vengeful spirits, on account of human blood that had been undeservedly * 1.8 spilt in this old town,

having been repeatedly warned by apparitions and dreams to leave it.

AT the time of their leaving this old town, like the ruin or dispersion of the ancient Babel, the in|habitants separated from each other, forming seve|ral bands under the conduct or auspices of the chief of each family or tribe. The greatest number, how|ever, chose to sit down and build the present new Apalachucla town, upon a high bank of the river above the inundations. The other bands pursued different routs, as their inclinations led them, set|tling villages lower down the river; some continu|ed their migration towards the sea coast, seeking their kindred and countrymen amongst the Lower Creeks in East Florida, where they settled them|selves. My intelligent friend, the trader of Apa|lachucla, having from a long residence amongst these Indians acquired an extensive knowledge of their customs and affairs, I enquired of him what were his sentiments with respect to their wandering unset|tled disposition; their so frequently breaking up their old towns and settling new ones, &c. His answers and opinions were, the necessary they were under of having fresh or new strong land for their plantations; and new, convenient and extensive range or hunting ground, which unavoidably forces them into contentions and wars with their confe|derates and neighbouring tribes; to avoid which they had rather move and seek a plentiful and peace|able retreat, even at a distance, then to contend with friends and relatives or embroil themselves in

destructive wars with their neighbours, when either can be avoided with so little inconvenience. With regard to the Muscogulges, the first object in order to obtain these conveniencies was the destruction of the Yamases, who held the possession of Florida and were in close alliance with the Spaniards, their de|clared and most inveterate enemy, which they at length fully accomplished; and by this conquest they gained a vast and invaluable territory, comprehend|ing a delightful region and a most plentiful country for their favourite game, bear and deer. But not yet satisfied, having already so far conquered the powerful Cherokees, as, in a manner, to force them in alliance, and compelled the warlike Chicasaws to sue for peace and alliance with them; they then grew arrogant and insatiable, and turned their co|vetous looks towards the potent and intrepid Chac|taws, the only Indian enemy they had to fear, mean|ing to break them up and possess themselves of that extensive, fruitful and delightful country, and make it a part of their vast empire; but the Chactaws, a powerful, hardy, subtile and intrepid race, esti|mated at twenty thousand warriors, are likely to afford sufficient exercise for the proud and restless spirits of the Muscogulges, at least for some years to come, and they appear to be so equally match|ed with the Chactaws, it seems doubtful which of these powerful nations will rise victorious. The Creeks have sworn, it seems, that they never will make peace with this enemy as long as the rivers flow or the sun pursues his course through the skies.

THUS we see that war or the exercise of arms o|riginates from the same motives, and operates in the spirits of the wild red men of America, as it formerly did with the renowned Greeks and Ro|mans

or modern civilized nations, and not from a ferocious, capricious desire of sheding human blood as carnivorous savages; neither does the eager a|varice of plunder stimulate them to acts of madness and cruelty, that being a trifling object in their es|timation, a duffield blanket, a polished rifle gun, or embroidered mantle; no, their martial prowess and objects of desire and ambition proceed from greater principles and more magnanimous intentions, even that of reuniting all nations and languages under one universal confederacy or commonwealth.

THE vegetable productions in the rich low ground, near the banks of this great river, of trees and shrubs, are as follow, Platanus occidentalis, Liri|odendron tulipifera, Populus heterophylla, Laurus sassafras, Laurus Borbonia, Laurus benzoin, Betu|la lenta, Salix fluvialis, Magnolia grandiflora, An|nona glabra, Ulmus campestris, Ulmus suberifera, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Qu••rcus, various species, Juglans, vari|•••••• species, AEsculus pavia, AEsculus sylvatica, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Virginiana, Morus, Hopea tinctoria, Fagus sylva|tica, of surprising magnitude and comeliness, &c. The land rises from the river with sublime magni|ncence, gradually retreating by flights or steps one behind and above the other, in beautiful theatrical order, each step or terrace holding up a level plain; and as we travel back from the river the steps are higher, and the corresponding levels are more and more expansive; the ascents produce grand high forests, and the plains present to view a delightful varied landscape, consisting of extensive grassy fields, detached groves of high forest trees, and clumps of lower trees, evergreen shrubs and herbage; green knolls, with serpentine, wavy, glittering brooks

coursing through the green plains, and dark pro|montories, or obtuse projections of the side-long acclivities, alternately advancing or receding on the verge of the illumined native fields, to the utmost extent of sight; the summits of the acclivi|ties afford, besides the forest trees already recited, Halesia, Ptelea, Circis, Cornus Florida and Amor|pha. The upper mound or terrace holds up a dila|ted level plain of excellent land, for the distance of five of six miles in width, which is a high forest of the majestic trees already mentioned, as Quer|cus tinctoria, Juglans nigra, Morus, Ulmus, Telea, Gleditsia, Juglans hickory, &c. The land after this distance, though almost flat and level, becomes leaner; the vegetative mould or surface is shallow|er, on a stratum of tenacious humid clay, for the distance of fifteen or twenty miles, more or less, according to the distance of the next great river; presenting to our view a fine expanse of level gras|sy plains, detached forests and groves Quercus alba, Q. lobata, Q. phillos, Q. hemispherica, Q. a|quatica, with entire groves of the splendid Nyssa sylvatica and perfumed Liquid-amber styraciflua, vast Cane meadows, and lastly a chain of grassy sa|vannas: immediately from this we began to ascend gradually, the most elevated, gravelly and stony ridge, consisting of parallel chains of broken swell|ing hills, the very highest chain, frequently pre|senting to view cliffs of the ferrugineous rocks and red clay already noticed. This last mentioned high ridge divides the waters of the great rivers from each other, whence arise the sources of their nume|rous lateral branches, gradually increasing as they wind about the hills, fertilizing the vales, and level plains, by their inundations, as they pour forth from the vast humid forests and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prolific hills

and lastly, flow down, with an easy, meandering, steady course, into the rivers to which they are tri|butary.

OUR horses by this time having recruited them|selves, by ranging at liberty and feeding in the rich young cane swamps, in the vicinity of Apalachuc|la, we resumed our journey for Mobile, having here repaired our equipage and replenis••ed our|selves with fresh supplies of provisions. Our cara|van was now reduced to its original number; the companies of traders who joined us at the Flat-rock, on our arrival at this town separated from us, be|taking themselves to the several towns in the Na|tion, where they were respectively bound. I shall just mention a very curious non-descript shrub, which I observed growing in the shady forests, beneath the ascents, next bordering on the rich low lands of the river.

THIS stoloniferous shrub grows five or six feet in height; many stems usually ascend from a root or the same source; these several stems diverge from each other, or incline a little towards the earth, covered with a smooth whitish bark, divided op|positely, and the branches wreath and twist about, being ornamented with compound leaves; there being five lanciolate serrated leaves, associated upon one general long slender petiole, which stand op|positely, on the branches, which terminate with a spike, or pannicle of white flowers, which have an agreeable scent; from the characters of the flow|ers, this shrub appears to be a species of AEsculus or Pavia, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as I could find none of the fruit and but a few flowers, quite out of season and imperfect, I am not certain.

CHAP. VI.

JULY 13th we left the Apalachucla town, and three days journey brought us to Talasse, a town on the Tallapoose river, North-East great branch of the Alabama or Mobile river, having passed over a vast level plain country of expansive savannas, groves, Cane swamps and open Pine forests, wa|tered by innumerable rivulets and brooks, tribu|tary to Apalachucla and Mobile; we now alter our course, turning to the left hand, Southerly, and descending near the river banks, continually in sight of the Indian plantations and commons adja|cent to their towns. Passed by Otasse, an ancient famous Muscogulge town. The next settlement we came to was Coolome, where we stayed two days, and having letters for Mr. Germany, the prin|cipal trader of Coolome, I meant to consult with him in matters relative to my affairs and future pro|ceedings.

HERE are very extensive old fields, the abandon|ed plantations and commons of the old town, on the East side of the river, but the settlement is remov|ed, and the new town now stands on the opposite shore, in a charming fruitful plain, under an eleva|ted ridge of hills, the swelling beds or bases of which are covered with a pleasing verdure of grass, but the last ascent is steeper, and towards the summit discovers shelving rocky cliffs, which appear to be continually splitting and bursting to pieces, scatter|ing their thin exfoliations over the tops of the gras|sy knolls beneath. The plain is narrow where the

town is built: their houses are neat, commodious buildings, a wooden frame with plaistered walls, and roofed with Cypress bark or shingles; every habi|tation consists of four oblong square houses, of one story, of the same form and dimensions, and so si|tuated as to form an exact square, encompassing an area or court yard of about a quarter of an acre of ground, leaving an entrance into it at each corner. Here is a beautiful new square or ar••opagus, in the centre of the new town; but the stores of the principal trader and two or three Indian habitati|ons, stand near the banks of the opposite shore on the site of the old Coolome town. The Tallapoose river is here three hundred yards over, and about fifteen or twenty feet water, which is very clear, agreeable to the taste, esteemed salubrious, and runs with a steady, active current.

BEING now recruited and resited, having obtain|ed a guide to set us in the great trading path for West Florida, early in the morning we sat off for Mobile: our progress for about eighteen miles was through a magnificent forest, just without or skirt|ing on the Indian plantations, frequently having a view of their distant towns, over plains or old fields, and at evening came to camp under shelter of a grove of venerable spreading Oaks, on the verge of the great plains; their enormous limbs loaded with Tillandsia ulneadscites, waving in the winds; these Oaks were some shelter to us from the vio|lence of an extraordinary shower of rain, which suddenly came down in such floods as to inundate the earth, and kept us standing on our feet the whole night, for the surface of the ground was un|der water almost till morning. Early next mor|ning, our guide having performed his duty, took

leave, returning home, and we continued on our journey, entering on the great plains; we had not proceeded far before our people roused a litter of young wolves, to which giving chase we soon caught one of them, it being entangled in high grass, one of our people caught it by the hind legs and ano|ther beat out its brains with the but of his gun,—barbarous sport!—This creature was about half the size of a small cur-dog, and quite black.

WE continued over these expansive illumined gras|sy plains, or native fields, above twenty miles in length, and in width eight or nine, lying parallel to the river, which was about ten miles distance; they are invested by high forests, extensive points or promontories, which project into the plains 〈◊〉〈◊〉 each side, dividing them into many vast fields open|ing on either hand as we passed along, which pre|sents a magnificent and pleasing sylvan landscape of primitive, uncultivated nature. Crossed several very considerable creeks, their serpentine courses being directed across the plain by gently swelling knolls, perceptible at a distance, but seem to vanish or disappear as we come upon them; the creeks were waters of the Alabama, the name of the East arm of the Mobile below the confluence of the Tallapoose. These rivulets were ornamented by groves of various trees and shrubs, which do not spread far from their banks; I observed amongst them the wild Crab (Pyrus coronaria) and Prunus Indica or wild Plumb, Cornus Florida, and on the grassy turf adjoining grew abundance of Strawber|ry vines; the surface of the plains or fields is clad with tall grass, intermixed with a variety of her|bage; the most conspicuous, both for beauty and novelty, is a tall species of Silphium; the radical

leaves are large, long and lightly sinuated, but those which garnish the stem are few and less sinuated; these leaves with the whole plant, except the flow|ers, appear of a whitish green colour, which is ow|ing to a fine soft silky down or pubescence; the flower stem, which is eight or ten feet in length when standing erect, terminates upwards with a long heavy spike of large golden yellow radiated flow|ers; the stem is usually seen bowing on one side or other, occasioned by the weight of the flowers, and many of them are broke, just under the pannicle 〈◊〉〈◊〉 spike, by their own weight, after storms and heavy rains, which often cracks or splits the stem, from whence exudes a gummy or resinous substance, which the sun and air harden into semi-pellucid drops or tears of a pale amber colour; this resin possesses a very agreeable fragrance and bitterish taste, somewhat like frankincense or turpentine, which is chewed by the Indians and traders, to cleanse their teeth and mouth, and sweeten their breath.

THE upper stratum or vegetative mould of these plains is perfectly black, soapy and rich, especially after rains, and renders the road very slippery; it lies on a deep bed of white, testaceous, limestone rock, which in some places resembles chalk, and in other places are strata or subterrene banks of vari|ous kinds of sea shells, as ostrea, &c. these dissolv|ing near the surface of the earth, and mixing with the superficial mould, render it extremely pro|ductive.

IMMEDIATELY after leaving the plains we enter the grand high forests. There were stately trees of the Robinea pseudacacia, Telea, Morus, Ulmus, Juglans exaltata, Juglans nigra, Pyrus coronaria, Cornus Florida, Cercis, &c. Our road now for

several miles led us near the Alabama, within two or three miles of its bank; the surface or the land is considerably broken into hills and vales, some of them of considerable elevation, but covered with forests of stately trees, such as already mentioned, but they are of a much larger growth than those of the same kind which grow in the Southern or inha|bited parts of Georgia and Carolina. We now leave the river at a good distance, the Alabama bearing away Southerly, and enter a vast open forest which continued above seventy miles, East and West, without any considerable variation, ge|nerally a level plain, except near the banks of creeks that course through; the soil on the surface is a dus|ky brownish mould or sandy loam, on a foundation of stiff clay, and the surface pebbles or gravel mix|ed with clay on the summits of the ridges; the fo|rests consist chiefly of Oak, Hickory, Ash, Sour Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Sweet Gum (Liquid-amber styraciflua) Beech, Mulberry, Scarlet maple, Black walnut, Dog-wood, Cornus Florida, AEsculus pa|via, Prunus Indica, Ptelea and an abundance of Chesnut (Fag. castania) on the hills, with Pinus tae|da and Pinus lutea. During our progress over this vast high forest, we crossed extensive open plains, the soil gravelly, producing a few trees and shrubs or undergrowth, which were entangled with Grape vines (Vitis campest••is) of a peculiar species; the bunches (racemes) of fruit were very large, as were the grapes that composed them, though yet green and not fully grown, but when ripe are of various colours, and their juice sweet and rich. The Indi|ans gather great quantities of them, which they prepare for keeping, by first sweating them on hur|dles over a gentle fire, and afterwards dry them on their bunches in the sun and air, and store them

up for provisions: these Grape vines do not climb into high trees, but creep along from one low shrub to another, extending their branches to a great distance horizontally round about, and it is very pleasing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 behold the clusters pendant from the vines, almost touching the earth, indeed some of them lie upon the ground.

WE now enter a very remarkable grove of Dog wood trees (Cornus Florida) which continued nine or ten miles unalterable, except here and there a towering Magnolia grandiflora; the land on which they stand is an exact level; the surface a shallow, loose, black mould, on a stratum of stiff, yellowish clay; these trees were about twelve feet high, spreading horizontally; their limbs meeting and interlocking with each other, formed one vast, shady, cool grove, so dense and humid as to exclude the sun-beams and prevent the intru|sion of almost every other vegetable, affording us a most desirable shelter from the fervid su••|beams at noon-day. This admirable grove by way of eminence has acquired the name of the Dog woods.

DURING a progress of near seventy miles, through this high forest, there constantly presented to view on one hand or the other, spacious groves of this ••ine flowering tree, which must, in the spring sea|son, when covered with blosoms present a most plea|sing scene; when at the same time a variety of other sweet shrubs display their beauty, adorned in their gay apparel, as the Halesia, Stewartia, AEsculus pa|via, AEsc. alba, AEsc. Florid ramis divaricatis, thyr|sis grandis, flosculis expansis incarnatis, Azalea, &c. inta••gled with garlands of Bignonea crucigera,

Big. radicans, Big. sempervirens, Glycine frute|scens, Lonicera sempervirens, &c. and at the same time the superb Magnolia grandiflora, standing in front of the dark groves, towering far above the common level.

THE evening cool, we encamped on the banks of a glittering rivulet amidst a spicy grove of the Illisium Floridanum.

EARLY next morning we arose, hunted up our horses and proceeded on, continuing about twenty miles, over a district which presented to view ano|ther landscape, expansive plains of Cane meadows, and detached groves, contrasted by swelling ridges, and vales supporting grand forests of the trees al|ready noted, embellished with delightful creeks and brooks, their low grounds producing very tall canes, and their higher banks groves of the Illisium, Callicanthus, Stewartia, Halesia, Styrax and others, particularly Magnolia auriculata. In the evening we forded the river Schambe about fifty yards o|ver, the stream active but shallow, which carries its waters into the bay of Pensacola. Came to camp, on the banks of a beautiful creek, by a char|ming grove of the Illisium Floridanum; from this we travelled over a level country above fifty miles, very gently but perceptably descending South-East ward before us; this district exhibited a landscape very different from what had pres••nted to view since we left the nation, and not much unlike the low countries of Carolina; it is in fact one vast flat grassy savanna and Cane meadows, intersected or variously scrolled over with narrow forests and groves, on the banks of creeks and rivulets, or hommocks and swamps at their sources; with long leaved Pines, scatteringly planted, amongst the grass,

and on the high sandy knolls and swelling ridges, Quercus nigra, Quercus flammula, Quercus incana, with various other trees and shrubs as already not|ed, inhabiting such situations; the rivulets how|ever exhibited a different appearance, they are shallower, course more swift over gravelly beds, and their banks adorned with Illisium groves, Magnolias, Azaleas, Halesia, Andromedas, &c. The highest hills near large creeks afford high forests with abundance of Chesnut trees.

WE now approach the bay of Mobile, gently as|cending a hilly district, being the highest forest ad|joining the extensive rich low lands of the river: these heights are somewhat encumbered with peb|bles, fragments and cliffs of rusty ferrugineous rocks, the stones were ponderous and indicat|ed very rich iron ore; here was a small district of good land, on the acclivities and bases of these ridg|es, and a level forest below, watered by a fine creek, running into the Mobile. From hence we proceed|ed, again descending, and travelled about nine miles generally over a level country consisting of savan|nas, Cane swamps, and gentle rising knolls, pro|ducing Pinus taeda, Nyssa sylvatica, Quercus rubra, Fagus castania, Fraxinus, with other trees. Arri|ved at Taensa, a pretty high bluff, on the Eastern channel of the great Mobile river, about thirty miles above fort Conde, or city of Mobile, at the head of the bay.

NEXT day early in the morning I embarked in a boat, proceeded for Mobile; along the banks of islands (near twenty miles) which lay in the middle of the river, between the Eastern and Western shores of the main: the banks of these low flat rich islands are well cultivated, having on them extensive farms

and some good Habitations, chiefly the property of French gentlemen, who reside in the city, as being more pleasant and healthy. Leaving these islands, we continued ten or twelve miles between the East|ern main and a chain of low grassy islands, too low and wet for cultivation; then crossed over the head of the bay and arrived in town in the evening.

THE city of Mobile is situated on the easy ascent of a rising bank, extending near half a mile back on the level plain above; it has been near a mile in length, though now chiefly in ruins, many houses vacant and mouldering to earth; yet there are a few good buildings inhabited by French gentlemen, English, Scotch and Irish, and emigrants from the Northern British colonies. Messrs. Swanson and M'Gillivary who have the management of the Indian trade, carried on to the Chicasaws, Chac|taws, Upper and Lower Creeks, &c. have made here very extraordinary improvements in buildings.

THE fort Conde, which stands very near the bay, towards the lower end of the town is a large re|gular fortress of brick.

THE principal French buildings are constructed of brick, and are of one story, but on an extensive scale, four square, encompassing on three sides a large area or court yard, the principal apartment is on the side fronting the street; they seem in some degree to have copied after the Creek habi|tation in the general plan; those of the poorer class are constructed of a strong frame of Cypress, filled in with brick, plaistered and white-washed inside and out.

JULY 31st, 1778, the air being very hot and sultry, thermometer up at 87. excessive thunder; and re|peated

heavy showers of rain, from morning until evening.

NOT having an immediate opportunity from hence to Manchac, a British settlement on the Mis|sissipi, I endeavoured to procure a light canoe, with which I designed to pursue my travels along shore to the settlements about Pearl river.

AUGUST 5th, sat off from Mobile 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the river in a trading boat, and was landed at Taensa bluff, the feat of Major Farmer, to make good my engage|ments, in consequence of an invitation from that worthy gentleman, to spend some days in his fami|ly; here I obtained the use of a light canoe, to continue my voyage up the river. The settlement of Taensa is on the site of an ancient town of a tribe of Indians of that name, which is apparent from many artificial mounds of earth and other ru|ins. Besides Mr. Farmer's dwellings, there are many others inhabited by French families; who are chiefly his tenants. It is a most delightful situati|on, commanding a spacious prospect up and down the river, and the low lands of his extensive plan|tations on the opposite shore. In my excursions a|bout this place, I observed many curious vegetable productions, particularly a species of Myrica (My|••ica inodora) this very beautiful evergreen shrub, which the French inhabitants call the Wax tree, grows in wet sandy ground about the edges of swamps, it rises erect nine or ten feet, dividing it|self into a multitude of nearly erect branches, which are garnished with many shining deep green en|tire leaves of a lanciolate figure; the branches produce abundance of large round berries, nearly the size of bird cherries, which are covered with a scale or coat of white wax; no part of this plant

posses••es any degree of fragrance. It is in high es|timation with the inhabitants for the production of wax for candles, for which purpose it answers equal|ly well with bees-wax, or preferable, as it is harder and more lasting in burning.

EARLY on a fine morning I sat sail up the river, took the East channel, and passed along by well cul|tivated plantations, on the fertile islands, in the river on my left hand; these islands exhibit every shew of fertility, the native productions exceed any thing I had ever seen, particularly the Reeds or Canes (Arundo gigantea) grow to a great height and thickness.

EARLY one morning, passing along by some old uncultivated fields, a few miles above Taensa, I was struck with surprise at the appearance of a blooming plant, gilded with the richest golden yellow, stepping on shore, I discovered it to be a new species of the Oenothera (Ocnothera grandi|flora) Caule erecto, ramoso, piloso, 7, 8 pedali, foliis semi-amplexi-caulibus, lanceolatis, serrato|dentatis, floribus magnis, fulgidis, sessillibus, capsulis cylindricis, 4 angulis, perhaps the most pompous and brilliant herbaceous plant yet known to exist. It is an annual or biennial, rising erect seven or eight feet, branching on all sides from near the earth upwards, the lower branches extensive, and the succeeding gradually shorter to the top of the plant, forming a pyramid in figure; the leaves are of a broad lanceolate shape, dentated or deeply serrated, terminating with a slender point, and of a deep full green colour; the large expanded flowers, that so ornament this plant, are of a splendid perfect yel|low colour; but when they contract again, before they drop off, the underside of the petals next the

calyx becomes of a reddish flesh colour, inclining to vermilion, the flowers begin to open in the e|vening, are fully expanded during the night, and are in their beauty next morning, but close and wither before noon. There is a daily profuse suc|cession for many weeks, and one single plant at the same instant presents to view many hundred flow|ers. I have measured these flowers above five in|ches in diameter, they have an agreeable scent.

AFTER leaving these splendid fields of the golden Oenothera, I passed by old deserted plantations and high forests, and now having advanced above ten miles, landed at a bluff, where mooring my bark in a safe harbour, I ascended the bank of the river, and penetrating the groves, came presently to old fields, where I observed ruins of ancient ha|bitations, there being abundance of Peach and Fig trees, loaded with fruit, which affording a very ac|ceptable desert after the heats and toil of the day, and evening drawing on apace, I concluded to take up my quarters here for the night. The Fig trees were large as well as their fruit, which was when ripe, of the shape of pears and as large, and of a dark bluish purple colour.

NEXT morning I arose early, continuing my voyage, passed by, on each hand, high forests and rich swamps, and frequently ruins of ancient French plantations; the Canes, and Cypress trees of an a|stonishing magnitude, as were the trees of other tribes, indicating an excellent soil. Came too at noon, and advancing forward from the river, and penetrating the awful shades, passed between the stately columns of the Magnolia grandiflora, and came to the ascents supporting the high forests and expansive plains above—What a sylvan scene is

here! the pompous Magnolia, reigns sovereign of the forests; how sw••et the aromatic Illisium groves? ••how gaily flutters the radiated wings of the Mag|nolia ••uriculata? each branch supporting an ex|panded umbrella, superbly crested with a silver plume, fragrant blossom, or crimson studded strobile and fruits! I recline on the verdant bank, and view the beauties of the groves. Esculus pavia, Prunus nemoralis, floribus racemosis, foliis semper|virentibus, nitidis. Esculus alba, Hydrangia quer|cifolia, Cassine, Magnolia pyramidata, foliis ova|tis, oblongis, acuminatis, ••asi auriculatis, strobilo oblongo ovato, Myrica, Rhamnus frangula, Halesea, Bignonia, Azalea, Lonicera, Sideroxilon, with ma|ny more.

RETURNED to the river, re-imbarked, and at e|vening came too, in sight of the confluence or junc|tion of the two large arms of the great Mobile river i. e. the Tombigbe or Chicasaw with the Alabama or Coosau. About one hundred and fif|ty miles above this conflux at Et. Thoulouse, the Alabama receives into it from the East the great Talapoose river, when the former takes the name of Coosau, which it bears to its source, which is in the So, West promontories of the Cherokee or Apa|lachean Mountains in the Chickasaw territories.

OBSERVED very large alligators, basking ••n the shores, as well as swimming in the river and la|goons.

NEXT morning entered the Tombigbe, and as|cended that fine river: just within its capes, on the left hand is a large lagoon, or capacious bay of still water, containing many acres in surface, which at a distant view presents a very singular and diverting scene, a delusive green wavy plain of the

Nymphaea Nilumbo, the surface of the water is overspread with its round floating leaves, whilst these are shadowed by a forest of umbragious leaves with gay flowers, waving to and fro on flexible stems, three or four feet high: these fine flowers are double as a rose, and when expanded are seven or eight inches in diameter, of a lively lemon yel|low colour. The seed vessel when ripe, is a large truncated, dry, porous capsule, its plane or disk regularly perforated, each cell containing an oval osseous gland or nut, of the size of a filbert; when these are fully grown, before they become quite hard, they are sweet and pleasant eating, and taste like chesnuts: I fed freely on them without any injury, but found them laxative. I have observed this a|quatic plant, in my travels along the Eastern shores of this continent, in the large rivers and lakes, from New-Jersey to this place, particularly in a large pond or lake near Cape Fear river in North Caro|lina; this pond is about two miles over and twelve feet water, not withstanding which its surface is almost covered with the leaves of this plant; they also a|bound in Wakamaw lake near the same river, and in Savanna river at Augusta, and all over East Florida.

PROCEEDING up the river, came to at a very high steep bluff of red and particoloured tenacious clay, under a deep stratum of loose sandy mould; after ascending this steep bank of the river, I found my|self in an old field, and penetrating the forests sur|rounding, observed them to be young growth, co|vering very extensive old plantations, which was evident from the ridges and hillocks which once raised their Corn (Zea) Batatas, &c. I suppose this to be the site of an ancient fortified post of the

French, as there appears vestiges of a rampart and other traces of a fortress; perhaps fort Louis de la Mobile, but in all probability it will not remain long visible, the stream of the river making daily encroachments on it, by carrying away the land on which it stood.

OBSERVED here amongst other vegetable produc|tions, a new species, or at least a variety of Hale|sia diptera; these trees are of the size and figure of ordinary Mulberry trees, their stems short and tops regular and spreading, and the leaves large and broad, in size and figure resembling those of our common wild Mulberry.

OPPOSITE this bluff, on the other side of the river, is a district of swamp or low land, the richest I ever saw, or perhaps any where to be seen; as for the trees I shall forbear to describe them, because it would appear incredible, let it suffice to mention, that the Cypress, Ash, Platanus, Populus, Liquid-amber, and others, are by far the tallest, straitest and every way the most enormous that I have seen or heard of. And as a proof of the extraordinary fertility of the soil, the reeds or canes (Arundo gigantea) grow here thirty or forty feet high, and as thick as a man's arm, or three or four inches in diameter; I suppose one joint of some of them would contain a|bove a quart of water, and these reeds serve very well for setting poles, or masts for barks and ca|noes. Continued yet ascending this fine river, pass|ing by the most delightful and fertile situations, ob|served frequently, on bluffs of high land, deserted plantations (the houses always burnt down to the ground) and ancient Indian villages. But obser|ving little variation in the natural vegetable pro|ductions, the current of the river pressing down

with increased force and velocity, I turned about, descending the river, and next evening came to at a large well cultivated plantation, where I lodged all night, and the evening following returned to Taensa.

NEXT day I felt symptoms of a fever, which in a few days laid me up and became dangerous. But a dose of Tart. Emet. broke its violence, and care and good attendance after a few days, in some de|gree restored my health, at least, so far as to ena|ble me to rove about the neighbouring forests; and here being informed of a certain plant of ex|traordinary medical virtues, and in high estima|tion with the inhabitants, which grew in the hilly land about thirty miles higher up the river, I resolved to set out in search of it, the Major be|ing so polite and obliging as to furnish me with horses to ride, and a Negro to pilot and take care of me.

SAT off in the morning, and in the course of the days journey crossed several creeks and brooks, one of which swam our horses. On passing by a swamp at the head of a bay or lagoon of the river, I ob|served a species of Cypress; it differs a little from the white Cedar of New-Jersey and Pennsylvania (Cupressus thyoides) the trunk is short and the limbs spreading horizontally, the branches fuller of leaves and the cones larger and of a crimson or reddish purple colour when ripe.

AFTER leaving the low grounds and ascending the hills, discovered the plant I went in search of, which I had before frequently observed in my de|scent from the Creek nation down towards Taensa. This plant appears to be a species of Collinsonia;

it is diuretic and carminative, and esteemed a powerful febrifuge, an infusion of its tops is ordi|narily drank at breakfast, and is of an exceeding pleasant taste and flavor; when in flower; which is the time the inhabitants gather it for preservation and use; it possesses a lively aromatic scent, parta|king of lemon and aniseed. Lodged this might at a plantation near the river, and met with civility and good entertainment. The man and his three sons are famous hunters. I was assured from good authority that the old gentleman, for his own part, kills three hundred deer annually, besides bears, tygers and wolves.

NEXT morning early, sat off again, on my return, and taking a different path back, for the sake of variety, though somewhat farther about and at a greater distance from the banks of the river, ob|served abundance of the tall blue Sage; it grows six or seven feet high; many stems arise from one root or source; these stems are thick, woody and quadrangular, the angles obtuse; the narrow lan|ciolate and serrated leaves are placed opposite, and are sessile, lightly embracing the branches, which terminate with spikes of large flowers of a celestial blue colour.

THESE stony, gravelly heights produce a variety of herbacious plants, but one in particular I shall mention on account of its singular beauty; I be|lieve it is a species Gerardea (Gerardea flammea) it grows erect, a single stem from a root, three or four feet in height, branching very regularly from about one half its length upwards, forming a cone or pyramid, profusely garnished with large tubular labiated scarlet or flame coloured flowers, which give the plant a very splendid appearance, even at

a great distance. Returned home in the evening fully satisfied with the day's excursion, from the discovery of many curious and beautiful vegetables.

HAVING advice from Mobile of an opportunity to Manchac, although my health was not establish|ed, feverish symptoms continuing to lurk about me, I resolved, notwithstanding, immediately to embrace this offer, and embarked again, descending the ri|ver to the city in company with Dr. Grant, a phy|sician of the garrison, and late in the evening ar|rived in town, having suffered a smart fit of the fever by the way.

IN the course of conversation with the doctor, I remarked that during my travels since leaving the Creek nation, and when there, I had not seen any honey bees; he replied that there were few or none West of the isthmus of Florida, and but one hive in Mo|bile, which was lately brought there from Europe; the English supposing that there were none in the country, not finding any when they took possession of it after the Spanish and French: I had been assur|ed by the traders that there were none in West Flo|rida, which to me seemed extraordinary and almost incredible, since they are so numerous all along the Eastern continent from Nova-Scotia to East Florida, even in the wild forests, as to be thought, by the generality of the inhabitants, aborigines of this continent.

THE boat in which I had taken a passage to Pearl river, not being in readiness to depart for several days to come, I sought opportunities to fill up this time to the best advantage possible, and hearing of a boat going to the river Perdedo, for the pur|pose of securing the remains of a wreck, I appre|hended

this a favourable time to go and search that coast, the captain civilly offering me a passage and birth with him in a handsome light sailing-boat. Sat sail early on a fine morning and having a brisk leading breeze, came to in the evening just with|in Mobile point, collected a quantity of drift wood to keep up a light and smoke away the musquetoes, and rested well on the clean sandy beach until the cool morning awoke us. We hoisted fail again and soon doubled the point or East promontory of the cape of the bay, stretching out many miles and pointing towards Dauphin island, between which and this cape is the ship channel.

COASTING along the sea-shore Eastward, we soon came up to the wreck, which being already strip|ped of her sails, &c. our captain kept on for Pen|sacola, where we arrived late in the evening.

MY arrival at this capital, at present the seat of government, was merely accidental and undesigned; and having left at Mobile all my papers and testi|monials, I designed to conceal my avocations, but my name being made known to Dr. Lorimer, one of the honourable council, he sent me a very polite invitation, and requested that he might acquaint governor Chester of my arrival, who he knew would expect that I should wait on him, and would be pleased to see me; I begged to be excused, at this time, as the boat would sail back for Mobile in a few hours, in which I was under the necessity of re|turning or loose my passage to the Missisipi; but during this expostulation I received a letter from Mr. Livingston the secretary, whom I waited upon, and was received very respectfully and treated with the utmost politeness and affability; soon after the governor's chariot passed by, his excellency returning

from a morning visit to his farm a few miles from Pensacola. Mr. Livingston went with me and in|troduced me to the governor, who commended my pursuits, and invited me to continue in West Flori|da in researches after subjects of natural history, &c. nobly offering to bear my expences, and a residence in his own family as long as I chose to continue in the colony; very judiciously observing that a com|plete investigation of its natural history could not be accomplished in a short space of time, since it would require the revolution of the seasons to dis|cover and view vegetable nature in all her various perfections.

THE captain of our fortunate bark by this time being ready to sail, I took leave of his excellency the governor, and bid adieu to my friends Dr. Lo|rimer, Mr. Livingston and others: sat sail about noon on our return, and came to again within the capes of Mobile river.

SINCE I have hitherto given a superficial account of the towns, ports, improvements and other re|markable productions of nature, and human arts and industry, during the course of my perigrina|tion, I shall not pass by Pensacola and its environs. This city is delightfully situated (and commands some natural advantages, superior to any other port in this province, in point of naval commerce, and such as human art and strength can never supply) upon gentle rising ascents environing a spacious harbour, safe and capacious enough to shelter all the navies of Europe, and excellent ground for anchorage; the West end of St. Rose island stretches across the great bay St. Maria Calves, and its South-West projecting point forms the harbour of Pensacola, which with the road or entrance is defended by a

block-house built on the extremity of that point, which at the same time serves the purpose of a fortress and look-out tower. There are several rivers which run into this great bay from the con|tinent, but none of them navigable, for large craft, to any considerable distance into the country, the Shambe is the largest, which admits shallops some miles up, and Perreaugues upwards of fifty miles. There are some spots of good high land, and rich swamps, favourable for the production of rice on the banks of this river, which have given rise to some plantations producing Indigo, Rice, Corn, Batatas, &c. these rivers dividing and spreading abroad their numerous branches, over the ex|pansive flat low country (between the two great rivers Apalachucla and Mobile) which consists of savannas and Cane meadows, fills them with brooks and water courses, and render them exuberant pas|ture for cattle.

THERE are several hundred habitations in Pensa|cola: the governor's palace is a large stone building ornamented with a tower, built by the Spaniards. The town is defended by a large stockado fortress, the plan a tetragon with salient angles at each corner, where is a block-house or round tower, one story high|er than the curtains, where are light cannon moun|ted, it is constructed of wood. Within this fortess is the council chamber, here the records are kept, houses for the officers and barracks for the ac|commodation of the garrison, arsenal, magazine, &c. The secretary resides in a spacious, neat buil|ding: there are several merchants and gentlemen of other professions, who have respectable and con|venient buildings in the town.

THERE were growing on the sand hills, environ|ing Pensacola, several curious non-described plants; particularly one of the verticilate order, about eighteen inches in height, the flowers which for|med loose spikes, were large and of a fine scarlet colour, but not having time, to examine the fruc|tification, or collect good specimens, am ignorant of what order, or genus, it belongs to. And in the level wet savannas grew plentifully a new and very elegant species of Saracinia (Saracinia lacuno|sa) the leaves of this plant, which are twelve or fourteen inches in length, stand nearly erect, are round, tubular and ventricose; but not ridged with longitudinal angles or prominent nerves, as the leaves of the Saracinia flava are; the aperture at top may be shut up by a cap or lid, of a helmet form, which is an appendage of the leaf, turning over the orifice in that singular manner, the ventri|cose, or inflated part of the leaf, which is of a pale, but vivid green colour, is beautifully ornamented with rose coloured studs or blisters, and the inner surface curiously inscribed, or variegated with crim|son veins or sibres. It was past the time for flower|ing, but the plant in any situation is a very great curiosity.

NEXT morning early we arose from our hard sandy sea-beaten couch, being disturbed the whole night by the troublesome musquitoes; sat sail, and before night returned safe to the city of Mobile.

CHAP. VII.

THE next day after my return to Mobile, I found myself very ill, and not a little alarmed by an excessive pain in my head, attended with a high fever, this disorder soon settled in my eyes, nature pursuing that way to expel the malady, causing a most painful defluxion of pellucid, corrosive water; notwithstanding I next day sat off on board a large trading boat, the property of a French gentleman, and commanded by him (he being general interpre|ter for the Chactaw nation) on his return to his plantations, on the banks of Pearl river; our bark was large, well equiped for sailing, and manned with three stout Negroes, to row in case of neces|sity. We embarked in the evening, and came to about six miles below the town, at a pleasant farm, the master of which (who was a Frenchman) enter|tained us in a very polite and friendly manner. The wind favourable, next morning early we sat sail again, and having made extraordinary way, about noon came up abreast of a high steep bluff, or perpendicular cliffs of high land, touching on the bay of the West coast, where we went on shore, to give liberty to the slaves to rest and refresh themselves. In the mean time I accompanied the captain on an excursion into the spacious level forests, which spread abroad from the shore to a great distance back, observed vestiges of an anci|ent fortress and settlement, and there yet remain a few pieces of iron cannon; but what principally attracted my notice, was three vast iron pots or ket|tles, each of many hundred gallons contents, upon

enquiry, my associate informed me they were for the purpose of boiling tar to pitch, there being vast forests of Pine trees in the vicinity of this place. In Carolina the inhabitants pursue a different me|thod; when they design to make pitch, they dig large ho••en in the ground, near the tar kiln, which they line with a thick coat of good clay, into which they conduct a sufficient quantity of tar, and set it on fire, suffering it to flame and evaporate a length of time sufficient to convert it int•• pitch, and when cool, lade it into barrels, and so on until they have consumed all the tar, or made a sufficient quantity of pitch for their purpose.

AFTER re-imbarking, and leaving this bluff a few miles, we put into shore again, and came to a farm house, a little distance from the water, where we supplied ourselves with Corn meal, Batatas, bacon, &c. The French gentleman (proprietor of the plantation) was near eighty years old, his hair almost white with age, yet he appeared active, strong and muscular, and his mother who was pre|sent, was one hundred and five years old, active and cheerful, her eyes seemed as brisk and spark|ling as youth, but of a diminutive size, not half the stature and weight of her son; it was now a|bove fifty years since she came into America from old France.

I EMBARKED again, proceeding down the bay, and in the evening doubled the west point or cape of the bay, being a promontory of the main, between which and Dauphin island, we entered the channel Oleron; from this time, until we arrived at this gen|tleman's habitation on Pearl river, I was incapable of making any observations, for my eyes could not bear the light, as the least ray admitted seemed

as the piercing of a sword, and by the time I had arrived at Pearl river, the excruciating pain had rendered me almost frantic and stupified for want of sleep, of which I was totally deprived, and the corroding water, every few minutes, streaming from my eyes, had stripped the skin off my face, in the same manner as scalding water would have done, I continued three days with this friendly Frenchman, who tried every remedy, that he or his family could recollect, to administer relief, but to no purpose, my situation was now become dangerous, and I expected to sink under the malady, as I believe my friends here did. At last the man informed me, on Pearl island, about twelve miles distance, resided an English gentleman, who had a variety of medi|cines, and if I chose to go to him he would take me there; I accordingly bid adieu to this hospita|ble family, and sat off with him in a convenient boat, before night arrived at Mr. Rumsey's, who re|ceived me kindly, and treated me with the utmost humanity, during a stay of four or five weeks: the night however after my arrival here I sincerely thought would be my last, and my torments were so extreme as to desire it; having survived this tedious night, I in some degree recovered my senses and asked Mr. Rumsey if he had any Cantha|rides, who soon prepared a blister plaister for me, which I directed to be placed betwixt my shoulders, this produced the desired relief and more than an|swered my expectation, for it had not been there a quarter of an hour before I fell asleep, and re|mained so a whole day, when I awoke intirely re|lieved from pain, my senses in perfect harmony and mind composed; I do not know how to express myself on this occasion; all was peace and tran|quility; although I had my sight perfectly, yet my

body seemed but as a light shadow, and my exist|ence as a pleasing delirium, for I sometimes doubted of its reality. I however from that mo|ment began to mend, until my health was perfectly restored, but it was several weeks before I could expose my eyes to open day light, and at last I found my left eye considerably injured, which suf|fered the greatest pain and weight of the disease.

As soon as I acquired strength to walk about, and bear the least impression of open day light on my eyes, I made frequent, indeed I may say daily ex|cursions in and about this island, strolling through its awful shades, venerable groves and sublime fo|rests, consisting of the Live Oaks and Magnolla grandiflora, Laurus Borbonia, Olea Americana, Fagus sylvatica, Laur. Sassafras, Quercus hemis|pherica, Telea, Liquid-amber styraciflua, Morus, Gleditsia, Callicarpa, Halesia, &c.

THE island is six or seven miles in length, and four or five in width, including the salt marshes and plains, which invest it on every side, I believe we may only except a narrow strand at the South end of it, washed by Lake Borgone at the Regullets, which is a promontory composed of banks, of sea|shells and sand, cast up by the force of winds, and the surf of the lake; these shells are chiefly a small species of white clam shells, called les co|quelles. Here are a few shrubs growing on these shelly heights, viz. Rhamnus frangula, Sideroxilon, Myrica, Zanthoxilon clava Herculis, Juniperus Americana, Lysium salsum; together with several new genera and species of the herbacious and suffruticose tribes, Croton, Stillingia, &c. but particularly a species of Mimosa (Mimosa virgatia) which in respect of the elegancy of its pinnated

leaves, cannot be exceeded by any of that celebrat|ed family. It is a perennial plant, sending up many nearly erect stems, from the root or source, these divide themselves into many ascendant slender rod•• like branches, which are ornamented with double pinnated leaves, of a most delicate formation. The compound flowers, are of a pale, greenish yellow, collected together in a small oblong head, upon a long slender peduncle, the legumes are large, lu|nated and flat, placed in a spiral or contorted manner, each containing several hard compressed seed, or little beans.

THE interior and by far the greater part of the island consists of high land; the soil to appearance a heap of sea sand in some places, with an admix|tore of sea shells, this soil notwithstanding its sandy and steril appearance, when divested of its natural vegetative attire, has, from what cause I know not, a contin••••l resource of fertility within itself, the surface of the earth, after being cleared of its ori|ginal vegetable productions, exposed a few seasons to the sun, winds and tritrurations of agriculture, appears scarcely any thing but heaps of white sand, yet it produces Corn (Zea) Indigo, Batatas, Beans Peas, Cotton, Tobacco, and almost every sort of esculent vegetable, in a degree of luxuriancy very surprising and unexpected, year after year, inces|santly, without any addition of artificial manure or compost; there is indeed a foundation of strong adhesive clay, consisting of stratas of various colours, which I discovered by examining a well, lately dug in Mr. Rumsey's yard; but its lying at a great depth under the surface, the roots of small shrubs and herbage, cannot reach near to it, or receive any benefit, unless we may suppose, that ascending

f••••nes or exhalations, from this bed of clay, may have a vivific nutritive quality, and be received by the fi|bres of the roots, or being condensed in the atmos|phere by nocturnal chills, fall with dews upon the leaves and twigs of these plants, and there absorbed, become nutritive or exhilerating to them.

BESIDES the native forest trees and shrubs already noted, manured fruit trees arrive in this island to the utmost degree of perfection, as Pears, Peaches, Figs, Grape Vines, Plumbs &c. of the last menti|oned genus, there is a native species grows in this island, which produce their large oblong crimson fruit in prodigious abundance; the fruit though of a most inticing appearance, are rather too tart, yet are agreeable eating, at sultry noon, in this burning climate, they afford a most delicious and revi|ving marmalade, when preserved in sugar, and make excellent tarts: the tree grows about twelve feet high, the top spreading, the branches spiny and the leaves broad, nervous, serrated, and ter|minate with a s••bulated point.

MY eyes having acquired sufficient strength to en|dure the open day-light, I sat off from Pearl island, for Manchac on the Mississipi, in a handsome large boat with three Negroes to navigate her; leaving the friendly Mr. Rumsey's seat on Pearl Island, we descend a creek from the landing near his house; this creek led us about a mile, winding through salt sedgy marshes, into Lake Pontchartrain, along whose North shores, we coasted about twenty miles, having low, reedy marshes, on our starboard: these marshes were very extensive between us and the far distant high forests on the main, when at even|ing the shore becomes bolder, with sandy elevations, affording a few dwarf Oaks, Zanthoxilon, Myrica

and Rham. frangula. We came to in a little bay, kindled a fire, and after supper betook ourselves to repose; our situation open, airy and cool, on clean sand banks; we rested quietly, though some|times roused by alarms from the crocodile, which are here in great numbers, and of an enormous bulk and strength.

NEXT day early we got under way, pursuing our former course, nearly West ward, keeping the North shore several leagues; immediately back of this high sandy strand; (which is cast up by the beating surf and winds, setting from sea ward, across the widest part of the lake) the ground suddenly falls, and becomes extensive flat Cypress swamps, the sources of creeks and rivers, which run into the lake, or Pearl River, or at other places the high forests of the main now gradually approaching the lake, advance up to the very shore, where we find houses, plantations and new settlements: we came to at one of them charmingly situated, sat sail a|gain, and came up to the mouth of the beautiful Taensapaoa, which takes that name from a nation of Indians, who formerly possessed the territories lying on its banks, which are fertile and delightful regions. This river is narrow at its entrance, but deep, and said to be navigable for large barks and perreauguas, upwards of fifty miles, just within its capes, on the leeward shore, are heights, or a group of low hills (composed of the small clam shells, called les coquelles) which gradually depress as we retreat back from the river, and the surface of the land is more level; these shells dissolving and mix|ing with the surface, render the vegetative mould black rich, and productive. Here are a few habi|tations, and some fields cleared and cultivated; but

the inhabitants neglect agriculture; and generally employ themselves in hunting, and fishing: we how|ever furnished ourselves here with a sufficiency of excellent B••tatas. I observed no new vegetable production, except a species of Cleome, (Cleome lupinifo••ia) this plant possesses a very strong scent, so new ••at like Gum Assafetida, notwithstanding 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the inhabitants give it a place in soups and and sauces.

FROM Taensapaoa, we still coasted Westward, these o•• four miles, to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that communicate to the lake M••uripas; entering which and continuing six or eight miles, having low swampy land on each 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the channel divides, forming an island in the middle of the pass, we took the right hand channel, which continuing three or four miles, when the chan|nels reunite in full view of the charming lake. We came to at an elevated point, or promontory on the starboard main shore, it being the North cape, from whence I enjoyed a very pleasing and complete view of the beautiful lake M••uripas, entering which next morning with a steady favourable gale, soon wafted us nine or ten miles over to the mouth of the river Amete; ascended between its ••••w banks; the land on each side a level swamp, about two feet above the surface of the water, supporting a thick forest of trees, consisting chiefly of Fraxinus, Nyssa aqua|tica, Nyssa multiflora, Cupressus disticha, Quercus phillos, Acer rubrum, Ac. negundo, Acer glaucum, Sambuces, Laurus Borbonia, Carpinus, Ulmus and others. The soil or earth humid, black and rich. There is scarcely a perceptible current; the water dark, deep, turgid and stagnate, being from shore to shore covered with a scum or pellicle of a green

and purpleish cast, and is perpetually throwing up from the muddy bottom to its surface minute air bladders or bubbles; in short, these dark loathsome waters, from every appearance seem to be a strong extract, or tincture of the leaves of the trees, herbs and reeds, arising from the shores, and which almost overspread them, and float on the surface, insomuch that a great part of these stagnate rivers, during the summer and autumnal seasons, are const••ained to pass under a load of grass and weeds; which are con|tinually vegetating and spreading over the surface from the banks, until the rising floods of winter and spring, rushing down from the main, sweep them way, and purify the waters. Late in the e|vening we discovered a narrow ridge of land close to the river bank, high and dry enough to suffer us to kindle up a fire, and space sufficient to spread our bedding on. But here, fire and smoke were insufficient to expel the hosts of musquitoes that invested our camp, and kept us awake du|ring the long and tedious night, so that the al|ligators had no chance of taking us napping. We were glad to rise early in the morning, proceed|ing up the Amete. The land now gradually ri|ses, the banks become higher, the soil d••ier and firmer four or five feet above the surface of the river; the trees are of an incredible magnitude, particulary Platanus occidentalis, Fraxinus, Ulmus, Quercus••h mispherica, &c, The Cana Indica grows here in surprising luxuriance, presenting a glorious shew; the stem rises six, seven and nine feet high, terminating upwards with spikes of scarlet flowers.

NOW having advanced near thirty miles up the Amete, we arrived at a very large p••antation, the property of a Scotch gentleman, who received me

with civility, intreating me to reside with him, but being impatient to get to the river, and pleading the necessity of prosecuting my travels with alacrity, on account of the season being so far advanced, I was permited to proceed, and sat off next morning; still ascending the Amete about twenty miles farther, and arrived at the forks; where the Iberville comes in on the left hand, ascending which a little way, we soon came to the landing, where are ware-houses for disposing merchandize; this being the extre|mity of navigation up this canal, and here small vessels load and unload. From this place to Man|chac, on the banks of the Mississipi, just above the mouth of the canal, is nine miles by land; the road strait, spacious, and perfectly level, under the shadow of a grand forest; the trees of the first or|der in magnitude and beauty, as Magnolia grandi|flora, Liriod••ndron tulipifera, P••atanus, Juglans nig••a, Fraxinus ex••••lsior, Morus rubra, Laurus sasafras, Laurus Borbonia, Telea, Liquid-amber styraciflua, &c.

AT evening arrived at Manchac, when I directed my steps to the banks of the Mississipi, where I stood for a time as it were fascinated by the magnificence of the great fire * 1.9 of rivers.

THE depth of the river here, even in this season, at its lowest ebb is astonishing, not less than forty fathoms, and the width about a mile or somewhat less; but it is not expansion of surface alone that strike us with ideas of magnificence, the altitude, and theatrical ascents of its pensile banks, the stea|dy course of the mighty flood, the trees, high for|ests, even every particular object, as well as socie|ties,

bear the stamp of superiority and excellence; all unite or combine in exhibiting a prospect of the grand sublime. The banks of the river at Manchac, though frequently overflowed by the vernal munda|abouttions, are fifty feet perpendicular height above the surface of the water (by which the channel at those times must be about two hundred and ninety feet deep) and these precipices being an accumulation of the sediment of muddy waters, annually brought down with the floods, of a light loamy consistance, are continually cracking and parting, present to view deep yawning chasms, in time split off, as the active perpetual current undermines, and the migh|ty masses of earth. t••mbe headlong into the river, whose impetuous current sweeps away and lodges them elsewhere. There is yet visible some remains of a high artificial bank, in front of the buildings of the town, formerly cast up by the French, to resist the inundations, but found to be ineffectual, and now in part tumbled down the precipice, as the river daily incroaches on the bluff; some of the ha|bitations are in danger, and must be very soon re|moved or swallowed up in the deep gulph of waters. A few of the buildings that have been established by the English, since taking possession of the colony, are large and commodious, particularly the ware|houses of Messrs. Swanson & Co. Indian traders and merchants.

THE Spaniards have a small fortress and garrison on the point of land below the Iberville, close by the banks of the river, which has a communica|tion with Manchac, by a slender narrow wooden bridge across the channel of Iberville, supported on wooden pillars, and not a bow shot from the habi|tations of Manchac. The lber••ille in the summer

season is dry, and its bed twelve or fifteen feet a|bove the surface of the Mississipi; but in the winter and spring has a great depth of water, and a very rapid stream which flows into the Amete, thence down through the lakes into the bay of Pearls to the ocean.

HAVING recommendations to the inhabitants of B••tonrouge, now called New-Richmond, more than forty miles higher up the river; and one of these gentlemen being present at Manchac, gave ••e a friendly and polite invitation to accompany 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his return home. A pleasant morning, we 〈…〉〈…〉 after breakfast, well accommodated in a hand•••••••• convenient boat, rowed by three blacks. Two miles above Manchac we put into shore at Alabama, this Indian village is delightfully situated on several swelling green hills, gradually ascending from the verge of the river: they are a remnant of the an|cient Alabama nation, who inhabited the East a••m of the great M••••ile river, which bears their name to this day, now possessed by the Creeks or Musco|gulges, who conquered the former.

MY friend having purchased some baskets and ear|then-ware, the manufactures of these people, we left the village, and proceeded twelve miles higher up the river, landed again at a very large and well cultivated plantation, where we lodged all night. O••served growing in a spacious garden adjacent to the house, many useful as well as curious exoticks, particularly the delicate and sweet Tube-rose (Poly|anthus tuberosa) it grows here in the open garden, the flowers were very large and abundant on the stems, which were five, six or seven feet high, but I saw none here having double flowers. In one cor|ner of the garden was a pond or marsh, round about

which grew luxuriantly the Scotch grass (Panicum hirtellum, gramen panicum maximum, spica devisa, aristis armatum, Sloan, Jam. Cat. p. 30.) the peo|ple introduced this valuable grass from the West-India islands: they mow or reap it at any time, and feed it ••••een to cows or horses; it is nourishing food for all cattle. The Humble plant (Mimosa pudier) grows here five or six feet high, rambling like Brier vines over the f••••••es and shrubs, all a|bout the garden. The people here say it is an in|digenous plant, but this I doubt, as it is not seen growing wild in the forests and fields, and it differs in no respect from that which we protect in green houses and stoves, except in the extent and luxuri|ancy of its branches, which may be owing to the productive virgin mould and temperature of the cli|mate; the people however pay no attention to its culture, but rather condemn it as a noxious, trou|blesome weed, for wherever it gets footing, it spreads itself by its se••d in so great abundance as to oppress and even extirpate more useful vegeta|bles.

NEXT day we likewise visited several delightful and spacious plantations on the banks of the river, during our progress upwards; in the evening ar|rived at my friend's habitation, a very delightful villa, with extensive plantations of Corn (Zea) In|digo, Cotton and some Rice.

A DAY or two after our arrival we agreed upon a visit to Point Coupe, a flourishing French settle|ment on the Spanish shore of the Mississipi.

EARLY next morning we sat off in a neat Cypress boat with three oars, proceeding up the river, and by night got to a large plantation near the White

cliffs, now called Brown's cliffs, in honour of the late governor of West Florida, now of the Ba|hama Islands, who is proprietor of a large district of country, lying on and adjacent to the Cliffs. At the time of my residence with Mr. Rumsey at Pearl island, governor Brown, then on his pas|sage to his government of the Bahamas, paid Mr. Rumsey a visit, who politely introduced me to his excellency, acquainting him with my character and pursuits; he desired me to explore his territo|ry. and give him my opinion of the quality of the White plains.

AUGUST 27th, 1777, having in readiness horses w••ll equipt, early in the morning we sat off for the plains. About a mile from the river we crossed a deep gully and small rivulet, then immediately en|tered the Cane forests, following a strait avenue cut through them, off from the river, which continued about eight miles, the ground gradually but imper|ceptibly rising before us; when at once opens to view expansive plains, which are a range of native gras|sy fields of many miles extent, lying parallel with the river, surrounded and intersected with Cane brakes and high forests of stately trees; the soil black, extremely rich and productive, but the vir|gin mould becomes thiner and less fertile as it verg|es on to the plains, which are so barren as scarcely to produce a bush or even grass, in the middle or highest parts; the upper stratum or surface of the earth is a whitish clay or chalk, with veins of sea shells, chiefly of those little clams called les coquel|es, or interspersed with the white earth or clay, so tenacious and hard as to render it quite sterile, scarcely any vegetable growth to be seen, except short grass, crustaceous mosses, and some places

quite bare, where it is on the surface, but where it lies from eighteen inches to two or three feet be|low, it has the virtue of fertilizing the virgin would above, rendering it black, humid, soa••y, and in|credibly productive.

I OBSERVED two or three s••rubby Pine trees or rather dwarf bushes, upon the highest ridge of these plains, which are viewed here as a curiosity, there being no Pine forests within several leagues distance from the banks of this great river, but, on the con|trary, seemingly an endless wilderness of Canes and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 magnificent forests of the trees already noted, ••ut particularly Platanus occidentalis, Liri|o••••••••••on, Magnolia grandflora, Liquid-amber sty|〈7 letters〉〈7 letters〉a Jugl••ns nigra, Juglans exaltata, Telea, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rubra, Gleditsia triac••••••hus, Laurus Borbo|••ia and Laurus sassafras; this last grows here to a vast tree, forty or fifty feet strait trunk; its tim|ber is found to be very useful, sawn into boards and scantling, or hewn into posts for building and fene|ing.

ON the more fertile borders of the plains, ad|joining the surrounding forests, are Sideroxilon, Pyrus coronaria and Strawberry vines (Fragaria) but no fruit on them; the inhabitants assured me they were fruitful in their season, very large, of a fine red colour, delicious and fragrant.

HAVING made our tour and observations on the White plains, we returned to the river at the close of the day, and next morning sat off for Point Cou|pe; passed under the high painted cliffs, and then set our course across the Mississipi, which is here near two miles over: touched at a large island near the middle of the river, being led there, a little out

of our way, in pursuit of a bear crossing from the main, but he out-swam us, reached the island and made a safe retreat in the forests entangled with vines; we however pursued him on shore, but to no purpose. After resting a while we re-embarked and continued our voyage, coasting the East shore of the island to the upper end, here we landed a|gain, on an extended projecting point of clean sand and pebbles, where were to be seen pieces of coal sticking in the gravel and sand, together with other fragments of the fossil kingdom, brought down by inundations and lodged there. We observed a large kind of muscle in the sand; the shell of an oval form, having horns or protuberances near half an inch in length and as thick as a crow-quill, which I suppose serve the purpose of grapnels to hold their ground against the violence of the current. Here were great numbers of wild fowl, wading in the shoal water that covers the sandy points, to a vast distance from the shores: they were geese, brant, gannet, and the great and beautiful whooping crane (grus alber.) Embarked again, doubled the point of the island and arrived at Point Coupe in the e|vening.

WE made our visit to a French gentleman, an ancient man and wealthy planter, who, according to the history he favoured us with of his own life and adventures, must have been very aged; his hair was of a silky white, yet his complexion was florid and constitution athletic. He said that soon after he came to America, with many families of his coun|trymen, they ascended the river to the Cliff's of the Natches, where they sat down, being entertained by the natives; and under cover of a strong for|tress and garrison, established a settlement, and by

cultivating the land and forming plantations, in league and friendship with the Indians, in a few years they became a populous, rich and growing colony; when, through the imprudent and tyran|nical conduct of the commandant towards the Natch|es, the ancients of the country, a very powerful and civilized nation of red men, who were sovereigns of the soil, and possessed the country round about them, they became tired of these comers, and ex|asperated at their cruelty and licentiousness, at length determined to revenge themselves of such in|humanity and ingratitude, secretly conspired their destruction, and their measures were so well con|certed with other Indian tribes, that if it had not been for the treachery of one of their princesses, with whom the commander was in favour (for by her influence her nation attempted the destruction of the settlement, before their auxilaries joined them, which afforded an opportunity for some few of the settlers to escape) they would have fully accomplished their purpose, however the set|tlement was entirely broken up, most of the inha|bitants being slaughtered in one night, and the few who escaped betook themselves to their canoes, descending the river until they arrived at this place, where they established themselves again; and this gentleman had only time and opportunity to take into his boat one heifer calf, which he assured us was the mother of the numerous herds he now pos|sesses, consisting of many hundred head. Here is now a very respectable village, defended by a strong fortress and garrison of Spaniards, the commander being governor of the district.

THE French here are able, ingenious and indus|trious planters: they live easy and plentifully, and are

far more regular and commendable in the enjoy|ment of their earnings than their neighbours the English; their dress of their own manufactures, well wrought and neatly made up, yet not extravagant or foppish; manners and conversation easy, moral and entertaining.

NEXT morning we sat off again on our return home, and called by the way of the Cliffs, which is a perpendicular bank or bluff, rising up out of the river near one hundred feet above the present sur|face of the water, whose active current sweeps a|long by it. From eight or nine feet below the loa|my vegetative mould at top, to within four or five feet of the water, these cliffs present to view stratas of clay, marle and chalk, of all colours, as brown, red, yellow, white, blue and purple; there are se|parate strata of these various colours, as well as mixed or particoloured: the lowest stratum next the water is exactly of the same black mud or rich soil of the adjacent low Cypress swamps, above and below the bluff; and here in the cliffs we see vast stumps of Cypress and other trees, which at this day grow in these low, wet swamps, and which range on a level with them. These stumps are sound, stand up|right, and seem to be rotted off about two or three feet above the spread of their roots; their trunks, limbs, &c. lie in all directions about them. But when these swampy forests were growing, and by what cause they were cut off and overwhelmed by the various strata of earth, which now rise near one hundred feet above, at the brink of the cliffs, and two or three times that height but a few hundred yards back, is a phenomenon perhaps not easi|ly developed; the swelling heights rising gradual|ly over and beyond this preci••ice are now adorned

with high forests of stately Magnolia, Liquid-am|ber, Fagus, Quercus, Laurus, Morus, Juglans, Te|lea, Halesia, AEsculus, Callicarpa, Liriodendron, &c. Arrived in the evening at the plantation below the Cliffs, and next day got safe back to my friend's habitation.

OBSERVED few vegetable productions different from what grow in Carolina and Georgia; perhaps in the spring and early summer season, here may be some new plants, particularly in the high forests and ridges, at some distance from the river: there is however growing in the rich high lands, near on the banks of the river, which I observed in the set|tlement of Baton Rouge, an arborescent aromatic vine, which mounts to the tops of the highest trees, by twisting or writhing spirally round them; some of these vines are as thick as a man's leg, of a soft spungy texture, and flexible, covered with a Cin|namon coloured bark, which is highly aromatic or spicy. The large oblong leaves sit opposite on the branches, and are of a full deep green colour, but its season of flowering being past, and the seed was scattered, I am entirely ignorant to what genus it belongs; perhaps it is a non-descript or new genus: here is likewise a new and beautiful species of Ver|bena, with decumbent branches and lacerated deep green leaves; the branches terminate with corym|bi of Violet blue flowers, this pretty plant grows in old fields where there is a good soil.

THE severe disorder in my eyes subverted the plan of my peregrinations, and contracted the span of my pilgrimage South-Westward. This disappoint|ment affected me very sensibly, but resignation and reason resuming their empire over my mind, I submitted and determined to return to Carolina.

RECEIVING information that the company's schoo|ner was ready to sail for Mobile, I embarked on board a trading boat for Manchac, where arriving in the evening, I took leave next morning of Messrs. Swanson & Co. and sat off for the forks of the A|mite, and next day sat sail, descending the tardy current of the Amite. Observing two bears cross|ing the river a-head, though our pieces were ready charged, and the yawl along side to receive us, we pursued them in vain, they swam swiftly across and escaped in the forests on the island of Orleans. The breeze dying away at evening, we came to anchor, and had variety of amusements at fishing and fowl|ing.

NEXT day, November 13th 1777, with a steady leading breeze, entered and sailed over the lake Maurepas, and through the streights into the Pont|chartrain, and continued under sail, but at mid|night by keeping too near the West shore we ran aground on a sand-bar, where we lay beating the hard sandy bottom until morning, and our yawl par|ting from us in the night, which we never recover|ed, we were left to the mercy of the winds and floods, but before noon the wind coming briskly from North-East, drove the sea into the lake, we got off, made sail again, and before night passed through the Regullets, entering the ocean through the bay of Pearls, sailing through the sound betwixt Cat island and the strand of the continent; passing by the beautiful bay St. Louis, into which descend many delightful rivers, which flow from the lower or maritime settlements of the Chactaws or Flat|heads. Continuing through the sound between the oyster banks and shoals of Ship a•••• Horn islands, and the high and bold coast of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on the main,

got through the narrow pass Aux Christian and soon came up abreast of Isle Dauphin, betwixt whose shoals and the West Cape of Mobile Bay we got a|ground on some sunken oyster banks, but next day a brisk Southerly wind raised the sea on the coast, which lifted us off again, and setting sail, shot through the Pass au Oleron, and entering the bay, by night came to anchor safe again at the city of Mobile.

AFTER having made up my collections of grow|ing roots, seeds and curious specimens, left them to the care of Messrs. Swanson and M'Gillavry, to be forwarded to Dr. Fothergill of London. I prepared to set off again to Augusta in Georgia, through the Creek Nation, the only practicable way of returning by land, being frustrated of pursuing my intended rout which I had meditated, through the territories of the Siminoles or Lower Creeks, they being a treacherous people, lying so far from the eye and controul of the nation with whom they are confederate: there having lately been depre|dations and murders committed by them at the bay of Apalache, on some families of white people who were migrating from Georgia, with an intention of setling on the Mobile. Having to pass the dis|tance of near two hundred miles to the first town of the nation, through a solitary, uninhabited wil|derness, the bloody field of Schambe, where those contending bands of American bravos, Creeks and Chactaws, often meet in dire conflict: for the bet|ter convenience and security, I joined company with a caravan of traders, now about setting off for the nation.

OBSERVED growing in a garden in Mobile, two large trees of the Juglans pecan, and the Discorca

bulbifera, this last curious plant bears a large kid|ney shaped root, one, two or three at the bosom of the leaves, several feet from the ground, as they climb up poles or supports set by their roots; these roots when boilen or roasted, are esteemed a plea|sant wholesome food, and taste like the ordinary Yam.

CHAP. VIII.

NOVEMBER 27th 1777, sat off from Mo|bile, in a large boat with the principal trader of the company, and at evening arrived at Taensa, where were the pack horsemen with the merchan|dize, and next morning as soon as we had our hors|es in readiness, I took my last leave of Major Far|mer, and left Taensa. Our caravan consisting of between twenty and thirty horses, sixteen of which were loaded, two pack-horsemen, and myself, un|der the direction of Mr. Tap—y the chief trader. One of our young men was a Mustee Creek, his mother being a Chactaw slave, and his father a half breed, betwixt a Creek and a white man. I load|ed one horse with my effects, some presents to the Indians, to enable me to purchase a fresh horse, in case of necessity, for my old trusty slave which had served me faithfully almost three years, having carried me on his back at least six thousand miles, was by this time almost worn out, and I ex|pected every hour he would give up, especially af|ter I found the manner of these traders' travelling; who seldom decamp until the sun is high and hot; each one having a whip made of the toughest cow|skin, they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all at once, the horses having ran|ged themselves in regular Indian file, the veteran in the van, and the younger in the rear; then the chief drives with the crack of his whip, and a whoop or shriek, which rings through he forests and plains, speaks in Indian, commanding them to proceed, which is repeated by all the company, when we start at once, keeping up a brisk and constant trot,

which is incessantly urged and continued as long as the miserable creatures are able to move forward, and then come to camp, though frequently in the middle of the afternoon, which is the pleasantest time of the day for travelling: and every horse had a bell on, which being stopped when we start in the morning with a twist of grass or leaves, soon shakes out, and they are never stopped again during the day; the constant ringing and clattering of the bells, smacking of the whips, whooping and too fre|quent cursing these miserable quadrupeds, cause an incessant uproar and confusion, inexpressibly disa|greeable.

AFTER three days travelling in this mad manner, my old servant was on the point of giving out, and several of the company's horses were tired, but were relieved of their burthens by the led horses which attended for that purpose. I was now driven to disagreeable extremities, and had no other alter|native, but either to leave my horse in the woods, pay a very extravagant hire for a doubtful passage to the Nation, or separate myself from my compa|nions, and wait the recovery of my horse alone: the traders gave me no other comfortable advice in this dilemma, than that, there was a company of traders on the road a-head of us from the nation, to Mobile, who had a large gang of led horses with them for sale, when they should arrive; and expect|ed from the advice which he had received at Mobile before we set off from thence, that this company must be very near to us, and probably would be up tomorrow, or at least in two or three days: and this man condescended so far as to moderate a little his mode of travelling, that I might have a chance of keeping up with them until the evening of next

day; besides I had the comfort of observing that the traders and pack-horsemen carried themselves towards me, with evident signs of humanity and friendship, often expressing sentiments of sympa|thy, and saying I must not be left alone to perish in the wilderness.

ALTHOUGH my apprehensions on this occasion, were somewhat tumultuous, since there was little hope, on the principle of reason, should I be left a|lone, of escaping cruel captivity, and perhaps be|ing murdered by the Chactaws; for the company of traders was my only security, as the Indians never attack the traders on the road, though they be tra|ding with nations at enmity with them. Yet I had secret hopes of relief and deliverance, that cheered me, and inspired confidence and peace of mind.

NOW I am come within the atmosphere of the Illisium groves, how reanimating is the fragrance! every part of this plant above ground possesses an aromatic scent, but the large stillated pericarpes is the most fragrant part of it, which continually perspires an oleagenous sweat, as warm and vivific as Cloves or Mace, I never saw it grow naturally further North than Lat. 33°, on the Mobile river and its branches, and but one place in East Flo|rida near Lake George, Lat. 28°.

ABOUT the middle of the afternoon, we were joy|fully surprised at the distant prospect of the trading company coming up, and we soon met, saluting each other several times with a general Indian whoop, or shouts of friendship; then each compa|ny came to camp within a few paces of each other; and before night I struck up a bargain with them for a handsome strong young horse, which cost

me about ten pounds sterling. I was now con|strained to leave my old slave behind, to feed in rich Cane pastures, where he was to remain and re|cruit until the return of his new master from Mo|bile; from whom I extorted a promise to use him gently, and if possibly, not to make a pack-horse of him.

NEXT morning we decamped, proceeding again on my travels, now alert and cheerful, Crossed a brisk rivulet ripling over a gravelly bed, and winding through aromatic groves of the Illisium Flo|ridanum, then gently descended to the high forests, leaving Deadman's creek, for at this creek a white man was found dead, supposed to have been mur|dered, from which circumstance it has its name.

A FEW days before we arrived at the Nation we met a company of emigrants from Georgia; a man, his wife, a young woman, several young children and three stout young men, with about a dozen hor|•••• loaded with their property. They informed us their design was to settle on the Alabama, a few miles above the confluence of the Tombigbe.

BEING now near the Nation, the chief trader with another of our company sat off a-head for his town, to give notice to the Nation, as he said, of his ap|proach with the merchandize, each of them taking the best horse they could pick out of the gang, leav|ing the goods to the conduct and care of the young Mustee and myself. Early in the evening we came to the banks of a large deep creek, a considerable branch of the Alabama: the waters ran furiously, being overcharged with the floods of rain which had fallen the day before. We discoverd immediately that there was no possibility of crossing it by ford|ing;

its depth and rapidity would have swept our horses, loads and all, instantly from our sight; my companion, after consideration, said we must make a raft to ferry over our goods, which we immedi|ately set about, after unloading our horses and turning them out to range. I undertook to col|lect dry Canes, and my companion dry timber or logs and vines to bind them together: having ga|thered the necessary materials, and laid them in order on the brink of the river, ready to work upon, we betook ourselves to repose, and ear|ly next morning sat about building our raft. This was a novel scene to me, and I could not, until fi|nished and put to practice, well comprehend how it could possibly answer the effect desired. In the first place we laid, parallel to each other, dry, sound trunks of trees, about nine feet in length, and eight or nine inches diameter, which binding fast toge|ther with Grape vines and withs, until we had form|ed this first floor, about twelve or fourteen feet in length, then binding the dry Canes in bundles, each near as thick as a man's body, with which we form|ed the upper stratum, laying them close by the side of each other and binding them fast; after this manner our raft was constructed: then having two strong Grape vines, each long enough to cross the river, we fastened one to each end of the raft, which now being completed, and loading on as much as it would safely carry, the Indian took the end of one of the vines in his mouth, plunged into the river and swam over with it, and the vine fixed to the other end was committed to my charge, to steady the raft and haul it back again after being unloaded; as soon as he had safe landed and haul|ed taught his ••ine, I pushed off the raft, which he drew over as quick as possible, I steadying it with

my vine: in this manner, though with inexpressible danger of loosing our effects, we ferried all safe o|ver: the last load, with other articles, contained my property, with all my clothes, which I stripped off, except my breeches, for they contained mat|ters of more value and consequence than all the rest of my property put together; besides I did not choose to expose myself entirely naked to the alli|gators and serpents in crossing the flood. Now seeing all the goods safe over, and the horses at a landing place on the banks of the river about fifty yards above, I drove them all in together, when, seeing them safe landed, I plunged in after them, and being a tollerable swimmer, soon reached the opposite shore; but my difficulties at this place were not yet at an end, for our horses all landing just be|low the mouth of a considerable branch of this river, of fifteen or twenty feet width, and its perpendi|cular banks almost as many feet in height above its swift waters, over which we were obliged to carry every article of our effects, and this by no other bridge than a sapling felled across it, which is called a raccoon bridge, and over this my Indian friend would trip as quick and light as that quadru|ped, with one hundred weight of leather on his back, when I was scarcely able to shuffle myself a|long over it astride. At last having re-packed and sat off again, without any material occurrence in|tervening; in the evening we arrived at the banks of the great Tallapoose river, and came to camp under shelter of some Indian cabins, in expansive fields, close to the river bank, opposite the town of Savannuca. Late in the evening a young white man, in great haste and seeming confusion, joined our camp, who immediately related, that being on his journey from Pensacola, it happened that the

very night after we had passed the company of emi|grants, he met them and joined their camp in the evening, when, just at dark, the Chactaws surround|ed them, plundered their camp and carried all the people off captive, except himself, he having the good fortune to escape with his horse, though close|ly pursued.

NEXT morning very early, though very cold and the surface of the earth as hoary as if covered with a fall of snow, the trader standing on the opposite shore entirely naked except a breech-clout, and en|circled by a company of red men in the like habit, hailed us, and presently, with canoes, brought us all over with the merchandize, and conducted us safe to the town of Mucclasse, a mile or two dis|tant.

THE next day was a day of rest and audience: the following was devoted to feasting, and the e|vening concluded in celebrating the nuptials of the young Mustee with a Creek girl of Mucclasse, daugh|ter of the chief and sister to our trader's wife. The trader's house and stores formed a compleat square, after the mode of the habitations of the Muscogul|ges, that is, four oblong buildings of equal dimen|sions, two opposite to each other, encompassing an area of about a quarter of an acre; on one side of this a fence enclosed a yard of near an acre of ground, and at one of the farther corners of which a booth or pavilion was formed of green boughs, having two Laurel trees planted in front (Magnolia grandiflo|ra.) This was the secret nuptial chamber. Danc|ing, music and feasting continued the forepart of the night, and towards morning the happy couple privately withdrew, and continued alone all the next day, no one presuming to approach the sacred, mys|terious thalame.

THE trader obliged me with his company on a visit to the Alabama, an Indian town at the con|fluence of the two fine rivers, the Tallapoose and Coosau, which here resign their names to the great Alabama, where are to be seen traces of the ancient French fortress, Thoulouse; here are yet lying, half buried in the earth, a few pieces of ordnance, four and six pounders. I observed, in a very thriving condition, two or three very large Apple trees, planted here by the French. This is, perhaps, one of the most elegible situations for a city in the world, a level plain between the conflux of two majestic rivers, which are exactly of equal magnitude in ap|pearance, each navigable for vessels and perreau|guas at least five hundred miles above it, and spread|ing their numerous branches over the most fertile and delightful regions, many hundred miles before we reach their sources in the Apalachean mountains.

STAYED all night at Alabama, where we had a grand entertainment at the public square, with mu|sic and dancing, and returned next day to Mucclas|se. where being informed of a company of traders about setting off from Tuckabatche for Augusta, I made a visit to that town to know the truth of it, but on my arrival there they were gone, but be|ing informed of another caravan who were to start from the Ottasse town in two or three weeks time, I returned to Mucclasse in order to prepare for my departure.

ON my arrival, I was not a little surprised at a tragical revolution in the family of my friend the trader, his stores shut up, and guarded by a party of Indians: in a few minutes however, the whole affair was related to me. It appeared that this son of Adonis, had been detected in an amorous in|trigue,

with the wife of a young chief, the day after his arrival: the chief being out on a hunt, but ar|rived next day, who upon information of the affair, and the fact being confirmed, he with his friends and kindred resolved to exact legal satisfaction, which in this case is cutting off both ears of the de|linquent, close to the head, which is called crop|ping. This being determined upon, he took the most secret and effectual methods to effect his pur|pose. About a dozen young Indian fellows, con|ducted by their chief (the injured husband) having provided and armed themselves with knotty cud|gels of green Hickory, which they concealed under their mantles, in the dusk of the evening paid a pretended friendly visit to the trader at his own house; when the chief feigning a private matter of business, took him aside in the yard; then whist|ling through his fingers (the signal preconcerted) he was instantly surrounded, knocked down, and then stripped to his skin, and beaten with their knotty bludgeons; however he had the subtilty to feign himself speechless before they really killed him, which he supposed was their intention; when he had now lain for dead, the executioner drew out his knife with an intention of taking off his ears; this small respite gave him time to reflect a little; when he instantly sprang up, ran off, leaped the fence and had the good fortune to get into a dark swamp, overgrown with vines and thickets, where he miraculously eluded the earnest researches of his enemies, and finally made a safe retreat to the house of his father-in-law, the chief of the town; throwing himself under his protection, who gave his word that he would do him all the favour that lay in his power. This account I had from his own mouth, who hearing of my return, the next morn|ing

after my arrival, sent a trusty messenger, by whom I found means of access to him. He farther informed me that there had been a council of the chiefs of the town convened, to deliberate on the affair, and their final determination was that he must loose his ears, or forfeit all his goods, which amount|ed to upwards of one thousand pounds sterling, and even that forfeiture would not save his ears, unless Mr. Golphin interposed in his behalf; and after all the injured Indian declares that he will have his life. He entreated me with tears to make what speed I could to Silver Bluff, represent his dange|rous situation to Mr. Golphin, and solicit that gen|tleman's most speedy and effectual interference; which I assured him I would undertake.

NOW having all things prepared for my depar|ture, early in the morning, after taking leave of my distressed friend the trader of Mucclasse, I sat off; passed through continued plantations and Indian towns on my way up the Tallapoose river, being eve|ry where treated by the inhabitants with marks of friendship, even as though I had been their country|man and relation. Called by the way at the beautiful town of Coolome, where I tarried some time with Mr. Germany the chief trader of the town, an elderly gentleman, but active, cheerful and very agreea|ble; who received and treated me with the utmost civility and friendship: his wife is a Creek woman, of a very amiable and worthy character and dispo|sition, industrious, prudent and affectionate; and by whom he had several children, whom he is de|sirous to send to Savanna or Charleston, for their education, but cannot prevail on his wife to con|sent to it: this affair affects him very sensibly, for he has accumulated a pretty fortune by his industry and commendable conduct.

LEAVING Coolome, I re-crossed the river at Tue|cabache, an ancient and large town, thence conti|nuing up the river, and at evening arrived at At|tasse, where I continued near a week, waiting the preparations of the traders, with whom I was to join in company to Augusta.

THE next day after my arrival, I was introduced to the ancient chiefs, at the public square or areo|pagus, and in the evening in company with the tra|ders, who are numerous in this town, repaired to the great rotunda, where were assembled the great|est number of ancient venerable chiefs and warri|ors that I had ever beheld; we spent the evening and greater part of the night together, in drinking Cassine and smoking Tobacco. The great counsel|house or rotunda is appropriated to much the same purpose as the public square, but more private, and seems particularly dedicated to political affairs; women and youth are never admitted; and I sup|pose it is death for a female to presume to enter the door, or approach within its pale. It is a vast conical building or circular dome, capable of acco|modating many hundred people; constructed and furnished within, exactly in the same manner as those of the Cherokees already described, but much larger than any I had seen there; there are people appointed to take care of it, to have it daily swept clean, to provide canes for fuel or to give light.

AS their vigils and manner of conducting their vespers and mystical fire in this rotunda, is extreme|ly singular, and altogether different from the cus|toms and usages of any other people, I shall pro|ceed to describe it. In the first place, the governor or officer who has the management of this business, with his servants attending, orders the black drink

to be brewed, which is a decoction or infusion of the leaves and tender shoots of the Cassine: this is done under an open shed or pavilion, at twenty or thirty yards distance, directly opposite the door of the council-house. Next he orders bundles of dry Canes to be brought in; these are previously split and broke in pieces to about the length of two feet, and then placed obliquely crossways upon one ano|ther on the floor, forming a spiral circle round a|bout the great centre pillar, rising to a foot or eighteen inches in height from the ground; and this circle spreading as it proceeds round and round, often repeated from right to left, every revolution encreases its diameter, and at length extends to the distance of ten or twelve feet from the centre, more or less, according to the length of time the assem|bly or meeting is to continue. By the time these preparations are accomplished it is night, and the assembly taken their seats in order. The exterior extremity or outer end of the spiral circle takes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and immediately rises into a bright flame (but how this is effected I did not plainly apprehend; I saw no person set fire to it; there might have been fire left on the hearth, however I neither saw nor smelt fire or smoke until the blaze instantly ascend|ed upwards) which gradually and slowly creeps round the centre pillar, with the course of the sun, feed|ing on the dry Canes, and affords a cheerful, gen|tle and sufficient light until the circle is consumed, when the council breaks up. Soon after this illu|mination takes place, the aged chiefs and warriors being seated on their cabbins or sophas, on the side of the house opposite the door, in three classes or ranks, rising a little, one above or behind the other; and the white people and red people of confederate towns in the like order on the left hand: a trans|verse

range of pillars, supporting a thin clay wall a|bout breast high, separates them: the king's cabbin or seat is in front, the next back of it the head warri|ors, and the third or last accommodates the young warriors, &c. the great war chief's seat or place is on the same cabbin with, and immediately to the left hand of the king and next to the white people, and to the right hand of the mico or king the most venerable head men and warriors are seated. The assembly being now seated in order, and the house il|luminated, two middle aged men, who perform the office of slaves or servants, pro tempore, come in together at the door, each having very large conch shells full of black drink, advancing with slow, uni|form and steady steps, their eyes or countenances lifted up, singing very low but sweetly, advance within six on eight paces of the king's and white people's cabbins, when they stop together, and each rests his shell on a tripos or little table, but presently takes it up again, and, bowing very low, advances obsequiously, crossing or intersecting each other about mid way: he who rested his shell before the white people now stands before the king, and the other who stopped before the king stands before the white people, when each presents his shell, one to the king and the other to the chief of the white peo|ple, and as soon as he raises it to his mouth the slave utters or sings two notes, each of which continues as long as he has breath, and as long as these notes continue, so long must the person drink, or at least keep the shell to his mouth. These two long notes are very solemn, and at once strike the imaginati|on with a religious a we or homage to the Supreme, sounding some what like a-hoo ojah and a-lu yah. After this manner the whole assembly are treated, as long as the drink and light continues to hold out,

and as soon as the drinking begins, Tobacco and pipes are brought. The skin of a wild cat or young tyger stuffed with Tobacco is brought, and laid at the king's feet, with the great or royal pipe beau|tifully adorned; the skin is usually of the animals of the king's family or tribe, as the wild-cat, otter, bear, rattle-snake, &c. A skin of Tobacco is like|wise brought and cast at the feet of the white chief of the town, and from him it passes on from one to another to fill their pipes from, though each per|son has besides his own peculiar skin of Tobacco. The king or chief smokes first in the great pipe a few whiffs, blowing it off ceremoniously, first to|wards the sun, or as it is generally supposed to the Great Spirit, for it is puffed upwards, next towards the four cardinal points, then towards the white people in the house, then the great pipe is taken from the hand of the mico by a slave, and present|ed to the chief white man, and then to the great war chief, whence it circulates through the rank of head men and warriors, then returns to the king. After this each one fills his pipe from his own or his neighbours skin.

THE great or public square generally stands alone, in the centre and highest part of the town, it consists of foursquare or cubical build|ings, or houses of one story, uniform, and of the same dimensions, so situated as to form an exact tetragon, encompassing an area of half an acre of ground, more or less, according to the strength or largeness of the town, or will of the inhabitants; there is a passage or avenue at each corner of e|qual width; each building is constructed of a wood|en frame fixed strong in the earth, the walls filled in, and neatly plaistered with clay mortar; close

on three sides, that is the back and two ends, ex|cept within about two feet of the wall plate or eves, which is left open for the purpose of a window and to admit a free passage of the air; the front or side next to the area is quite open like a piazza. One of these buildings which is properly the counsel|house, where the mico chiefs and wariors, with the citizens who have business, o•• choose to repair thi|ther, assemble every day in counsel; to hear, de|cide and rectify all grievances, complaints and con|tentions, arising betwixt the citizens; give audience|to ambassadors, and strangers, hear news and talks from confederate towns, allies or distant nations; to consult about the particular affairs of the town, as erecting habitations for new citizens, or estab|lishing young families, concerning agriculture &c. &c. and this building is somewhat different from the other three; it is closely shut up on three sides, that is, the back and two ends, and besides a parti|tion wall longitudinally from end to end divides it into two apartments, the back part totally dark, only three small arched apertures or holes opening into it from the front apartment or piazza, and are little larger than just to admit a man to crawl in upon his hands and knees. This secluded place appears to me to be designed as a sanctuary * 1.10 de|dicated to religion or rather priest craft; for here are deposited all the sacred things, as the physic pot, rattles, chaplets of deer's hoofs and other appara|tus of conjuration; and likewise the calumet or great pipe of peace, the imperial standard, or ea|gle's tail, which is made of the feathers of the white eagles tail * 1.11 curiously formed and displayed like an

open fan on a sceptre or staff, as white and clean as possible when displayed for peace; but when for war, the feathers are painted or tinged with ver|milion. The piazza or front of this building, is equally divided into three apartments, by two transverse walls or partitions, about breast high, each having three orders or ranges of seats or ca|bins stepping one above and behind the other, which accommodate the senate and audience, in the like order as observed in the rotunda. The other three buildings which compose the square, are a|like furnished with three ranges of cabins or so|phas, and serve for a banqueting-house, to shelter and accommodate the audience and spectators at all times, particularly at feasts or public enter|tainments, where all classes of citizens resort day and night in the summer or moderate season; the children and females however are seldom or never seen in the public square.

THE pillars and walls of the houses of the square were decorated with various paintings and sculp|tures; which I suppose to be hieroglyphic, and as an historic legendary of political and sacerdotal affairs: but they are extremely picturesque or cari|cature, as men in variety of attitudes, some ludi|crous enough, others having the head of some kind of animal as those of a duck, turkey, bear, fox, wolf, buck, &c. and again those kind of creatures are represented having the human head. These designs were not ill executed, the outlines bold, free and well proportioned. The pillars supporting the front or piazza of the council-house of the square, were ingeniously formed in the likeness of vast speckled serpents, ascending upward; the Ot|asses being of the snake family or tribe. At this time the town was fasting, taking medicine, and I think

I may say praying, to avert a grevious calamity of sickness, which had lately afflicted them, and laid in the grave abundance of their citizens: they fast seven or eight days, during which time they eat or drink nothing but a meagre gruel, made of a lit|tle corn-flour and water; taking at the same time by way of medicine or physic, a strong decoction of the roots of the Iris versicolor, which is a powerful cathartic; they hold this root in high estimation, every town cultivates a little plantation of it, having a large artificial pond, just without the town, planted and almost overgrown with it, where they usually dig clay for pottery, and mortar and plaster for their buildings, and I observed where they had lately been digging up this root.

IN the midst of a large oblong square adjoining this town (which was surrounded with a low bank or terrace) is standing a high pillar, round like a pin or needle, it is about forty feet in height, and between two and three feet in diameter at the earth, gradually tapering upwards to a point; it is one piece of Pine wood, and arises from the centre of a low cir|cular, artificial hill, but it leans a little to one side. I enquired of the Indians and traders what it was designed for, who answered they knew not: the Indians said that their ancestors found it in the same situation, when they first arrived and possessed the country, adding, that the red men or Indians, then the possessors, whom they vanquished, were as ig|norant as themselves concerning it, saying that their ancestors likewise found it standing so. This monument, simple as it is, may be worthy the obser|vations of a traveller, since it naturally excites at least the following queries: for what purpose was it designed? its great antiquity and incorruptibility

what method or machines they employed to bring it to the spot, and how they raised it erect? There is no tree or species of the Pine, whose wood, i. e. so large a portion of the trunk, is supposed to be incorruptible, exposed in the open air to all weathers, but the long-leaved Pine (Pin. palustris) and there is none growing within twelve or fifteen miles of this place, that tree being naturally pro|duced only on the high, dry, barren ridges, where there is a sandy soil and grassy wet savannas. A great number of men uniting their strength, probably carried it to the place on handspikes, or some such contrivance.

ON the Sabbath day before I sat off from this place, I could not help observing the solemnity of the town, the silence and the retiredness of the red inhabitants, but a very few of them were to be seen, the doors of their dwellings shut, and if a child chanced to stray out, it was quickly drawn in doors again: I asked the meaning of this, and was immediately answered, that it being the white peo|ple's beloved day or Sabbath, the Indians kept it religiously sacred to the Great Spirit.

LAST night was clear and cold, wind North West, and this morning January 2d, 1778, the face of the earth was perfectly white with a beautiful sparkling frost. Sat off for Augusta with a company of tra|ders, four men with about thirty houses, twenty of which were loaded with leather and furs, each pack or load supposed to weigh one hundred and fifty pounds upon an average; in three days we arrived at the Apalachucla or Chata Uche river, crossed at the point towns Chehaw and Usseta; these towns almost join each other, yet speak two languages,

as radically different perhaps as the Muscogulge's and Chinese. After leaving the river we met with nothing material, or worth particular observation, until our arrival at Oakmulge, towards evening, where we encamped in expansive ancient Indian fields, in view of the foaming flood of the river, now raging over its banks. Here were two com|panies of traders from Augusta, bound to the Na|tion, consisting of fifteen or twenty men, with seventy or eighty horses, most of which had their loads of merchandize; they crossed the river this morning and lost six horses in the attempt; they were drowned, being entangled in the vides under water at landing. But the river now falling again, we were in hopes that by next morning the waters would be again confined within the banks. We immediately sat about rigging our portable leather boat, about eight feet long, which was of thick soal leather, folded up and carried on the top of a pack of deer skins; the people soon got her rigged, which was effected after the following manner. We in the first place cut down a White-Oak sapling, and by notching this at each end, bent it up, which formed the keel, stem and stern post of one piece, this being placed in the bottom of the boat, and pretty strong hoop-poles being fixed in the bottom across the keel, and turning up their ends, expanded the hull of the boat, which being fasten|ed by thongs to two other poles bent round, the outside of the rim forms the gunwales, thus in an hour's time our bark was rigged, to which after|wards we added two little oars or sculls. Our boat being new in readiness, and our horses turned out to pasture, each one retired to repose, or to such exercise as most effectually contributed to divert 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mind. I was at this time rather dejected, and

sought comfort in retirement. Turning my course to the expansive fields, fragrant groves and sublime forests. Returned to camp by dusk, where I found my companions cheerful and thoughtless rather to an extreme. It was a calm still evening and warm, the wood-cock (scolopax) chirruping high up in the air, gently descends by spiral circular tract, and alights on the humid plain this bird appears in Pennsylvania early in the spring, when the Elm and Maple begin to flower, and here the scarlet Maple, Elm and Alder began to shew their flowers, the the yellow Jasmin just ready to open its fragrant golden blossoms, and the gay Azalea also preparing to expand its beauties.

THE morning cool and pleasant, after reconnoi|tering the shores of the rivers, and consulting with our brethren in distress, who had not yet decamp|ed, resolving to stay and lend their assistance in passing over this rapid gulph, we were encouraged to proceed, and launching our barke into the ra|ging flood, after many successful trips ferried over all the goods, then drove in our horses altogether, and had the pleasure of seeing them all safely land|ed on the opposite shore; and lastly I embarked with three of our people, and several packs of lea|ther, we then put off from shore, bidding adieu to our generous friends left behind, who re echo|ed our shouts upon our safe landing. We proceed|ed again, crossed the Oconne in the same man|ner, and with the like success, and came to camp in the fertile fields, on the banks of that beautiful river, and proceeding thence next day, in the even|ing came to camp on the waters of great Ogeche, and the following day, after crossing several of its considerable branches, came to camp, and next day

crossed the main branch of that famous river, which being wide and very rapid proved difficult and dangerous fording, yet we crossed without any loss, but some of our pack-horses were badly bruised, being swept off their feet and dashed a|gainst the rocks, my horse too being carried away with the current, and plunging off sunken shelving rocks into deep holes, I got very wet, but I kept my seat and landed safe: however I suffered much, it being a cold freezing day. We came to camp early, and raising great fires with Pine knots and other wood, we dried ourselves and kept warm du|ring the long night, and after two days more hard travelling we arrived at Augusta.

BEING under a necessity of making two or three days stay here, in order to refit myself, for by this time my stock of cloths were entirely worn out. I took this opportunity of visiting my friend doctor Wells at his plantations near the city. And now being again new clothed and furnished with a tole|rable Indian poney, I took leave of my host and pre|pared to depart for Savanna.

SOON after I left Augusta, proceeding for Savan|na, the capital, a gentleman overtook me on the road, who was a native of Ireland, and had lately arrived in this part of America with a view of set|tling a plantation in Georgia, particularly for the culture of those very useful fruits and vegetables that are cultivated up the Mediterranean, and which so largely contribute towards supporting that lu|crative branch of commerce, i. e. the Levant trade, viz. Vitis vinifer••, for wine, Vitis Corinthiaca, for Currants, Vitis Allobrogica, for Raisins, Olives, Figs, Morus, for feeding silk-worms, Amygdalus com|munis, Pistachia, Capparis, Citrus aurantium, Ci|trus

limon, Citrus verrucosa, the great sweet scent|ed Citron, &c. He was very ingenious, desirous of information and as liberal and free of comunica|ting his own acquisitions and discoveries in useful science, and consequently a very agreeable compa|nion, On our journey down we stopped a while to rest and refresh ourselves at the Great Springs, near the road, on our left hand, about midway between Augusta and Savanna. This amazing fountain of transparent, cool water, breaks suddenly out of the earth, at the basis of a moderately elevated hill or bank, forming at once a bason near twenty yards over, ascending through a horizontal bed of soft rocks, of a heterogenious composition, chiefly a tes|tacious concretion of broken, entire and pulveri|sed sea shells, sand, &c. constituting a coarse kind of lime-stone. The ebullition is copious, active and continual, over the ragged apertures in the rocks, which lie seven or eight feet below, swelling the surface considerably immediately above it; the wa|ters descend swiftly from the fountain, forming at once a large brook, six or eight yards over, and five or six feet deep. There are multitudes of fish in the fountain of various tribes, chiefly the seve|ral species of bream, trout, cat-fish and garr: it was amusing to behold the fish continually ascend|ing and descending through the rocky apertures. Observed that we crossed no stream or brook of wa|ter within twelve or fifteen miles of this fountain, but had in view vast savannas, swamps and Cane meadows, at no great distance from our road, on our right hand, which we may presume were the resources or reservoirs which contributed to the sup|plies of this delightful grotto. Here were growing on the ascents from the fountain, Magnolia grandi|flora, Laurus Borbonia, Quercus sempervirens, Cal|licarpa;

at a little distance a grove of the Cassine, and in an old field, just by, are to be seen some small Indian mounts. We travelled several miles over ridges of low swelling hills, whose surfaces were covered with particoloured pebbels, streaked and clouded with red, white, brown and yellow: they were mostly broken or shivered to pieces, I believe by the ancients in forming arrow-heads, darts, knives &c. for I observed frequently some of these missha|pen implements amongst them, some broken and others spoiled in the making. These stones seem|ed to be a species of jasper or agate.

ON my way down I also called at Silver Bluff, and waited on the honourable G. Golphin, Esq. to acknowledge my obligations to him, and likewise to fulfil my engagements on the part of Mr. T—y, trader of Mucclasse. Mr. Golphin assured me that he was in a disagreeable predicament, and that he feared the worst, but said he would do all in his power to save him.

AFTER five days pleasant travelling we arrived at Savanna in good health.

LIST of the towns and tribes in league, and which constitute the powerful confederacy or empire of the Creeks or Muscogulges, viz.

Towns on the Tallapoose or Oakfuske river, viz.

Oakfuske, upper.	These speak the Musco|gulge or Creek tongue, called the Mother tongue.
Oakfuske, lower.
Ufale, upper.
Ufale, lower.
Sokaspoge.
Tallase, great.
Coolome.

Towns on the Tallapoose or Oakfuske river, viz.

Chuaclahatche.	These speak the Musco|gulge or Creek tongue, called the Mother tongue.
Otasse.
Cluale.
Fusahatche.
Tuccabatche.
Cunhutke.
Mucclasse.	Speak the Stincard tongue.
Alabama.
Savannuca.	Speak the Uche tongue.
Whittumke.	Speak the Stincard tongue.
Coosauda.

Towns on the Coosau river, viz.

Abacooche.	Speak a dialect of Chicasaw.
Pocontallahasse.	Speak the Muscogulge tongue
Hickory ground, traders name.
Natche.	Speak Muscog. and Chicasaw.

Towns on the braches of the Coosau river, viz.

Wiccakaw.
Fish pond, traders name.	Speak the Muscogulge tongue.
Hillaba.
Kiolege

Towns on the Apalachucla or Chata Uche river, viz.

Apalachucla.	Speak the Muscogulge tongue
Tucpauska.
Chockeclucca.
Chata Uche.
Checlucca. ninne.
Hothletega.
Coweta.
Usseta.

Towns on the Apalachucla or Chata Uche river, continued, viz.

Uche.	Speak the Savannuca tongue.
Hooseche.	Speak the Muscog. tongue.
Chehaw.	Speak the Stincard.
Echeta.
Occone.
Swaglaw, great.
Swaglaw, little.

Towns on Flint river, comprehending the Simi|noles or Lower Creeks.

Suola-nocha.
Cuscowilla or Allachua.
Talahasochte
Caloosahatche.
—Great island.	Traders name.
—Great hammock.	Traders name
—Capon.	Traders name
—St. Mark's.	Traders name.
—Forks.	Traders name.

WITH many others of less note.

THE Siminoles speak both the Muscogulge and Stincard tongue.

IN all fifty-five towns, besides many villages not enumerated, and reckoning two hundred inhabi|tants to each town on an average, which is a mode|rate computation, would give eleven thousand in|habitants.

IT appears to me pretty clearly, from divers cir|cumstances, that this powerful empire or confede|racy of the Creeks or Muscogulges, arose from, and established itself upon the ruins of that of the Natch|es,

agreeably to Monsieur Duprat. According to the Muscogulges account of themselves, they arri|ved from the South-West, beyond the Mississipi, some time before the English settled the colony of Caro|lina and built Charleston; and their story concern|ing their country and people, from whence they sprang, the cause of leaving their native land, the progress of their migration, &c. is very similar to that celebrated historian's account of the Natch|es, they might have been included as allies and con|federates in that vast and powerful empire of red men. The Muscogulges gradually pushing and ex|tending their settlements on their North-East bor|der, until the dissolution of the Natches empire; being then the most numerous, warlike and power|ful tribe, they began to subjugate the various tribes or bands (which formerly constituted the Natches) and uniting them with themselves, formed a new confederacy under the name of the Muscogulges.

THE Muscogulge tongue being now the national or sovereign language, the Chicasaws, Chactaws, and even the remains of the Natches, if we are to credit the Creeks and traders, being dialects of the Muscogulge; and probably, when the Natches were sovereigns, they called their own the national tongue, and the Creeks, Chicasaws, &c. only dialects of theirs. It is uncertain which is really the mother tongue.

As for those numerous remnant bands or tribes, included at this day within the Muscogulge confede|racy, who generally speak the Stincard language, (which is radically different from the Muscogulge) they are, beyond a doubt, the sh••ttered remains of the various nations who inhabited the lower or maritime parts of Carolina and Florida, from Cape

Fear, West to the Mississipi. The Uches and Savan|nucas is a third language, radically different from the Muscogulge and Lingo, and seems to be a more Northern tongue; I suppose a language that pre|vailed amongst the numerous tribes who formerly possessed and inhabited the maritime parts of Ma|ryland and Virginia. I was told by an old trader that the Savannuca and Shawanese speak the same language, or very near alike.

CHAPTER. IX.

AFTER my return from the Creek nation, I em|ployed myself during the spring and fore part of summer, in revisiting the several districts in Geor|gia and the East borders of Florida, where I had no|ted the most curious subjects; collecting them toge|ther, and shipping them off to England. In the course of these excursions and researches, I had the opportunity of observing the new flowering shrub, resembling the Gordonia, * 1.12, in perfect bloom, as well as bearing ripe fruit. It is a flowering tree, of the first order for beauty and fragrance of blossoms: the tree grows fifteen or twenty feet high, branching alternately; the leaves are oblong, broadest tow|ards their extremities, and terminate with an a|cute point, which is generally a little reflexed; they are lightly serrated, attenuate downwards and sessile, or have very short petioles; they are placed in al|ternate order, and towards the extremities of the twigs are crouded together, but stand more spar|sedly below; the flowers are very large, expand themselves perfectly, are of a snow-white colour, and ornamented with a crown or tassel of gold co|loured refulgent staminae in their centre; the in|ferior petal or segment of the corolla is hollow, formed like a cap or helmet, and entirely includes

the other four, until the moment of expansion; its exterior surface is covered with a short silky hair; the borders of the petals are crisped or plicated: these large, white flowers stand single and ses|sile in the bosom of the leaves, which being near together towards the extremities of the twigs, and usually many expanded at the same time, make a gay appearance; the fruit is a large, round, dry, woody apple or pericarpe, opening at each end op|positely by five alternate fissures, containing ten cells, each replete with dry woody cuniform seed. This very curious tree was first taken notice of, a|bout ten or twelve years ago, at this place, when I attended my father (John Bartram) on a botani|cal excursion; but, it being then late in the autumn, we could form no opinion to what class or tribe it belonged.

WE never saw it grow in any other place, nor have I ever since seen it growing wild, in all my tra|vels, from Pennsylvania to Point Coupe, on the banks of the Mississipi, which must be allowed a very sin|gular and unaccountable circumstance; at this place there are two or three acres of ground where it grows plentifully.

THE other new, singular and beautiful shrub * 1.13, now here in full bloom, I never saw grow but at two other places in all my travels, and there very sparingly, except in East Florida, in the neighbour|hood of the sea-coast.

CHAP. X.

HAVING now completed my collections in Georgia, I took leave of these Southern regions, proceeding on my return to Charleston. Left Savan|na in the evening, in consequence of a pressing invi|tation from the honourable Jonathan Bryan, Esq. who was returning from the capital, to his villa, a|bout eight miles up Savanna river; a very delight|ful situation, where are spacious gardens, furnish|ed with variety of fruit trees and flowering shrubs; observed in a low wet place at the corner of the garden, the Ado (Arum esculentum) this plant is much cultivated in the maritime parts of Georgia, and Florida, for the sake of its large Turnip-like root, which when boiled or roasted, is excellent food, and tastes like the Yam; the leaves of this mag|nificent plant are very large, and of a beautiful green colour, the spatha large and circulated, the spadix terminates with a very long subulated tongue, naked and perfectly white: perhaps this may be the Arum Colocasia. They have likewise, another species of the esculent Arum, called Tanni|er, which are large and beautiful plants, and much cultivated and esteemed for food, particularly by the Negroes.

AT night, soon after our arrival, several of his servants came home with horse loads of wild pigeons (Columba migratoria) which it seems they had col|lected in a short space of time at a neighbouring Bay swamp: they take them by torch light; they have particular roosting places, where they associ|ate in incredible multitudes at evening, on low trees

and bushes, in hommocks or higher knolls in the interior parts of vast swamps. Many people go out together on this kind of sport, when dark; some take with them little fascines of fat Pine splinters for torches; others sacks or bags; and others fur|nish themselves with poles or staves; thus accou|tered and prepared, they approach their roosts, the sudden blaze of light confounds, blinds and affrights the birds, where by multitudes drop off the limbs to the ground, and others are beaten off with their staves, which by the sudden consternation, are en|tirely helpless, and easily taken and put into the sacks. It is chiefly the sweet small acorns of the Quercus phillos, Quercus aquatica, Quercus sem|pervirens, Quercus flammula, and others, which in|duce these birds to migrate in the autumn to those Southern regions; where they spend their days a|greeably, and feast luxuriously, during the rigour of the colds in the North, whither they return at the approach of summer to breed.

SAT off next day, and crossed the river at Zub|ley's ferry, about fifty miles above Savanna, and in three days after arrived at Charleston.

OBSERVED, by the way near Jacksonsburg Pon|pon, growing plentifully in good moist ground, usu|ally by the banks of canals, After fructicosus. It is a most charming autumnal flowering shrub, it will rise to the height of eight or ten feet, when sup|ported by neighbouring trees.

AFTER a few days residence in Charleston, I sat off on my return to my native land, crossed Cow|per river, about nine miles above the city, where the water was a mile wide, and the ferry-house be|ing on the opposite shore, I hoisted my travelling blanket on a pole for a signal, which being white,

the people soon came to me and carried me safe over. In three days more easy travelling, I cross|ed Winyaw bay, just below Georgetown, and in two days more, got to the West end of Long bay, where I lodged at a large Indigo plantation. Sat off early next morning, and after crossing over the sand ridges, which afford little else but Quercus pumila, Myrica cerifera, Cassine, Sideroxilon and Andromeda entangled with various species of Smi|lax, got on the bay, which is a hard sand beach, exposed for the distance of fifteen miles to the con|tinual lash of the Atlantic ocean; at about low wa|ter mark, are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of rocks of the helmintholithus, being a very firm concrete or petrifaction, consist|ing of various kinds of seashells, fine sand and pulverized shells; there is a reef of these rocks, thirty or forty yards farther out than low water mark, which lift their rugged backs above water, and brave the continual strokes of the waves, which, however, assisted by the constant friction of the sands, make continual inroads upon them, bore them into holes and cavities, when tempestuous seas rend them to pieces, scattering the fragments over the sandy shore. It is pleasant riding on this clean hard sand, paved with shells of various co|lours.

OBSERVED a number of persons coming up a head which I soon perceived to be a party of Negroes: I had every reason to dread the consequence; for this being a desolate place, and I was by this time several miles from any house or plantation, and had reason to apprehend this to be a predatory band of Negroes: people being frequently attacked, rob|bed and sometimes murdered by them at this place; I was unarmed, alone, and my horse tired; thus

situated every way in their power, I had no alter|native but to be resigned and prepare to meet them, as soon as I saw them distinctly a mile or two off, I immediately alighted to rest, and give breath to my horse, intending to attempt my safe|ty by flight, if upon near approach they should betray hostile designs, thus prepared, when we drew near to each other, I mounted and rode brisk|ly up, and though armed with clubs, axes and hoes, they opened to right and left, and let me pass peaceably, their chief informed me whom they be|longed to, and said they were going to man a new quarter at the West end of the bay, I however kept a sharp eye about me, apprehending that this might possibly have been an advanced division, and their intentions were to ambuscade and sur|round me, but they kept on quietly and I was no more alarmed by them. After noon, I crossed the swash at the east end of the bay, and in the even|ing got to good quarters. Next morning early I sat off again, and soon crossed Little River at the boundary; which is on the line that separates North and South Carolina; in an old field, on the banks of this river, a little distance from the public house, stands a single tree of the Magnolia grandi|flora, which is said to be the most northern settle|ment of that tree. Passed this day over expansive savannas, charmingly decorated with late autum|nal flowers, as Helianthus, Rudbeckia, Silphium, Solidago, Helenium, Serratula, Cacalia, After, Lillium Martagon, Gentiana caerulia, Chironia, Gentiana saponaria, Asclepias coccinea, Hypericum, Rhexea pulcherima, &c.&c.

OBSERVED like wise in these Savannas abundance of the ludicrous Dionea muscipula (Dioneae, Ellis

epis. ad Linnaeum, miraculum naturae, folia bi|loba, radicalia, cill••ta, conduplicanda, sensibilia, insecta incarcerantia. Syst. vegetab. p. 335.

THIS wonderful plant seems to be distinguished in the creation, by the Author of nature, with facul|ties eminently superior to every other vegetable production* 1.14; specimens of it were first communica|ted to the curious of the old world by John Bartram, the American botanist and traveller, who contri|buted as much if not more than any other man towards enriching the North American botanical nomenclature, as well as its natural history.

AFTER traversing these ample savannas I gradu|ally ascended sand hills to open Pine forests; at e|vening got to Old town near Brunswick, where I lodged. Brunswick is a sea-port town on the Cla|rendon, or Cape Fear river, about thirty miles above the capes; it is about thirty years since this was the seat of goverment, when Arthur Dobbs, Esq. was governor and commander in chief of the province of North Carolina, Continued up the West side of North West of Cape Fear river, and rested two or three days at the seat of F. Lucas, Esq. a few miles above Livingston's creek, a considerable branch of the North West. This creek heads in vast swamps, in the vicinity of the beautiful lake Wakamaw, which is the source of a fine river of that name, and runs a South course seventy or eighty miles, delivering its waters into Winyaw bay at George-town. The Wakamaw lake is twenty six miles in circuit, the lands on its Eastern shores are fertile and the situ|ation delightful, gradually ascending from pleasing eminences; bounded on the North-west coast by vast rich swamps, sit for the production of Rice;

the lake is twelve miles West from Esq. Moores, whose villa is on the banks of the North West.

PROCEEDING again up the North West, crossed Carver's creek, and stopped at Ash wood, the anci|ent seat of Colonel William Bartram; the house stands on the high banks of the river, near seventy feet in height, above the surface of the water; this high bluff continues two or three miles on the river, and commands a magnificent prospect of the low lands opposite, when in their native state, pre|senting to the view grand forests and expansive Cane meadows; the trees which compose these fo|rests are generally of the following tribes, Quer|cus tinctoria, Querc, alba, Querc. phillos, Querc. aquatica, Querc. hemispherica, Fraxinus excelsior, Platanus occidentalis, Liriodendron tulipifera, Li|quid-amber styraciflua, Uhnus, Telea, Juglans hick|ory, Juglans cinerea, Juglans nigro, Morus rubra, Gleditsia triacanthus, Hopea tinctoria, Nyssa aqua|tica, Nyssa sylvatica, Carpinus and many more; the Cupressus disticha as stately and beautiful as I have seen any where. When these lands are clear|ed of their timber and cultivated, they produce a|bundantly, particularly, Wheat, Zea, Cotton, Hemp, Flax, with variety of excellent vegetables. This perpendicular bank of the river, by which the wa|ters swiftly glide along, discovers at once the vari|ous strata of the earth of this low maritime coun|try. For the most part the upper stratum consists of a light, sandy, pale, yellowish mold or foam, for ten or twelve feet in depth (except the flat level land back from the rivers, where the clays or marle approach very near the surface, and the ridges of sand hills, where the clays lie much deeper) this san|dy mold or loam lays upon a deep bed of black, or dark slate coloured saline and sulphureous earth,

which is composed of horizontal thin flakes or la|minae, separable by means of very thin, almost im|perceptible veins or strata of fine miceous particles, which drain or percolate a clear water, continual|ly exuding, or trickling down, and forming little rills and diminutive cataracts, being conducted by perpendicular chinks or fissures; in some places, a portion of this clear water or transparent vapor, seems to coagulate on the edges of the veins and fissures, leaving a reddish curd or jelly-like sub|stance sticking to them, which I should suppose indicates it to spring from a ferruginous source, especially since it discovers a chalybeate scent and taste: in other places these fissures shew evi|dently a chrystallization of exceeding fine white salts, which have an alluminous or vitriolic scent: there are pyrites, marcasites, or sulphureous no|dules, shirring like brass, of various sizes and forms, some single and others conglomerated: other pla|ces present to view, strata of heterogenous matter, lying between the upper loamy stratum and the bed of black saline earth, consisting of various kinds of sea shells, some whole, others broken to pieces, and even pulverized. which fill up the cavities of the entire shells, and the interstices betwixt them: at other places we observe, two or three feet below the surface or virgin mold, a stratum of four, five or six feet in depth, of brownish marle, on a bed of testaceous rocks; a petrefaction composed appa|rently of various kinds of sea shells, belemnites, sand, &c. combined or united with a calcarious ce|ment: these masses of rocks are in some places de|tached by veins and strata of a heterogenous earth, consisting of sea shells and other marine producti|ons, as well as terrestrial, which seem to be fossile or in some degree of petrifaction, or otherwise

transmuted, particularly those curious productions called birds bills or sharks teeth (dentes carchariae) belemnites, &c. loosely mixed with a desicated earth composed of sand, clay, particles of marle, vege|table rubbish, &c. And again we observe shells, marcasites, belemnites, dentes carchariae, with pie|ces of wood transmuted, black and hard as sea coal, singly interspersed in the black vitriolic strata of earth; when this black earth is exposed to the sun and dry air, the little thin laminae separate, and soon discover a fine, white chrystallization, or al|luminous powder, but this very soon disappears, being again incorporated with the general mass, which gradually dissolves or falls like quick-lime, and appears then a greyish, extremely fine, dry miceous powder, which smells like gun-powder.

THE North West of Cape Fear, here at Ashwood, is near three hundred yards over (when the stream is low and within its banks) and is eighty or ninety miles above the capes. Observed growing hereabouts a great variety of very curious and beautiful flowering and sweet scented shrubs, particularly Callicarpa, AEsculus pavia, sloribus coccinels, caule suffructicoso, AEsculus sylvatica, flo|ribus ex albo et carneo eleganter variegatis, cau|le arboreo, Ptelea trifoliata, Styrax, Stewartia, Fothergilla, Amorpha, Myrica, Stilingia fructicosa, soliis lanciolatis, utrinque glabris, fructu tricocco. Olea Americana, foliis lanciolato ellipticis, baceis atro-purpureis (Purple berried bay.) Catesty. Ilex dahoon, Cassine Yapon, Azalea, varieties, Kalmea, Cyrilla, Liquid amber peregrinum, Sideroxilon, Andromeda lucida, &c.

LEAVING Ashwood, and continuing up the West side of the river, about forty miles, in the banks

[figure]

ANDROMEDA PULVERULENTA.

of a creek, five or six feet below the sandy surface, are to be seen projecting out many feet in length, trunks of trees petrified to very hard stone; they lie between the upper sandy stratum and the com|mon bed of blackish vitriolic earth; and these stone trees are to be seen in the same situation, sticking out of the perpendicular banks or bluffs of the river in this region: there are several trunks of large trees with their bark, stumps of their limbs and roots, lying petrified on the sand hills and Pine fo|rests, near the road about this creek, not far from the saw-mills.

CROSSED Rock-fish, a large branch of the North West, near its mouth or confluence, and at even|ing arrived at Cross-Creeks, another very consider|able branch of the river, flowing in through its West banks: this creek gave name to a fine in|land trading town, on some heights or swelling hills, from whence the creek descends precipitately, then gently meanders near a mile, through lower level lands, to its confluence with the river, affording most convenient mill-seats; these prospects induced active, enterprising men to avail themselves of such advantages pointed out to them by nature, they built mills, which drew people to the place, and these observing elegible situations for other profita|ble improvements, bought lots and erected tene|ments, where they exercised mechanic arts, as smiths, wheel wrights, carpenters, coopers, tanners, &c. And at length merchants more encouraged to adventure and settle; in short, within eight or ten years from a grist-mill, saw-mill, smith-shop and a tavern, arose a flourishing commercial town, the seat of government of the county of Cumberland: the leading men of the county, seeing plainly the superior advantages of this situation, on the banks

of a famous navigable river, petitioned the Ass|embly for a charter to empower them to purchase a district, sufficient for founding a large town, which being granted, they immeiately proceeded to mark out its precincts, and named the new city Cambel|ton, a compliment to Cambel, Esq. a gentle|man of merit, and a citizen of the country. When I was here about twenty years ago, this town was marking out its bounds, and there were then about twenty habitations, and now there are above a thousand houses, many wealthy merchants, and respectable public buildings, a vast resort of inha|bitants and travellers, and continual brisk commerce by waggons, from the back settlements, with large trading boats, to and from Wilmington, the sea|port and flourishing trading town on the Clarendon, about forty miles above the capes, which is about one hundred miles below this town. The Claren|don or Cape Fear river has its source in the Che|rokee mountains, where its numerous confederate streams unite, after leaving the first ridges of the mountains, it assumes the name of Haw river, and counting the hilly fertile country, above one hundred and fifty miles, receives through its West banks the West branch, called Deep river, and after this union, takes the name of the North-West of Cape Fear, from whence down to Cambelton, about eighty miles, it is navigable for perriauguas of considerable burthen.

OBSERVED near Cambelton a very curious scan|dent Fern (Pteris scandens) rambling over low bush|es, in humid situations, the lower larger fronds were digitated, or rather radiated, but towards the tops or extremities of the branches they be|came trifid, hastated, and lastly lanciolate; it is a delicate plant, of a yellowish lively green, and would be an ornament in a garden.

SAT off again to Cambelton, continuing yet up the North West about sixty miles, crossed over this branch, and soon after crossed the Roanoke, and then rested a few days at Mr. Lucas', a worthy old gentleman, a planter on Moherren river. Obser|ved strolling over his fences and stables, a very sin|gular and useful species of the Gourd (Cucurbita laginaria) their necks or handles are above two feet in length, and not above an inch in diameter; their bellies round, which would contain about a pint; they make excellent ladles, funnels,&c. At a little distance from Mr. Lucas', at the head of a swamp near the high road, I observed a very cu|rious species of Prinos, which grows seven or eight feet high, the leaves broad, lanciolate, sharply serrated, nervous, and of a deep green colour; but its striking beauty consists in profuse clusters of fruit, collected about the cases or origin of the last spring's shoots; these berries are nearly round, a|bout the size of middling grapes, of a fine clear scar|let colour, covered or invested with an incarnate mist or nebulae.

BEING now arrived on the South border of virgi|nia, and the hoary frigid season far advanced, I shall pass as speedily as possible from hence to Pennsylvania, my native country; since those culti|vated regions of Virginia and Maryland, through which I design to travel, have been over and over explored, and described by very able men in every branch of natural history.

AFTER leaving Meherren, I soon arrived at Alexandria in Virginia, a fine city on the West banks of the Pato••••mac, about the 26th of December, having had excellent roads, and pleasant, moder|ate weather, neither snow nor ice to be seen, ex|cept

a slight fall of snow from a flying cloud, the day before I reached this place, but this evening it clouding up from the West, the wind North-East and cold. Next morning the snow was eight or ten inches deep on the ground, and the wind shift|ing to North-West, cleared up intensely cold; I however sat off and crossed the river just below the falls, and landed at George-town in Maryland. The snow is now deep every where around, the air cold to an extreme, and the roads deep under snow or slippery with ice, rendered the travelling uncomfortable.

BEING now arrived at Wright's ferry on the Sus|quehanna, I began anxiously to look towards home, but here I found almost insuperable embarrass|ments; the river being but half frozen over, there was no possibility of crossing here, but hearing that people crossed at Anderson's, about five miles above, early next morning I sat off again up the river, in company with several travellers, some for Phila|delphia; arriving at the ferry, we were joined by a number of traders, with their pack-horses loaded with leather and furrs, where we all agreed to ven|ture over together, and keeping at a moderate dis|tance from each other, examining well our icy bridge, and being careful of our steps, we landed safe on the opposite shore, got to Lancaster in the evening, and next morning sat forward again to|wards Philadephia, and in two days more arrived at my father's house on the banks of the river Schuyl|kill, within four miles of the city, January 1778.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pinus palustris, Linn. the long leaved Pitch pine, or yellow Pine.
• * 1.2

  A few years after the above remark, the seat of government was re|moved from Savanna to Augusta.
• * 1.3

  Sugar Town.
• * 1.4

  This is a new species of Stewa tia, unknown to the European botanists, and not mentioned in any catalogues.
• * 1.5

  Magnolia curiculate.
• * 1.6

  At this place was sought a bloody and decisive battle between the••e In|dians and the Carolinians, under the conduct of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I Middleton, when a great number of Cherokee warriors were 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which sh••••k their power, terrified and humbled them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that they deferred most of their set|tlement in the low countries, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 themselves to the mountains 〈◊〉〈◊〉 less accessible to the regular forces of the white people.
• * 1.7

  Mica nitida, specimens of this earth have been exported to England, for the purpose of making Porce••ain or China ware.
• * 1.8

  About fifty or sixty years ago almost all the white traders then in the Nation were massacred in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 town, whither they had repaired from the diffe|rent 〈…〉〈…〉 in hopes of an assyl••m or refuge, in consequence of the alarm, having been 〈◊〉〈◊〉 apprised of the hostile intentions of the Indians by their temporary wives, they all met together in one house, under the avowed pro|tection of the chiefs of the town, waiting the event; but whilst the chiefs were assembled in council, deliberating on ways and means to protect them, the Indians in multitudes surrounde the house and sat 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to it; they all, to the number of eighteen or twenty, per••sh••d with the house in the flames. The trader shewed me the ruins of the house where they were burnt.
• * 1.9

  Which is the meaning of the word Mississipi.
• * 1.10

  Sanctorium or sacred temple and it is said to be death for any person but the mico, war-chief and high 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to enter in, and none are admitted but by permission of the priests, who guard it day and night.
• * 1.11

  Vultura sacra.
• * 1.12

  On first observing the fructification and habit of this tree, I was incli|ned to believe it a species of Gordon a but afterwards upon stricter examin|ation, and comparing its flowers and fruits with those of the Gordonia lasi|anthus, I presently found striking characteristics abundantly sufficient to se|perate it from that genus, and to establish it the head of a new tribe, which we have honoured with the name of the illustrious Dr. Benjamin Franklin. Franklinia Alatamaka.
• * 1.13

  I gave it the name of Bignonia bractea•••• ••tempore.
• * 1.14

  See some account of it in the introduction.