This admirable tree is certainly the most beautiful of any vegetable production I know of; the towering Laurel Magnolia, and exalted Palm, indeed exceed it in grandeur and magnificence, but not in elegance, delicacy and gracefulness. It rises erect to the height of fifteen or twenty feet, with a perfectly straight tapering stem, which is smooth and polished, of a bright ash colour, resembling leaf silver, curiously inscribed with the footsteps of the fallen leaves; and these vestiges are placed in a very regular uniform imbricated order, which has a fine effect, as if the little column were elegantly carved all over. Its perfectly spherical top, is formed of very large lobe-sinuate leaves, supported on very long footstalks; the lower leaves are the largest as well as their petioles the longest, and make a graceful sweep or flourish, like the long ſ, or the branches of a sconce candlestick. The ripe and green fruit are placed round about the stem or trunk, from the lowermost leaves, where the ripe fruit are, and upwards almost to the top; the heart or inmost pithy part of the trunk is in a manner hollow, or at best consists of very thin porous medullæ or membranes. The tree very seldom branches or divides into limbs, I believe never unless the top is by accident broke off when very young: I saw one which had two tops or heads, the stem of which divided near the earth. It is always green, ornamented at the same time with flowers and fruit, which like figs come out singly from the trunk or stem.

After resting and refreshing myself in these delightful shades, I left them with reluctance. Embarking again after the fervid heat of the meridian sun were abated, for some time I passed by broken ridges of shelly high land, covered with groves of Live Oak, Palm, Olea Americana, and Orange trees; frequently observing floating islets and green fields of the Pistia near the shores of the river and lagoons.

Here is in this river, and in the waters all over Florida, a very curious and handsome birds, the people call them Snake Birds; I think I have seen paintings of them on the Chinese screens and other India pictures: they seeem to be a species of cormorant or loon (Colymbus cauda elongata), but far more beautiful and delicately formed than any other species that I have ever seen. The head and neck of this bird are extremely small and slender, the latter very long indeed, almost out of all proportion; the bill long, straight and slender, tapering from its ball to a sharp point; all the upper side, the abdomen and thighs, are as black and glossy as a raven’s, covered with feathers so firm and elastic, that they in some degree resemble fish-scales; the breast and upper part of the belly are covered with feathers of a cream colour; the tail is very long, of a deep black, and tipped with a silvery white, and when spread, represent an unfurled fan. They delight to sit in little peaceable communities, on the dry limbs of trees, hanging over the still waters, with their wings and tails expanded, I suppose to cool and air themselves, when at the same time they behold their images in the watery mirror. At such times, when we approach them, they drop off the limbs into the water as if dead, and for a minute or two are not to be seen; when on a sudden, at a vast distance, their long slender head and neck only appear, and have very much the appearance of a snake, and no other part of them are to be seen when swimming in the water, except sometimes the tip end of their tail. In the heat of the day they are seen in great numbers, sailing very high in the air, over lakes and rivers.

I doubt not but if this bird had been an inhabitant of the Tiber in Ovid’s days, it would have furnished him with a subject for some beautiful and entertaining metamorphoses. I believe it feeds entirely on fish, for its flesh smells and tastes intolerably strong of it; it is scarcely to be eaten unless constrained by insufferable hunger.

I had now swamps and marshes on both sides of me; and evening coming on apace, I began to look out for high land to encamp on; but the extensive marshes seemed to have no bounds, and it was almost dark when I found a tolerable suitable place, and at last was constrained to take up with a narrow strip of high shelly bank, on the west side. Great numbers of crocodiles were in sight on both shores. I ran my bark on shore at a perpendicular bank four or five feet above the water, just by the roots and under the spreading limbs of a great Live Oak: this appeared to have been an ancient camping place by Indians and strolling adventurers, from ash heaps and old rotten fire-brands and chunks, scattered about on the surface of the ground; but was now evidently the harbour and landing-place of some sovereign alligator: there led up from it a deep beaten path or road, and was a convenient ascent.

I did not approve of my intended habitation from these circumstances; and no sooner had I landed and moored my canoe to the roots of the tree, than I saw a huge crocodile rising up from the bottom close by me, who, when he perceived that I saw him, plunged down again under my vessel. This determined me to be on my guard, and in time to provide against a troublesome night. I took out of my boat every moveable, which I carried upon the bank; then chose my lodging close to my canoe, under the spreading Oak, as hereabouts only, the ground was open and clear of high grass and bushes, and consequently I had some room to stir and look round about. I then proceeded to collect firewood, which I found difficult to procure. Here were standing a few Orange trees. As for provisions, I had saved one or two barbecued trout, the remains of my last evening’s collection, in tolerable good order, though the sultry heats of the day had injured them; yet by stewing them up afresh with the lively juice of Oranges, they served well enough for my supper, as I had by this time but little relish or appetite for my victuals; for constant watching at night against the attacks of alligators, stinging of musquitoes and sultry heats of the day, together with the fatigues of working my bark, had almost deprived me of every desire but that of ending my troubles as speedy as possible. I had the good fortune to collect together a sufficiency of dry sticks to keep up a light and smoke, which I laid by me, and then spread my skins and blankets upon the ground, kindled up a little fire, and supped before it was quite dark. The evening was however extremely pleasant; a brisk cool breeze sprang up, and the skies were perfectly serene, the stars twinkling with uncommon briliancy. I stretched myself along before my fire; having the river, my little harbour, and the stern of my vessel in view; and now through fatigue and weariness I fell asleep. But this happy temporary release from cares and troubles I enjoyed but a few moments, when I was awakened and greatly surprised, by the terrifying screams of Owls in the deep swamps around me; and what increased my extreme misery was the difficulty of geting quite awake, and yet hearing at the same time such screaming and shouting, which increased and spread every way for miles around, in dreadful peals vibrating through the dark extensive forests, meadows, and lakes. I could not after this surprise recover the former peaceable state and tranquillity of mind and repose, during the long night; and I believe it was happy for me that I was awakened, for at that moment the crocodile was dashing my canoe against roots roots of the tree, endeavouring to get into her for the fish, which I however prevented. Another time in the night I believe I narrowly escaped being dragged into the river by him; for when again through excessive fatigue I had fallen asleep, but was again awakened by the screaming owl, I found the monster on the top of the bank, his head towards me, not above two yards distant; when starting up and seizing my fusee well loaded, which I always kept under my head in the night time, he drew back and plunged into the water. After this, I roused up my fire, and kept a light during the remaining part of the night, being determined not to be caught napping so again: indeed the musquitoes alone would have been abundantly sufficient to keep any creature awake that possessed their perfect senses; but I was overcome and stupified with incessant watching and labour. As soon as I discovered the first signs of day-light, I arose, got all my effects and implements on board, and set sail, proceeding upwards, hoping to give the musquitoes the slip, who were now, by the cool morning dews and breezes, driven to their shelter and hiding places. I was mistaken however in these conjectures, for great numbers of them, which had concealed themselves in my boat, as soon as the sun arose, began to revive, and sting me on my legs, which obliged me to land in order to get bushes to beat them out of their quarters.

It is very pleasing to observe the banks of the river, ornamented with hanging garlands, composed of varieties of climbing vegetables, both shrubs and plants, forming perpendicular green walls, with projecting jambs, pilasters and deep apartments, twenty or thirty feet high, and completely covered, with Glycine frutescens, Glyc. apios, Vitis labrusca, Vitis vulpina, Rajana, Hedera quinquefolia, Hedera arborea, Eupatorium scandens, Bignonia crucigera, and various species of Convolvulus, particularly an amazing tall climber of this genus, or perhaps an Ipomea. This has a very large white flower, as big as a small funnel; its tube is five or six inches in length, and not thicker than a pipe stem; the leaves are also very large, oblong and cordated, sometimes dentated or angled, near the insertion of the foot-stalk; they are of a thin texture, and of a deep green colour. It is exceedingly curious to behold the Wild Squash[[19]] climbing over the lofty limbs of the trees; its yellow fruit, somewhat of the size and figure of a large orange, pendant from the extremities of the limbs over the water.

Towards noon, the sultry heats being intolerable, I put into shore, at a middling high bank, five or six feet above the surface of the river. This low sandy testaceous ridge along the river side was but narrow; the surface is light, black, and exceedingly fertile, producing very large venerable Live Oaks, Palms, and grand Magnolias, scatteringly planted by nature. There being no underwood to prevent the play of the breezes from the river, afforded a desirable retreat from the sun’s heat. Immediately at the back of this narrow ridge, were deep wet swamps, where stood some astonishingly tall and spreading Cypress trees. And now being weary and drowsy, I was induced to indulge and listen to the dictates of reason and invitations to repose; which consenting to, after securing my boat and reconnoitring the ground, I spread my blanket under the Oaks near my boat, on which I extended myself, where, falling to sleep, I instantaneously passed away the sultry hours of noon. What a blissful tranquil repose! Undisturbed I awoke, refreshed and strengthened; I cheerfully stepped on board again, and continued to ascend the river. The afternoon being cool and pleasant, and the trees very lofty on the higher western banks of the river, by keeping near that shore I passed under agreeable shades the remaining part of the day. During almost all this day’s voyage, the banks of the river on both shores were middling high, perpendicular, and washed by the brisk current: the shores were not lined with the green lawns of floating aquatics, and consequently not very commodious resorts or harbours for crocodiles; I therefore was not disturbed by them, and saw but few, but those were very large. I however did not like to lodge on those narrow ridges, invested by such dreary swamps; and evening approaching, I began to be anxious for high land for a camping place. It was quite dark before I came up to a bluff, which I had in view a long time, over a very extensive point of meadows. I landed however at last, in the best manner I could, at a magnificent forest of Orange groves, Oaks, and Palms. I here, with little labour or difficulty, soon collected a sufficient quantity of dry wood: there was a pleasant vista of grass betwixt the grove and the edge of the river bank, which afforded a very convenient, open, airy encamping place, under the protection of some spreading Oaks.

This was a high perpendicular bluff, fronting more than one hundred yards on the river, the earth black, loose, and fertile: it is a composition of river-shells, sand, &c. At the back of it from the river, were open Pine forests and savannas. I met with a circumstance here, that, with some, may be reckoned worthy of mentioning, since it regards the monuments of the ancients. As I have already observed, when I landed it was quite dark; and in collecting wood for my fire, stroling in the dark about the groves, I found the surface of the ground very uneven, by means of little mounts and ridges. In the morning I found I had taken up my lodging on the border of an ancient burying-ground, containing sepulchres or tumuli of the Yamasees, who were here slain by the Creeks in the last decisive battle, the Creeks having driven them into this point, between the doubling of the river, where few of them escaped the fury of the conquerors. These graves occupied the whole grove, consisting of two or three acres of ground: there were near thirty of these cemeteries of the dead, nearly of an equal size and form, being oblong, twenty feet in length, ten or twelve feet in width and three or four feet high, now overgrown with Orange trees, Live Oaks, Laurel Magnolias, Red bays and other trees and shrubs, composing dark and solemn shades.

I here, for the first time since I left the trading house, enjoyed a night of peaceful repose. I arose greatly refreshed and in good spirits, stepped on board my bark, and continued my voyage. After doubling the point, I passed by swamps and meadows on each side of me. The river here is something more contracted within perpendicular banks; the land of an excellent quality, fertile, and producing prodigiously large timber and luxuriant herbage.