Travels of William Bartram

by Bartram, William

• ISBN13: 9780486200132
• ISBN10: 0486200132
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1955-06-01
• Publisher: Dover Publications

Summary

First inexpensive, illustrated edition of early classic on American geography, plants, Indians, wildlife, early settlers. Naturalist's poetic, lovely account of travels through Florida, Georgia, Carolinas from 1773 to 1778. Influenced Coleridge, Wordsworth, Chateaubriand. "A book of extraordinary beauty..." New York Times. 13 illustrations.

Table of Contents

PART I
  Introduction
CHAPTER I
  The Author embarks at Philadelphia?arrives at Charleston
CHAPTER II
  Embarks again for Georgia and arrives at Savanna
  Proceeds Southward and arrives at Sunbury
  "Observations on the town, harbour, and island of St. Catharine, its soil and productions"
  "Account of the establishment of St. John's district, and Midway meeting-house"
  Description of a beautiful fish
  "Proceeds for the rive Alatamaha, description of a tremendous storm"
CHAPTER III
  Crosses the river at Fort Barrington and arrives at St. Ille
  Passes the frontier settlements and meets an hostile Indian
  "Crosses the river St. Mary and arrives at the trading-house, account of the country thereabout, its natural productions, of the lake Ouaquaphenogaw, said to be the source of the river St. Mary"
  Returns to the Alatamaha and thence to Savanna
CHAPTER IV
  "Sets off from Savanna to Augusta, one hundred fifty-five miles North-West from the sea coast"
  "Describes the face of the country, the river Savanna, the cataracts and village of Augusta"
  Congress with the Indians at St. Augusta
  The village of Wrightsborough on Little River
  Monuments of an ancient Indian town on Little River
  Buffaloe Lick
  Begins the survey of the New Purchase
  High proof of Indian sagacity
  Returns to Savanna
CHAPTER V
  The Author leaves Broughton island and ascends the Alatamaha
  Night scene
  A tempest
  Description of the river
  Ruins of an ancient fortification
  Indian monuments at the Oakmulge fields
  "Creeks, account of their settlement in Georgia"
PART II
CHAPTER I
  "Sets off from Savanna to East Florida, proceeding by land to the Alatamaha"
  Descends that river to Frederica on the island of St. Simon's
  Describes the island and the city
CHAPTER II
  Leaves Frederica for the lower trading-house on St. Juan's
  "Passes through and describes the sound, &c."
CHAPTER III
  "Leaves Amelia island and arrives at the Cowford, on the river St. Juan's"
  "Proceeds up the river alone in a small canoe; suffers by a gale of wind in crossing the river, is hospitably entertained at a gentleman's house, where he rests and sails again"
  Describes fort Picolata
  "Various Productions, viz. Magnolia grandiflora, Tillandsia usneadscites, floating fields of the Pistia stratiotes, the river and country, touches at Charlotteville "
  Arrives at the lower trading-house
CHAPTER IV
  Proceeds farther up the river
  "Passes by Mount Hope, and comes to at Mount Royal"
  "Describes the mount, Indian highway, &c. "
  Beautiful landscape of the country and prospect of the lake
  Enters Lake George
  Description of the lake
  "Forced by stress of weather to put into the beautiful isle Edelano, description of the island, ancient Indian town, mount and highway"
  Crosses over the lake and arrives at the upper trading-house
CHAPTER V
  "Provides for continuing his voyage higher up the river, engages an Indian to assist in navigating his bark, and sets sail, the Indian becomes tired and requests to be set on shore"
  Encamps at a delightful Orange grove
  Continues again alone up the river: description of the Palma Elata: enters the Little Lake and comes to camp at an Orange groev
  "Fight of alligators; a battle with them; great embarrassments with them; kills one: vast assemblage of fish: description of the alligator and its nest, &c."
  Describes the Carica papaya
  A very curious bird
  In danger of being taken napping by a huge crocodile
  "The banks of the river admirably ornamented with festoons and tapestry, the work of nature"
  Sepulchres of the ancients
  A hurricane
  "Visits a plantation on the banks of the Long Lake; description of the lake, a large sulphureous fountain"
  "Account of the founding and present state of New Smyrna, on the Musquitoe river"
  Returns down the river
  East Lake
  Curious birds and a beautiful fish
  "Leaves Cedar Point, touches at the isle of Palms; robbed by a wolf"
  Arrives at Six Miles Springs
  An account of that admirable fountain
  "Describes the Gordonia, Zamia, Cactus opuntia, Erythrina, Cacalia &c."
  Touches at Rocky Point
  Arrives again at the lower trading-house
CHAPTER VI
  Proceeds on a journey to Cuscowilla
  Describes the country and waters
  "Annona incarna, Annona pygmea, Kalmia ciliata, Empetrum album, Andromeda ferruginea, Rhododendron spurium, Pica glandaria non cristata, Lanius, Lacerta, Snakes, Chionanthus, Andromeda formoissima, Cyrilla"
  Encamps at the Halfway Pond
  "Describes the pond and meadows, a beautiful landscape"
  Pilgrimage of fish
  Describes various kinds of fish
  Great soft shelled tortoise and great land tortoise
  Moral reflections and meditations
  Leaves Half-way Pond and proceeds
  "Situation, quality, and furniture of the earth"
  Arrives at Cuscowilla
  Reception from the Indian chief: his character
  Siminoles' predilection for Spanish customs and civilization
  "Indian slaves, their condition"
  Departs for the Alachua savanna; description of the savanna
  Siminoles on horseback
  Returns to Cuscowilla lake
  Returns to the savanna
  Glass snake
  Makes the tour of the savanna
  Vestiges of the ancient Alachua
  "Orange groves, turkeys, deer, wolves, savanna crane"
  Arrives at the great bason or sink
  Description of the sink
  "Account of the alligators, incredible number of fish; their subterranean migrations"
  Returns
  Old Spanish highway
  Indian highway
  Arrives again at the trading-house on St. Juan's
  "Character and comparison of the nations of the Upper Creeks, and Lower or Siminoles"
CHAPTER VII
  Sets out again on a journey to Talahasochte
  Description of the Siminole horse
  Encamps at an enchanting grotto on the banks of a beautiful lake
  Rocky ridges and desert wilds
  Engagement between a hawk and the coach-whip snake
  Description of the snake
  "Account of the country, grand Pine forest"
  Encamps on the borders of an extensive savanna
  Description of the savanna crane
  "Comes upon the verge of extensive savannas, lying on a beautiful lake"
  "The expansive fields of Capola, decorated with delightful groves"
  Squadrons of Siminole horses
  A troop under the conduct and care of an Indian dog
  The fields of Capola a delightful region
  "Ferruginous rocks, rich iron ore"
  Arrives at Talahasochte on the river Little St. Juan's
  Describes the town and river
  Indian canoes
  Their voyages and traffic
  Indian voyage to Cuba
  A fishing party and naval race
  An excursion to the Manatee spring
  Description of that incomparable nymphæum
  An account of the Manatee
  Crosses the river to explore the country
  Spanish remains
  Vast Cane wilderness
  Ancient Spanish plantations
  Apalachean old fields
  Returns to town
  White King's arrival
  A council and feast
  Character of the king
  "Leaves the town or researches, and encamps in the forests"
  Account of an extraordinary eruption of waters
  Joins his companions at camp
  Entertainment by the White King in Talahafochte
  "Contee, its preparation and sue"
  Returns to camp
  Great desert plains
  Entertainment with a part of young Siminole warriors
  "Account of the Long Pond, and delightful prospects adjacent"
  Returns for the trading-house on St. Juan's
  Embarrassments occasioned by the wild horses
  Encamps at Bird Island Pond
  Vast number of wild fowl tending their nests
  Engagement with an alligator who surprised the camp by night
  Observations on the great Alachua savanna and its environs
  Arrival at the trading house
CHAPTER VIII
  The Author makes an excursion again up St. Juan's to Lake George
  "Revisits Six Mile Springs and Illicium groves, makes collections, and recrosses the lake to the Eastern coast"
  That shore more bold and rocky than the opposite
  "Coasts round that shore, touching at old deserted plantations"
  Perennial Cotton
  Indigo
  "Unpardonable devastation and neglect of the white settlers, with respect to the native Orange groves"
  Returns to the trading-house
CHAPTER IX
  "Indian warriors, their frolic"
  Curious conference with the Long Warrior
  Ludicrous Indian farce relative to a rattle snake
  War farce
CHAPTER X
  Farther account of the rattle snake
  Account and description of other snakes and animals
  "Catalogue of birds of North America; observations concerning their migration, or annual passages from North to South, and back again"
CHAPTER XI
  Visits an Indian village on the river
  Water melon feast
  Description of the banqueting-house
  Makes an excursion across the river; great dangers in crossing; lands on the opposite shore
  "Discovers a bee tree, which yielded a great quantity of honey"
  Returns to the shore
  Embarks for Frederica in Georgia; visits the plantations down the river; enters the sound and passes through; arrives at Frederica
  Embarks again
  Touches at Sunbury
  "Arrives at Charleston, South Carolina"
  "Meditates a journey to the Cherokee country and Creek Nation, in West Florida"
PART III
CHAPTER I
  The Author sets out for the Cherokee territories
  Passes through a fine cultivated country
  Crosses the Savanna river and enters the state of a Georgia
  Dirca palustris
  Cowpens
  Civil entertainment at a plantation
  "Pursues the road to Augusta, and recrosses the river at Silver Bluff"
  "Account of Mr. Golphin's villa and trading stores, Silver Bluff, fort Moore, Augusta, Savanna river, mountains of large fossil oyster shells"
CHAPTER II
  "Proceeds for fort James, Dartmouth"
  Curious species of Azalea
  Crosses Broad River
  Establishment of Dartmouth
  "Indian mount, &c. crosses Savanna river"
  Violent gust of rain
  Curious species of Æsculus pavia
  Town of Sinica
  "Fort George, Keowe"
  Describes the country
CHAPTER III
  Ocone vale
  Monuments of the ancient town
  Crosses the mountains
  "Their situation, views, and productions"
  Rests on the top of Mount Magnolia
  Description of a new and beautiful species of Magnolia
  Cascades of Falling Creek
  Thunder storm
  Head of Tanasee
  Vale of Cowe
  Indian graves
  "Towns of Echoe, Nucasse, and Whatoga"
  Nobly entertained by the prince of Whatoga
  Arrives at the town of Cowe
  Makes an excursion with a young trader on the hills of Cowe
  Incomparable prospects
  Horse-stamp
  Discovers a company of Cherokee nymphs
  A frolic with them
  Returns to town
CHAPTER IV
  Sets off from Whatoga to the Overhill towns
  Jore Village
  Roaring Creek
  The Author and his guide part
  Surprised by an Indian
  Salute and part friendly
  Mountainous vegetable productions
  Arrives on the top of Jore mountain
  Sublime prospects
  "Atta-kul-kulla, grand Cherokee chief"
  Gracious reception
  Returns to Cowe
  Great council-house
  Curious Indian dance
  Returns and stops at Sinica
  "Arrives again at fort James, Dartmouth"
  List of Cherokee towns and villages
CHAPTER V
  Sets off from Dartmouth to the Upper Creeks and Chactaws country
  Flat Rock
  A curious plant
  Rocky Comfort
  Ocone old Town
  Migration of the Ocones
  Crosses the river
  Fords the Oakmulge at the Oakmulge fields
  Stoney Creek
  Great and Little Tabosachte
  New species of Hydrangia
  Crosses Flint river
  Describes the country
  Persecuted by extraordinary heats and incredible numbers of biting flies
  Hippobosca and Asilus
  Extraordinary thunder gust
  Crosses Chata Uche river
  Describes the town
  Very large and populous
  Proceeds and arrives at the Apalachucla town
  Visits the old town
  Extraordinary remains and monuments of the ancients
  General face of the country and vegetable productions
  New species of Æsculus
CHAPTER VI
  "Proceeds, and after three days journey arrives at Tallase, on the Tallapoose river"
  "Coloome, a handsome town"
  Great plains
  Further account of the country
  Dog woods
  Crosses the river Schambe
  "Comes to Taensa on the East banks of the Mobile, thirty miles above the city"
  French inhabitants
  "Passes down the river, arrives at the city of Mobile"
  Short account of the city and fore Condé
  "Returns to Taensa, and proceeds up the river as far as the entrance of the Chicasaw branch"
  Floating forests of the Nymphæa Nelumbo
  Visits the adjacent lands
  Returns to Mobile
  Goes to the river Perdido
  Continues on to Pensacola
  Cordially received by governor Chester
  Some account of the town
  Discovers a new and beautiful species of Sarracenia
  Returns to Mobile
CHAPTER VII
  Leaves Mobile for Manchac on the Mississippi
  Proceeds by water to Pearl Island
  Kindly entertained by Mr. Rumsey
  Describes the island
  Large crimson Plum
  A delicate species of Mimosa
  Passes Lake Pontchartrain
  Touches at the river Taensapaoa
  Passes over Lake Maurespas
  Proceeds up to Iberville
  Crosses by land to Manchac
  Goes up the Mississippi
  Settlements of New-Richmond
  White Plains
  Curious muscle shells in the river
  Crosses over to Point Coupè
  Spanish village and fortress
  High cliffs opposite Point Coupè
  "Returns to the Amite, thence down through the lanks, and sounds back again to Mobile"
CHAPTER VIII
  Leaves Mobile on his return
  Proceeds with a company of traders for the Creek nation
  His horse tires
  Is in great distress
  "Meets a company of traders, of whom he purchases a fresh horse"
  Illicium groves
  Meets a company of emigrants from Georgia
  Great embarrassment at a large creek swollen with late heavy rains
  Arrives at the banks of Alabama
  Crosses it and arrives at Mucclasse
  Indian marriage
  Serious reflections
  Perilous situation of the trader of Mucclasse