seen come from Spain, or what comes from the Island called Salt Tortugas near the Main of America, which is here reckoned the stronger and better Salt.
Lagunas, or great Ponds, are many here, one whereof, Rio Hoa Pond, receives a great deal of water by a River, which yet has no visible Rivulet, or Discharge runs from it.
Rivers here in the Mountains rise above, and go under ground again in a great many places, as Rio d' Oro falls under, and rises above ground above Sixteen Miles-Walk, three or four times, and so it is in many others.
At Abraham's Plantation in the North-side, is a River which has stop'd it's own Course by letting a settlement fall, and petrifying its own bottom.
It's ordinary to have Cataracts, Cascades or Precipices, in Rivers amongst the Mountains fifty or sixty Foot high. I have heard some people have been in Currents forc'd down these without hurt. The Water making a great Noise down such Precipices, gave the name to the roaring River in the North side.
The Rivers, especially that called the dry one, (because 'tis sometimes dry) when it rains in the Mountains, come down with great force, carrying along any thing in their way. These Rivers have done dammage to several people by coming down, they being not aware of them, it having rain'd above in the Mountains by their Springs, though not below them in the Plains. Many Fish are in these Rivers, up in the Mountains, especially Cray-fish, wild Hogs feed on them when the Springs are low. The Fish oft are brought down and left in Holes, where Negroes take them by intoxicating them with Dogwood-bark.
Many fallen Trees come down the Rivers, and crossing one another make a stop, whereby the Neighbouring grounds suffer great Inundations, this, as it is beneficial to some, so it is hurtful to others, according to the wetness or driness of the Soil.
Milk-River, is so called from the bottom, which being a white Clay, has given it it's Name: it is dangerous fording it, because the Fords remove as the water puts the Sand by it's Current on one side or other.
Rocks of incredible bigness are brought down by the impetuosity of Rivers which sometimes almost stop their ancient Courses making them run another way.
By this steepness of the Hills, and consequently impetuous motions of the Current, are made the very steep and deep Gullies and sides of Rivers, so that the Banks or Brinks of a River are sometimes a great many yards perpendicularly high above the waters surface.
The
