The livers, which empty themselves into the Atlantic ocean, arc St Mary's, the common boundary between Flo rida and Georgia, about a mile broad at its mouth ; St John's river, rising in a marshy tract near the middle of the peninsula, and flow ing gently northward, traverses se veral lakes, (the lowest of which, Lake George, is 20 miles long and 12 broad.) and falls into the sea about 40 miles south of the St Mary ; and Indian river, which runs front north to south, and falls into the sea about 60 miles south of Cape Cannaveral. Most of the rivers which fall into the Gulf of Mexico, have their source in the province of Geor ' gia, and the most worthy of notice are the Appalachicola, which divides East from West Florida, and is composed of two streams, the Flint and the Chatohuthe, arising in the Appalachian mountains, and uniting on the confines of Flo rida; the Escambia, the source of which is unknown to Eu ropeans, and which empties itself into the bay of Pensaco la ; the Perdido, formerly the boundary between Louisiana and Florida, and falling into the sea four leagues west of Pensacola Bay ; the Mobile, which has its source in the of the Chicasaws, and, for 40 leagues of its is the Tombeche, and which, alter receiving the Alabama, becomes navigable nearly 120 miles from its mouth ; the Pascagoula, which is navigable upwards of 150 miles, and which falls into the gulf about 16 miles west from Mobile Bay ; the Pearl River, which originates in the Chactaw territories, and is also navigable upwards of 130 miles ; and the Regolets, which is worthy of notice, chiefly as issuing from lake Ponchartrain, which is 40 miles long and 24 broad.
St Augustine, the capital of East Florida, and originally founded by the Spaniards, about the year 1580, stands in 29° 45' North Lat. on the coast of the Atlantic. It is built at the neck of a peninsula, in an oblong form, and consists of four principal streets, which cut each other at right an gles. It is fortified with bastions, and surrounded by a ditch, and is also defended by a castle called Fort St John, well provided with ordinance. The river St .Mark flows through the harbour, and separates the town from the isl and Anastasia. The north and south breakers, at the en trance, form two channels, whose bars have eight feet of water. Pensacola, the capital of West Florida, was regu larly laid out by the English in 1765; and is about a mile in length, of an oblong form, lying nearly parallel to the beach, and defended by a fort, which was built also by the English in 1775. In consequence of a low and sandy shore, only small vessels are able to approach the town ; but the bay affords a commodious harbour to the largest ships, which may ride there in perfect security from every wind. Mobile, situated at the mouth of the river of that name, on a gently rising bank, is nearly a mile in length, and con tains several good houses, which are chiefly built of brick, with a regular fortress also of brick, towards the lower end of the town. There are, besides, numerous forts and set tlements, generally in the neighbourhood of Indian villages. The houses of Europeans are usually of brick, consisting only of one story, but built on an extensive scale, having generally three sides inclosing a large square area. The more ordinary habitations are formed of a strong cypress frame, which is filled with brick, and then plastered white, inside and out ; or sometimes lathed, and then covered with a reddish well-tempered mortar, which gives them the ap pearance of brick walls.
The country of Florida, in its general aspect, is flat, san dy, and barren, on the sea shore ; but upon advancing in land, it becomes very marshy, abounding in natural mea dows. Thence it presents a rich and fertile appearance, especially on the banks of the rivers ; and, for the space of 30 or 40 miles from the coast, there is scarcely to be seen a single stone weighing more than two or three pounds. The interior parts are more hilly, and covered with wood ; bu,s the surface is more stony, and the smaller size of the trees indicates a decreasing fertility in the soil. The soil is commonly a white sand, lying on a bed of white clay ; in some places a dark grey, brown, or black loam, on a foun dation of whitish marl, chalk, and testaceous limestone : in the plains of West Florida, the vegetable mould is often perfectly black, soapy, and rich, lying on a deep bed of chalk or shells.
The climate is various, and has been distinguished into two tracts, viz. the northern, which includes the continen tal and western part of Florida, and the southern, which comprehends almost the whole of the peninsula. In the latter district, the thermometer stands habitually, in sum mer, between 84° and 88° of Fahrenheit, in the shade ; and, during the months of July and August, frequently rises to 94°. In all seasons, the sun is scorching hot at noon ; and, in winter, it very rarely freezes, nor is the cold ever so se vere as to injure even the China orange tree, the fruit of which is said to be there remarkably delicious. The air is pure and free from fogs, but the dews are generally exces sive. In January, the weather is wet and stormy ; in Feb ruary and March, dry and clear ; in July and August, thick, hot, and suffocating ; but, from the end of September t the end of June, it is altogether inconceivably delightful ; and then, says Volney, a there is not, perhaps, a finer cli mate in the world." The cast side of the peninsula is hot ter than the west ; and, towards the southern point of the west coast, there arc, from May to August, frequent squalls and tornadoes, but not of long continuance. On the east, or Atlantic side, the eastern trade wind prevails ; hut, on the west, or towards the Gulf of Mexico, there are cooling .sea breezes from the north-west, through the whole season of summer. About the autumnal equinox, and during the two or three months following, violent storms and dreadful hurricanes frequently occur. In the northern climate, the winds arc colder and more variable, the frosts in winter more severe, the temperature more changeable, and the fogs more prevalent, so as to occasion mouldiness, rust, and the deliquescence of salt, sugar, Ez.c.; yet the town of St Augustine, where this dampness is very great, but where there arc no adjoining marshes, is the healthiest place throughout these latitudes ; and many persons from the Havannah resort thither, as to a Montpelier. In both the tracts of climate, however, particularly in the more nor thern, there are great variations from heat to cold, making often a change of 30° upon the thermometer, in the space of twelve hours. From the end of June to the middle of October, the season of the heavy rains, combined with vio lent heats, fevers are very common, and arc observed to be most obstinate near the rice and indigo plantations. Per sons who drink hard, and sleep in the open air, are very subject to tetanus ; and all intemperate habits are found to be utterly ruinous to health in these provinces.