(seq. 344)

East Florida

in any part of American ever has been on the southern Main, or if he
has, her never took proper pains, or inclined to enquire minutely, so as to form
a fair Judfement of the Southern part of East Floridal and the Persons, as
may be met with, especially at, or near Cape Florida, they have interesting Rea=
=sons, which induce them to look with a jealous Eye upon New Settlers, who,
they are sure, will become Sharers in their Advantages immediately, nay will
cut them off from many Profits, as for instance, from Wrack's Fishery and Maha=
=gony Timber, notwithstanding the Benefit, they themselves will enjoy from
new Settlements, which to foresee, their Avarice stands in their own Light.
I have therefore given a full account of the Climate, and communicated proper
Means against the worst; I have given it in the Power of New Settlers to turn
the Soil (be it what it will) to their Views; I have shewn them, how to fix
Barriers between themselves, and Insects; and to make the nesting imprac=
=ticable to Bugs; as to wild Beasts and Vermin; as Bears, Panters, Basilisks,
(Rattle Snakes) and Crocodiles (Alligators) which are the only offensive ones,
yet they have never been known to hurt a Person, unless when they being
attacked were obliged to defend themselves; they all will fly at the Sight
of a human Species, except Basilisks, they cannot flu, but when a Person
comes near them, they will five warning with rattling their Tail, which
is equal to the Noise of mounting a Watch, at which one may stand off.
Crocodiles indeed will attack a grown Person, but not otherwise than in
the Water a swimming; I have heard of INstances, that they have attacked
Children without the House, and carried them off from the Land into the
Water, but cannot vouch for its Truth. Tempests indeed will be seen more
in that, than any other part of the Globe, especially at Cape Florida, as the
Main is there situated open to the Gulf of Sandwich within and the Florida
Stream without the Sound of Dartmouth, in which Stream the Winds
between North and East, have great Power, and cause Turbulations of
disagreeable Effects, but only to those on the Stream in Vessels, and not
to them on Shore in their Houses, the first Sight will no doubt affect their
Mind, until repeated Sights will render them familiar to it, when their
Apprehensions will be much less to what they can be in Hurricanes in
any part of the Main in Europe. As to the Indians, they will prove them=
=selves to new Settler rather friendly, useful and necessary; if any, in their
way of hunting (being unlimited) should come near them, as they came to
my House in 1753, which I erected in the Wilderness of Georgia, when they
endeavoured to gain my Acquaintance and Friendship by supplying me
with Venison, of which they did make a Practice, as I always presented
them