William Bartram, in 1773, embarked on a four-year journey through eight southern American colonies. Bartram made many drawings and took notes on the native flora and fauna, and the native American Indians. In 1774, he explored the St. Johns River. William Bartram wrote of his experiences exploring the Southeast in his book known today as "Bartram's Travels", published in 1791. Ephraim George Squier and Edwin Hamilton Davis, in their book, "Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley", name Bartram as "the first naturalist who penetrated the dense tropical forests of Florida."