.Has Book Mf.^ COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT A HANDBOOK OF FLORIDA BY CHAKLES LEDYARD NOETOK PART I. THE ATLANTIC COAST WITH FORTY-NINE MAPS AND PLANS - NEW YORK LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO. 15 EAST SIXTEENTH STREET 1890 Copyright, 1S90, by CHARLES LEDYARD NORTON TROWS PRINTINQ AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY, NEW YORK, M q Italy). 1513. March 27. Easter Sunday (Pascua Florida, in Spanish) Juan Ponce de Leon sighted the coast near St. Augustine, and named it in honor of the day.' 1513. April 2. He landed in 30° 8' north latitude, prob- ably near Fernandina. 1513. April 8. He took formal possession in the name of the King of Spain. 1516. Diego Miruelo, a pilot and trader, discovered a bay, probably Pensacola, which long bore his name on Spanish maps. Ponce de Leon made a second voyage of discovery, but was driven off by the natives, who killed several of his men. 1517. February. Francis Hernandez de Cordova, while on a slave-hunting expedition, landed at some unidentified place on the west coast of Florida. His men were attacked by the natives and driven off. De Cordova himself was fa- tally wounded. 1519. Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda discovers the coast in the ' The year 1512 is usually given as the date of this discovery. Justin Wineor, Vol. II., cites official document? proving that 1513 is the correct date. PARAGRAPH HISTORY OF FLORIDA. xxi vicinity of Pensacola, and proves that Florida is not an island. 1521, Februai'y or March. Ponce de Leon, con5nissioned as governor " of the Island Florida," landed at some j)oint probably not far from St. Augustine, and attempted to take possession. He was fatally wounded in a fight with the na- tives, and the settlement was abandoned. Francisco Gordillo and Pedro de Quexos, sent out by Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon, discovered a large river and named it St. John the Baptist. They kidnapped about seventy of the friendly natives, and carried them away. These Indians were subsequently returned to their homes. 1525. Pedro de Quexos returned, by order of Ayllon, regained the good-will of the Indians, and explored the coast for two hundred and fifty leagues, setting up stone crosses bearing the name of Charles V. of Spain, and the date of taking possession. 1528. April 14, Pamphilo de Narvaez with a fleet of five vessels, containing four hundred men and eighty horses, landed in Bahia de la Cruz (perhaps Clearwater Harbor). The fleet was sent along the coast, while the army marched inland and perished, all save four, who escaped after eight years of captivity. 1539. May 25. Hernando de Soto reached Tampa Bay, and named it Espiritu Santo. His force was five hundred and seventy men, with two hundred and twenty-three horses and a complete outfit. He marched northward and westward, treating the Indians, friend and foe alike, with cruel treachery and violence. Passing beyond the present boundaries of Florida he discovered the Mississippi River, where he died and was buried beneath its waters. 1549. June 25. Father Luis Canca de Barbastro, in charge of a missionary expedition, landed near Clearwater Harbor, and was killed by the Indians with four of his asso- ciates. 1559. July 1. Tristan de Luna' y Arellano, with one thousand five hundred soldiers and settlers, landed in Ichuse (Santa Eosa) Bay. A hurricane almost destroyed his fleet, on September 19th. Explorations were undertaken, but re- xxii PARAGRAPH HISTORY OF FLORIDA. suited ill no discoveries of importance. Mutinies followed among tlie troops, and eventually the settlement was aban- doned. 1562. May 1. Jean Ribaut, a French Huguenot, with a colony of the same faith, entered the St. John's Eiver, re- named it La Riviere de Mai, and erected a stone monument bearing the arms of France. No attempt at permanent set- tlement was made at this time. 1564. June 22. Rene de Laudonniere, a French Hugue- not, discovered the harbor of St. Augustine and named it La Riviere des Dauphines. 1564. July. Fort Caroline built by the French, prob- ably at St. John's Bluflf, near the mouth of the ''River of May" (St. John's). 1565. August 3. Sir John Hawkins entered the river, relieved the wants of the French colony, and told Laudon- niere of an intended Spanish attack. 1565. August 28. Pedro Menendez d'Aviles, with a strong Spanish fleet, reached the coast north of Cape Canav- eral. 1565. August 28. He discovered St. Augustine harbor and named it after Aurelius Augustinus, Bishop of Hippo. 1565. August 28. Ribaut reached the St. John's with re- enforcements for the French. 1565. September 4. Menendez arrived at the St. John's River and prepared to give battle to the French, who put to sea, pursued by the Spaniards. 1565. September 5. Menendez returned to find that more French ships had arrived. He retreated to St. Augus- tine and, finding the natives friendly, founded the city on its present site, the oldest in the United States. 1565. September 8. Menendez landed the greater part of his force and took formal possession of St. Augustine in the name of the King of Spain. 1565. September 10. Ribaut's fleet wrecked in a hurri- cane near Canaveral. 1565. September 29. Menendez received the surrender of an advance party of the French who survived the wreck of their fleet at Matanzas Inlet, and put 111 of them to PARAGRAPH HISTORY OF FLORIDA. xxi'ii death. Sixteen wlio professed to be Catholics were spared, at the intercession of the Spanish chaplain. 1565. September 30. Menendez, having marched over- land with 500 men, surprised and put to death the French garrison at Fort Caroline. A few escaped, including Lau- donniere, the commander. 1565. October 1. Laudonniere and the survivors of the massacre escaped to sea in two small vessels. 1565. October 10. Ribaut, with the rest of the surviv- ing French, reached Matanzas. About half of them sur- rendered and were put to death. The rest retreated to Ca- naveral and built a fort. 1565. November 8. Menendez attacked the French at Canaveral. Most of them surrendered and were spared. 1565-66. (Winter.) The French survivors who had es- caped to the woods incited the Indians to attack Fort Caro- line, which the Spaniards had renamed San Mateo. 1566. March 20. Menendez returned to St. Augustine from a voyage, quelled a mutiny with difficulty, relieved San Mateo, reorganized the garrisons, and sailed for Spain, which he reached in July. 1568. April. Domenique de Gourgues, with the avowed intention of avenging the massacre at Matanzas, captured the Spanish forts on the St. John's River, hanged the surviv- ors of the fight, and destroyed the fortification. 1568-1586. European interest in Florida languished. Settlements were sustained mainly through the personal ef- forts of Menendez. 1586. Sir Francis Drake, the English freebooter, at- tacked St. Augustine. The Spaniards fled, offering scarcely any resistance, and the place was burned. After Drake's de- parture the people returned and began to rebuild the town. 1593. Twelve Franciscan missionaries were distributed among tb s Indians on the east coast. 1598. The Franciscan missionaries were nearly all killed by the Indians. 1612-13. Thirty-one Franciscans sent from Spain. Florida constituted a Religious Province of the Order, and named St. Helena. xxiv PARAGRArH HISTORY OF FLORIDA. 1638. War between Spanish colonists and the Apalachee tribe, resulting in the subjugation of the Indians. 1665. St. Augustine pillaged by English freebooters un- der Captain John Davis. The S^Daniards made little or no re- sistance. 1655. The hereditary governorship of the Menendez fam- ily terminated, and was succeeded by Diego de Kebellado, as Captain-General. 1675. Don Juan Hita de Salacar became Captain-General. 1680. Don Juan Marquez Cabrera became Captain-Gen- eral. 1678. The commandant of St. Augustine sent out a suc- cessful expedition against the English and Scotch settlements near Port Royal. 1687. A large consignment of negro slaves brought to Florida by one De Aila. 1681. The Governor (Cabrera) attempted to remove sev- eral Indian tribes to the islands on the coast. Hostilities followed, many Christian Indians were killed and others carried away as slaves. 1696. Under authority of the Viceroy of New Spain a settlement was made at Pensacola, and Fort Charles was built. 1702. September and October. Governor Moore of South Carolina laid siege to St. Augustine, by land and sea. The town was occupied and burned, but the castle (the present Fort Marion) held out. Two Spanish vessels appeared and Governor Moore withdrew, losing his transjDorts. 1703-4. Governor Moore sent an expedition into M^^Jdle Florida mainly directed against the Indians friendly to Spain. He destroyed several towns and carried off many Indians to slavery, at the same time defeating the Spaniards under Don Juan Mexia, who came to the aid of their Indian allies. 1708. Colonel Barnwell of South Carolina invaded Mid- dle Florida and raided through the Alachua country east- ward to the St. John's River. About the same time Captain T. Nairn of the same forces penetrated to the head waters of the St. John's, and possibly to the Okeechobee region, bringing back a number of slaves. PARAGRAPH HISTORY OP FLORIDA. xxv 1718. March. Fort San Marcos de Apalaclie erected at St. Mark's by Spaniards nnder authority of the Governor of St. Augustine. About the same time the French estab- lished Fort Crevecceur at St. Joseph's Bay, but soon aban- doned it and the Spaniards took possession. 1718. May 14. The French under Bienville, the com- mandant at Mobile, attacked the Spaniards at Pensacola, and mainly by stratagem cajDtured the entire garrison, who were sent to Havana in accordance with a promise made be- fore the surrender. 1718. Two Spanish ships appeared off Pensacola, and after a brief bombardment received the surrender of the French commander. The fortifications were at once strongly garrisoned, and an unsuccessful attack was made on the French, who still held Dauphin Island. 1719. September 18. After a series of actions the Span- ish at Pensacola surrendered to the combined land and naval forces of the French under Desnade de Ohami^smelin. Pensacola was destroyed and abandoned, and the captured Spaniards were taken to France as prisoners of war. 1722. Pensacola reoccupied by the Spaniards on declara- tion of peace, and the town rebuilt on Santa Eosa Isl- and. 1727. Colonel Palmer of South Carolina, after certain un- successful negotiations with the Spanish authorities in Flor- ida, made a descent upon the northern part of the province, and with the aid of Indian allies harried the whole country to the gates of St. Augustine, capturing many slaves and driving off much live stock. 1736. . Spain formally claimed all territory south of St. Helena Sound, as part of her Floridian possessions, and warned England to withdraw her colonists. Futile negotia- tions followed. 1739. October. War declared between England and Spain, because of alleged encroachments by both parties in the provinces of Georgia and Florida. Governor Oglethorpe of Georgia, having already jDrepared a force, at once invaded the disputed territory. 1739. December. A detachment of Oglethorpe's men XX vi PARAGRAPH HISTORY OF FLORIDA. attacked Fort Poppa on tlie St. John's Eiver, opposite Pico- lata, but were repulsed by the Spaniards. 1740. January. Fort at Picolata captured by the Eng- lish. 1740. June 20 till July 7. Siege of St. Augustine by the English under Major-General James Edwarc). Oglethorpe, Governor of Georgia. The defence was successfully con- ducted by a Spanish garrison of 750 men under Don Manuel de Monteano. 1742. July 5. Monteano led an expedition against Ogle- thorpe, sailing fi'om St. Augustine. He was repulsed after having forced the English to abandon their first position. 1743. March. General Oglethorpe invaded Florida, and surprised the garrison of St. Augustine, killing some forty men before they could gain the citadel. Oglethorpe with- drew, not being prepared to conduct a siege. 1748. Suspension of hostilities by treaty between Great Britain and Spain. 1750. As the result of a tribal quarrel among the Creek Indians in Georgia, Secofifee, a noted chief of the tribe, headed a movement for secession, and with a large number of followers settled in the Alachua country, Florida. These Indiahs became known as Seminoles, i.e., seceders, out- laws. 1762. Hostilities renewed between Spain and Great Brit- ain. The English capture Havana. 1763. February 10. By treaty Great Britain and Spain effected an exchange of Cuba for Florida, and the English at once took possession of Florida, and General James Grant was appointed Governor. 1765. The " King's Eoad," constructed from St. Augus- tine to the St. Mary's Biver. 1766. Forty families emigrated from Bermuda to Mos- quito Inlet. 1767. Colony of 1,500 Minorcans established by Dr. Turn- bull at Mosquito Inlet (New Smyrna). 1776. Colony at New Smyrna broken ujd because of al- leged harsh treatment. 1774. In view of the disaffection of the northern colonies PARAGRAPH HISTORY OP FLORIDA. xxvii pending tlie war for Independence, immigration of loyalists was encouraged from Georgia and the Carolinas. A consid- erable number settled near St. Augustine. 1775. August. An American privateer captured tlie British supply ship Betsey, off the harbor of St. Augustine, in sight of the British garrison. 1778. Nearly 7,000 loyalists moved into Florida from Georgia and the Carolinas. 1779. September. Hostilities resumed between Spain and Great Britain. 1780. Sixty-one prominent South Carolinians sent to St. Augustine by the British authorities as prisoners of State. 1781. March — May. The Spaniards under Don Bernardo de Galvez, with a naval force under Admiral Solana, invested Pensacola, which was defended by about 1,000 English under General Campbell. A chance explosion of a magazine com- pelled the surrender of the English, who cajjitulated on honorable terms to a largely superior force. 1783. Colonel Devereaux, a loyalist fugitive from Caro- lina, sailed from St. Augustine with two privateers and cap- tured the Bahama Islands, then held by the Spaniards. They have ever since remained under the British flag. 1783. September 3. Independence of the American col- onies — not including Florida, which had taken no part in the struggle — acknowledged by Great Britain. Upon this Florida was ceded back to Spain, Great Britain retaining the Bahamas. English subjects were allowed eighteen months to move their effects. The crown transported most of them to England, the Bahamas, and Nova Scotia. 1784. Zespedez, the new Spanish governor, arrived at St. Augustine and took possession. 1795. Spain receded West Florida (Louisiana) to France. 1811. In view of probable war with England the United States Congress resolved to seize Florida in order to prevent the English from taking possession. 1812. March 17. A number of persons styling themselves •' patriots " met at St. Mary's and organized the Eepublic of Florida. Aided by United States gunboats they took pos- session of Fernandina, elected a governor, and shortly after- XXviii PARAGRAPH HISTORY OF FLORIDA. ward marched upon St. Augustine, but were repulsed. The United States soon withdrew its open support, but the *' patriots" continued towage war on their own responsi- bility, aided by American volunteers. 1814. August. A British force under Colonel Nichols oc- cupied Pensacola with the consent of the Spanish comman- dant and hoisted the British flag. 1814. November 14. Pensacola captured by United States forces under General Andrew Jackson. The English, presumably with Spanish connivance, built and armed a fort at the mouth of the Apalachicola Biver and garrisoned it with Indians and negroes. 1816. August. The fort on the Apalachicola was attacked by a combined force of Americans and friendly Indians under Colonel Clinch, and captured after one of the maga- zines had been exploded by a hot shot. During this time Florida was in a state of anarchy, and Indian forays into Georgia were frequent. 1818. April 7. General Jackson, with a force of Ameri- cans, severely chastised the Florida Indians, cai)turing a formidable fort at St. Marks. 1818. May 25. Pensacola, which had been reoccupied by the Spaniards, surrendered to General Jackson by the Span- ish after slight resistance. 1819. February 22. Florida ceded by Spain to the United States. 1821. February 19. Treaty of cession formally rati- fied. 1821. July 10. The Spanish flag hauled down and the United States flag hoisted in its place at St. Augustine. A like ceremony took place at Pensacola on July 21st. 1822. March 30. By act of Congress Florida was made a territory of the United States, and organized as such. 1822. June. The first legislative council met at Pen- sacola and created four counties : Escambia, Jackson, St. John's, and Duval. 1823. September 18. Treaty of Fort Moultrie made with the Indians, inducing them to confine themselves to a reser- vation. PARAGRAPH HISTORY OP FLORIDA. xxix 1823. October. Tallahassee selected as the territorial capital. 1823-1835, Settlers began to press into Florida and en- croach upon Indian reservations. Treaties were made and set aside looking to the removal of the Indians. 1834. April 12. Proclamation by the President pursuant to treaty finally adopted, directing the removal of the Semi- noles west of the Mississippi. 1835. Autumn. Friendly Indians murdered by those who were disposed to resist the execution of the President's proclamation. 1835. December 25. The Seminoles made a descent upon New Smyrna, burned all the houses, and laid waste the plantations. Having been forewarned, the inhabitants escaj)ed. 1835. December 28. Osceola, the Seminole chief, way- laid and killed General Thompson, the Indian Commissioner, at Fort King, with several companions. On the same day the command of Major Dade, U.S.A., 110 strong, was am- buscaded and massacred by Indians, under Chief Micanopy, near Dragem Junction, Sumter County. Four soldiers feigned death and escaped, three of them reaching Tampa Bay. Thus began the Seminole War, which lasted seven years. 1835. December 31. United States troops under Gen- eral Clinch defeated the Indians near the scene of Dade's massacre, of which event they were at the time unaware. 1836. February 27— March 6. United States troops under General Gaines attacked by a large force of Indians while attempting to ford the Withlacoochee Eiver. The trooi:>s intrenched themselves, and were besieged for several days, with constant fighting, until their provisions were nearly ex- hausted, when they were relieved by General Clinch. 1836. June 9. Indians threatened the stockade at Mican- opy. United States forces under Major Heileman marched out and routed them after a sharp fight. 1836. August 11. Major Pierce attacked Osceola's band of Micosukee Indians near Fort Drane, and routed them. 1836. November 21. Colonel (late Major) Pierce drove a XXX PARAGRAPH HISTORY OF FLORIDA. large force of Indians into the Walioo swamp, but no de- cisive victory could be gained, owing to the impenetrable nature of the morass. 1837. January 20. A detachment, marching to Jupiter Inlet from the head of the St. John's Eiver, found Indians strongly posted on the banks of the Locohatchee. After at- tacking and dispersing the Indians a stockade (Fort Jupiter) W'as constructed near the inlet. 1837. January 27. Engagement near Hatcheelustee Creek. The Indians were routed and driven into Great Cypress Swamp. 1837. February 8. Intrenched camp on Lake Munroe at- tacked at night by a large force of Seminoles. The Indians were repulsed with heavy loss. 1837. March 6. Treaty of capitulation signed by Gen- eral Thomas S. Jessup and Seminole chiefs at Fort Dade. A large number of Seminoles nominally surrendered at this time ; the influence of Osceola and the warlike faction proved too strong, and by the end of the summer hostilities were resumed. 1837. October 12. Osceola and seventy- one of his band seized by order of General Jessup and confined as prisoners of war. 1837. December 25. Colonel Zachary Taylor, with a strong detachment, following the main body of the Seminoles southward, overtook them on the shore of Lake Okeechobee. After a stubborn fight, lasting several hours, the Indians fled. Taylor lost one-tenth of his men in killed and wounded. This action terminated concerted resistance on the part of the Indians. After this they fought in small parties. 1838. March 22. Colonel Twiggs captured 513 Indians and 165 negroes near Fort Jupiter. 1839. May. A council with the Seminole chiefs resulted in an official declaration of peace. 1839. July, The Indians, without warning, resumed hos- tilities in all parts of the State. Colonel Harney's command was nearly exterminated at Charlotte Harbor by an over- whelming force of Indians. 1840. August 7. Government station on Indian Key de- stroyed by a war party of Indians. Dr. Perrine killed. PARAGRAPH HISTORY OF FLORIDA. xxxi 1840. December. Colonel Harney conducted an expedi- tion through the Everglades. During the year the Indians adopted the plan of raiding with small parties and the whole State was harried by these bands. 1841. May 31. Colonel, afterward General, William J. Worth was given command of the United States forces in Florida. He inaugurated a summer campaign which proved effective. The Indians were, during the winter of 1841-42, either captured, killed, or driven into the most inaccessible swamps. 1842. April 19 — August 14. The Seminole War was de- clared at an end. The surviving Indians were removed to Arkansas, with the exception of about 360, who were tacitly allowed to remain in the Everglades. 1845. March 3. Florida admitted to the Union as a State. 1861. January 6. United States Arsenal at Chattahoochee seized by Florida State troops. 1861. January 7. Fort Marion, St. Augustine, seized by State troops (see p. 151). Fort Clinch, Fernandina, occupied the same day. 1861. January 10. Ordinance of secession adopted by the convention assembled at Tallahassee. 1861. January 10. United States troops transferred from Barrancas Barracks to Fort Pickens, Pensacola Harbor. 1861. January 12. All United States property on the mainland, including the Navy Yard and Forts Barrancas and McRae, seized by Florida State troops, the commandant of the Navy Yard with his men being held as prisoners. 1861. January 12. Formal demand made for the sur- render of Fort Pickens to Florida State troops. 1861. January 14. Fort Taylor, Key West, garrisoned by United States troops. 1861. January 18. Fort Jefferson, Tortugas, garrisoned by United States troops. 1861. April 12-17. Fort Pickens reinforced. 1861. August 6. The blockade-runner Alvarado burned off Fernandina. 1861. November 22. Fort Pickens (Pensacola) opens fire XXXU PARAGRAPH HISTORY OF FLORIDA. upon the Confederate batteries on the mainland. An artil- lery duel continued all day. 1862. January 16. Naval attack upon Cedar Key. 1862. March 3. Amelia Island evacuated by the Confed- erates, and (Marftli 4) occui^ied by Federals. 1862. March 11. Jacksonville occujDied by Federal forces. 1862. March 14. Brigadier- General James H. Trapier, C.S.A., assigned to the command of Middle and East Florida. 1862. March 17. Colonel W. S. Dilworth assigned to the command of Florida, vice Trapier, transferred. 1862. March 23. New Smyrna partly destroyed by Fed- erals. 1862. April 8. Brigadier-General Joseph Finegan, C.S.A., assigned to the command of Confederate forces in Florida. 1862. April 9. Jacksonville evacuated by the Federal troops. 1862. April 10. Skirmish near Fernandina. 1862. October 4. Jacksonville again occupied by the Federals and shortly afterward abandoned. 1863. March 10. Jacksonville occupied by Federals. 1863. March 31. Jacksonville evacuated by Federals. 1864. February 7. Jacksonville reoccupied by Federals. 1864. February 20. Battle of Olustee. Defeat of the Federals. 1865. October 28. End of the Civil War. Ordinance of secession repealed, after which a civil government under the supervision of a military governor (General John Pope) was temporarily established. 1868. July 4. The fourteenth amendment to the Con- stitution of the United States having been adopted, with a new State constitution, Florida was readmitted to the Union and military supervision withdrawn. 1889. June. Discovery of highly valuable phosphate beds at Dunellon, Marion County, followed by similar dis- coveries in different parts of the State. Alachua County. Area, 1,260 sq. m.— Lat. 29° 25' to 29° 55' N.— Long. 82° to 82° 5{V W— Estimated pop. (18S9), 32,000.— Pop. (1880), 16,462.— Assessed valuation (1888), $3,193,000. — County seat, Gainesville. The name is of Indian origin, pronounced al-latch-u-ah, with the accent on the second syllable. Probably, however, the Indian pronunciation accentuated the last syllable. The name was originally given to a remarkable chasm in the earth near Gainesville (see map), and is said to mean lit- erally " the big jug without a bottom ; " but there is prob- ably a conveyed meaning to the Seminole ear implying, " the place where the waters go down." The settlement of this region by whites was effected by the agents of Fernando de la Maza Arredondo, an enterprising Spanish merchant of Havana. Messrs. Dexter and Wanton, under his authority and led by the accounts given by Indians of the high roll- ing lands, rich soil, heavy forests, and abundant lakes and streams, penetrated to the vicinity of Gainesville and there established a trading-post. The Indian accounts proved true, and Arredondo obtained a Spanish grant of about 289,645 English acres — rather more than one-quarter of the 23resent county of Alachua. The exact date of the original settlement cannot be ascertained, but it was no doubt prior to the beginning of the present century, when the whole interior of Florida was an unexplored wilderness, and the discoverer of a fertile tract had only to ask for a grant in order to secure what was then regarded as a clear title from the Spanish crown. Alachua is classed in the United States Government re- ports as in the long-leaf pine region. It contains, however, tracts of oak and hickory, hammocks and prairies. The eastern j)art of the county, at the point of highest elevation, is 250 feet above tide-water ; the western jDart about 70 feet. Near the Levy county line is a range of sand-hills, 120 feet above tide-water. The Cedar Key Eailroad crosses this range between Archer and Bronson. Along the Santa Fe and Suwannee Elvers the underlying limestone frequent- ly crops out, forming picturesque and i)recipitous banks. 2 ALACHUA COUNTY. crowned with rich hammock. From northwest to south- east, crossing the county, is an irregularly detached belt of fine hammock lands, the substratum of which is the peculiar disintegrated limestone of this region. Oaks, hickory, gum trees, bay, magnolia, beech, maple, and other hard woods grow here in great luxuriance, although along this belt the rock is but thinly covered with soil. The total area of ham- mock land is about 2,440 acres. It is of two grades, *' black hammock," with a sandy loam soil, brown or blackish in color, and nearly a foot deep ; and " gray hammock," with a lighter soil and higher percentage of sand, underlaid with sand or sand-rock. The Suwannee River and its tributary the Santa Fe define the western and northern boundaries of the county. The first named is navigable for steamers throughout this section of its course, and the second as far as Fort White, about eight miles above the confluence of the two streams. In the west- ern part of the county are countless small lakes and ponds, most of them deep and well supplied with fish. They are connected by natural water-courses, sometimes on the sur- face, sometimes subterranean, and curious natural wells and ** sinks "are of frequent occurrence. These wells are usu- ally perpendicular shafts, three or four feet in diameter, de- scending through solid limestone rock to a depth of thirty or forty feet. Water strongly impregnated with lime is found in most of them, but some are dry and may be ex- plored. This part of the county is sparsely settled as compared with the eastern, especially the southeastern section. This, however, renders it the more attractive for sportsmen and camj^ers. Large game has been hunted off in the more thickly settled portions of the county, but deer and turkey are to be found within easy driving distance of almost any of the towns west of Gainesville, and the ordinary game birds are reasonably abundant everywhere. Large lakes are found in the eastern and especially in the southeastern portion of the county. Of these South Pond and Santa FC Lake are joined by a canal, and are navigable for launches and small steamboats. Orange Lake, which 4: ALACHUA COUNTY. bounds the county at its southeastern corner, is an irregular body of water, the largest in the county, but shallow and overgrown with aquatic vegetation. In the season these shallow lakes are frequented by water-fowl. The remarkably open character of the woods at once impresses the observant traveller. The scrub palmetto is wholly absent over large tracts, and one may ride or drive comfortably for miles through a virgin forest without a sign of a wagon road or of a human habitation. Among the crops that are successfully cultivated in Alachua are artichokes, beans, beets, cabbages, celery, cucumbers, egg-plant, lettuce, okra, onions, i3arsnips, peas, potatoes (Irish and sweet), pumpkins, radishes, squashes, tomatoes, turnips, arrow-root, barley, castor beans, cassava, chiifas, koonti, corn, cotton, pea-nuts, melons, millet, oats, rice, lye, sorghum, sugar-cane, tobacco, and wheat. Oranges aro grown successfully whenever facilities for transportation render it j)ossible to market the crop to advantage. Peaches of the Pientau and other early varieties are cultivated ; the Leconte pear is a profitable croi3, and strawberries in very large quantities are shipped to the North during January, February, and March. The Florida Southern Eailway (J., T. & K. "W. system) en- ters the county from the westward, Palatka being the nearest station of importance. The stations next and within the county are : Dlst. fr. Palatka. 2T Cones Crossing {PutnuTn Co.) 45 29 Colgrove 43 E 31 Hawthorne ' 41 a Diet, f • Ocala. 32. . . .Constantine's Mill 40 35. . . Grove Park 3T V 40....Roclielle''* 32 W 45 Micanopy Jc 27 47 Evinston (Levy Co.) 24 » Crosses F. C. &. P. Ry. (see p. 5). 2 Gainesville Br. (see below). For continuation of this line to Ocala, Lees- burg, etc., see p. 63. Gainesville Branch (J., T. & K. W. system) : I 37....Eochelle> 8 E Dist.fr. I 41.... Sink 4 a D'st. fr. Palatka. V 42 .... Oliver Park 3 I Gainesville. W 45 Gainesville '^ | ' Connects with main line (see above). 3 Connects with S. F. & W. Ry. (see p. 5), and Cedar Key Division F. C. & P. (see p. 5). ALACHUA COUNTY, The main line of the Florida Central & Peninsula Eailway enters the county from the northeast after crossing Santa Fe Eiver. The stations next and within the county are : DIst. fr. Jackson- ville. 79 Hampton {Bradford Co.) 51 85. . . .Waldo ' 45 90 Orange Heights 40 94. . . .Campville . . 36 99. . . .Hawthorne 2 31 106 Lochloosa 24 109. . . .Island Grove .21 112....Citra {Levy Co.) 18 Dist. fr. Ocala. ' Cedar Key Branch, F. C. & P. (see below). ' Crosses Gainesville Branch, J., T. & K. W. Ocala, see p. 63 ; to Jacksonville, p. 9. For continuation of this line to Cedar Key Division, F, C. & P., crosses the county south- westerly from Waldo, where it leaves the main line. Dist. fr, Waldo. 0.... Waldo TO 6 ...Fairbanks 64 NE 14 Gainesville' 56 /v 13. ..Hammock Ridge. 52 20. . . Arredondo 50 21 Kanapaha 49 24. . . .Palmer 46 SW 29. 38. ..Archer 41 .Bronson {Levy Co.) 32 D:st. fr. Cedar Key. ' Connects with Gainesville Branch, J., T. & K. W. (see p. 4), and with Gainesville Division, S. F. & W. (see below). For continuation southwest to Cedar Key, see p. 55 ; northeast to Jacksonville, Fernandina, etc., see p. 9. The GaiDesville Division, S. F. & W. Ey., runs northeast from Gainesville tc Lake City Junction, Columbia County. The stations are : ©....Gainesville 1 36 D-Bt fr I 11. ...Hague 25 SE j... . Gainei' 16. ...Newnansville 20 a LakeCitV Gaines- y 23 .... High Springs 13 I ^ake ^1^7 vine. -^y^ 33.... Fort White 3 | '^^• 36 Lake City Jc. ( Columbia Co.)... . ' For continuation northwest, see p. 17. For connections at Gainesville, see map. BAKER COUNTY Baker County. Area, 500>q. m.— Lat. 3C° 10'' to 30^ 23' N.— Long. 82" to 82° 3(y W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 4,000.— Registered vote (1889), 651.— Pop. (1880), 2,312.— Assessed valuation (1888), $544,308.— County seat, McClenny. The northern part of this county is within the limits of the great Okeef enokee Swamp, which extends to the north- BAKER COUNTY SCALE OF MILES ward across the Georgia State line. This portion of the county is hardly habitable, but is rich in standing timber which is rafted down the tributaries of the St. Mary's River At BAKER COUNTY— BRADFORD COUNTY. 7 to tide-water and a market, or else finds its way to the Florida Central & Peninsula Eailway Company's stations in the southern tier of townships. The southern part of the county is moderately high pine land, with sandy soil. The princi- pal shipments are turpentine and lumber, with an increas- ing quantity of peaches and vegetables. Near the southwestern corner of the county there took place the most considerable engagement that occurred within the State during the Civil War. The Western Division of the Florida Central & Penin- sula Railway crosses east and west near the southern border. The stations next to and within the county are : 19.,.. Baldwin (Dura? Co.) 186 E Dist. fr. Jackson- viUe. 28....McClenny 177 a 30. . . .Glen St. Mary 175 37 Sanderson 168 39. . . .Pendleton 166 V 47....0l8Utee 158 W 52. . . .Mt. Carrie (Columbia Co.) 153 Dist. fr. River Jc. Bradford County. Area, 550 sq. m.— Lat. 29° 40' to 30° 10' N.— Long. 82° to 82° 40^ W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 8,000.— Registered vote (1889), 1,370.— Pop. (1,880), 6,167.— Highest elevation, 210 ft. (Trail Ridge).— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,124,763.— County seat, Starke. Bradford County is classified in the long-leaf pine region. The best land is gently rolling, with sandy loam, well suited for the cultivation of cotton, corn, vegetables, fruits, and rice. The most fertile land is found along the lakes and water-courses — mainly in the southern and eastern sections. Second class is for the most part a yellow sandy loam, covered with pine forests. It is capable, however, of producing fair crops of oats, rye, and barley. The third-class land is sandy and low, covered with scrub palmetto and underlaid with a compact "hard pan." Cypress ponds abound in the east- ern and northeastern sections, and, besides their timber, af- ford valuable beds of muck, readily available for fertilizing purposes. Swift's Creek, Olustee Creek, New River, and Samson Eiver are tributaries of the Santa Fe, which in turn flows tln-ough the Suwannee to the Gulf of Mexico. These streams 8 BRADFORD COUNTY. are all available for rafting pui'poses, and many of them afford good mill-sites. The more considerable lakes are South Prong Pond, one of the sources of Olustee Creek (200 acres) ; SAvift Creek Pond (700 acres), Lake Butler (700 acres), Samson Lake (2,200 acres), Crosby Lake (800 acres), BRADFORD COUNTY SCALE OF MILES Ilowell Lake (800 acres). At the southeastern comer, be- tween Bradford and Alachua Counties is Santa Fe Lake, the source of the river of that name, 137 feet above the sea. It is the largest body of water adjacent to the county, some eight miles long with its connections, and aflfording water transportation to Waldo, a railroad station near the head of the South Pond. •^ The main line of the Florida Central & Peninsula Railway BRADFORD COUNTY— BREVARD COUNTY. 9 crosses N.N.E. and S.S.W. in the eastern tier of town- ships. The stations next to and within the county are : 61. , . .Eghland {Clay Co.) 69 66. . . .Lawtey 64 NNE Dist.fr. 67>6..Burrin. 63 a Jack- 71 Temple 58 sonville. V 73 Starke 57 SSW 79. . . Hampton 51 85 Waldo {Alachua Co.) 45 For continuation of this line to Jacksonville, see p. 16 ; to Cedar Key, see p. 5. Dist. fr. Ocala. Brevard County. Area, 3,000 sq. m.— Lat. 27° 10^ to 28° 50^ N.— Long. 80° lO' to 81° W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 8,000.— Pop. (1880), 1,478.— Assesssed valuation (1888), $1,007,- 474. — County seat, Titusville. The present county was formed from St. Lucie County, in January, 1855. The county seat was successively at Fort Pierce or Susannah (1855 to 1864), Bassville (1864 to 1873), Lakeville (1873 to 1879), and finally at Titus\'ille, or, as it was formerly known, Sandy Point. In 1879 the southern part of Volusia County was added to Brevard, so that the county now includes 108 miles of Atlantic Sea-coast, practically em- bracing the whole of the Indian River with its dependencies, and nearly covering two degrees of latitude. The coast-line forms the eastern boundary of this tract, its general trend being N.N.E. by S.S.E. The western boundary is defined for about twenty miles by the St. John's River, and then follows a township meridian southward to Lake Okeechobee, the great inland sea of Central Florida. The greatest width is on the southern boundary, about forty-two miles, marked by a township line from Okeechobee to the mouth of the St. Lucie River. Fronting the ocean is a strip of beach, broken by occa- sional inlets, and usually varying in width from a few hun- dred yards to a mile. This is covered for the most part with a heavy growth of timber, and rarely rises to a height of more than fifteen or twenty feet above high-water mark. West of this is Indian River, a narrow strait or lagoon, averaging about a mile in width, but spreading out to some six miles 10 BREVARD COUNTY. at the widest, and contracting to barely a hundred feet at the Narrows. Near the head of the river are large islands or peninsulas, and farther south, at the Jupiter and St. Lucie Narrows, are innumerable small islands separated bj channels often not more than one hundred feet wide, and covered with an almost impenetrable growth of mangroves and other trop- ical vegetation. Indian Biver is, in fact, not a river as the term is ordinarily understood. It is a great lagoon fed by countless fresh-water streams, but open to the ocean through several considerable inlets, in which the salt water ebbs and flows. The water is partly salt and partly fresh, according to the state of the tide, or the distance from an inlet, or from fresh-water rivers and springs. The depth averages twelve feet in the channel, and there are no natural obstacles of a dangerous character from one end of the river to the other. The mainland or west shore of the Indian Eiver varies con- siderably in height, and in the character of its soil, but it offers an almost unbroken succession of desirable building sites, and unsurpassed lands for the cultivation of citrus- fruits and pineapples. This fertile belt is comparatively narrow. To the west- ward stretches a wilderness, as yet hardly explored, save by the hunter and surveyor, and still haunted by the large game of Florida — bears, panthers, wild cats, and deer ; while turkies and the lesser varieties of wild-fowl are found in abundance. Much of this wild region is swampy, and there are many shallow lakes navigable for canoes. There is every reason to believe that this wilderness was once a lagoon and that in the course of time — a few thou- sand years more or less — the natural processes of geological upheaval and accretion will convert Indian Kiver, first into a morass, and then into dry land, while perhaps another beach and another river will form to seaward. The shores of Indian River, then, are substantially the only inhabited portion of Brevard County. For a more de- tailed description, the reader is referred to Routes 70 to 74. It remains to describe in general terms the climate of this coast, and this is best done by reference to the reports of the United States Signal Service. BREVAKD COUNTY BREVARD COUNTY— CALHOUN COUNTY. H The Indian Kiver Division of the Jacksonville, Tampa, & Key West system at present ends at Titusville, near the northern boundary. The stations next to and within the county are : I 23....Maytown 18 -f^ Dist.fr. 31 Aurantia 10 7* T«of fr Enterprise A 35. .-..Minis 6 -^ TitnisVille Jc. 4 37.... La Grange 4 Utusville. S 41 ... . TitusvlUe For continuation of this line north and south from Enterprise Junction, see pp. 70, 97. For steamboat routes from Titusville, see Eoute 70. Calhoun County. Area, 1,160 sq. m.— Lat. 29° 40' to 30° 30^ N.— Long. 85° to 85° 40' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 4,000.— Pop. (1880), l,580.~Asseesed valuation, $352,862.— County seat, Blountstown. This county was organized with its present boundaries in 1874. It was named after John 0. Calhoun, a prominent Southern statesman, who died in 1850. The land is sandy, with clay subsoil and underlying limestone ; for the most part heavily timbered and within easy reach of water transporta- tion. The Apalachicola River, navigable for steamers, forms the eastern boundary, and nearly parallel to it are the Chi- pola River and Brothers River, both of them navigable ex- cept during low water. The bottom-lands along the rivers, especially the Apalachicola, are rich alluvial deposits of in- exhaustible fertility, but subject, of course, to periodical overflow. Springs of excellent water abound throughout the county, and the pine lands are for the most part of good quality. West of the Apalachicola the Chipola River widens into Dead Lakes, sunken areas with dead cypress-trees standing or lying in water ten to twenty feet deep. It is thought that the subsidence of the lake bottoms is of comparatively recent occurrence. This region can only be penetrated in boats, but it offers great attractions and novel experiences to sportsmen who are not afraid of hard work. St. Joseph's Bay is a fine body of navigable water with shores well adapted for camping. CALHOUN COUNTY CITRUS COUNTY. 13 Citrus County. . Area, TOO sq. m.— Lat. 23° 40' to 23° 10^ N.— Long. 82° 10^ to 82" 50' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 1,2T5.— Elevation at Mt. Lee, 214 ft.— Assessed valuation (1888), $874,752.— County seat, Mannfield. This county -^^as organized, June 2, 1887, prior to wliicli date it was included in Hernando County. It borders upon tlie Gulf of Mexico, and is drained Ly the Withlacoocheo Eiver, a navigable stream forming its northern and eastern ^A boundaries. The face of the country is level near the coast, covered with heavy hammock growth, and bearing a rich soil of varying depth underlaid with coraline and limestone rock rich in phosphates. Farther inland are rolling pine lands rising to a considerable height. The climate is tempered by the Gulf breezes, and northern and easterly winds are of very rare occurrence. Several of the wonderful springs peculiar to Florida are found within the county. The fishing and 14 CITRUS COUNTY— CLAY COUNTY. Imnting are exceptionally fine. Along the coast are numer- ous shell-mounds and islands, affording excellent building sites. The Homosassa River and its vicinity offer especial attractions to settlers, tourists, and sportsmen. The Gulf Coast is bordered by countless islands, or keys, of limestone, some of them covered with mangroves, others nearly barren. Navigation is very dangerous owing to reefs, shoals, and oyster-beds that extend in some cases miles from the coast. There are, however, two harbors accessible for vessels drawing not more than four feet, at Crystal Eiver, and Homosassa. Citrus is a rich orange country, and is the natural home of the Homosassa orange, which has, perhaps, the longest established reputation of any of the Florida varieties, and, it is said, has taken more prizes than any other. The Silver Springs, Ocala, and Gulf Railroad crosses the county from Dunellou, on the Withlacoochee River, to Homo- sassa, near the Gulf Coast. The stations next to and within the county are : Dist. fr. Ocala. 26 Dunellon {MariADE CO. SCALE OF MILES 15 20 -hristmas Pt. ;■ RHODES ^5 .^{vy^PACO ALTO , A"v; KEYS r^ />■ DADE COUNTY— DE SOTO COUNTY. 21 long, from Jupiter Inlet to the head of Lake Worth, see Koute 75. It belongs to the Jacksonville, Tampa, & Key West system, and runs in connection with their boats on the Indian River. This Company is extending its surveys to the southward, and constructing a wagon-road from Lake Worth to Biscayne Bay. De Soto County. Area, 3,800 sq. m.— Lat. 26° 45' to 27° 38' N.— Long. 80° 50' to 82° 20' W.— Es- tlmatsd pop. (1889), 7,000.— Assessed valuation, $1,983,640.— County seat, Ar- cadia. This county was organized in 1887, as the result of a sub- division of Manatee County, and was appropriately named after the great Spanish navigator, Hernando De Soto. It is still in the main a wilderness, some sixty miles wide, extending from the Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechobee on the east to the Gulf of Mexico on the west. A narrow chain of settlements skirts the navigable waters and the line of the Florida Southern Railway, but a few miles on either side of these the pine forests are unbroken until they disap- l^ear in the prairies and saw-grass bordering the great inland lakes. And yet this region represents large wealth, for here begins the great cattle range of Southwestern Florida, ex- tending from Peace River on the northwestern side of the county to the borders of the Everglades. This whole region is flat or gently rolling pine land, interspersed with ham- mock, and often opening into prairies and savannas. Except- ing in the dense hammock, the whole is carpeted with grass, affording nutritious food for cattle the year round, while no shelter whatever is required for the animals. The county is bisected by the twenty-seventh parallel of north latitude, about two-thirds of its area lying to the north- ward of that line. With the contiguous county of Lee it con- tains by far the largest tract of naturally valuable land in South Florida. Owing to its low latitude, tropical fruit cult- ure and truck farming for early vegetables are among its chief industries. The Florida Southern Railway crosses the county from DE SOTO COUNTY— DUVAL COUNTY. 23 northeast to southwest, having its terminus at Punta Gorcla, near the head of Charlotte Harbor, where it connects with the Morgan Line of steamers for New Orleans, and with coast- wise craft plying to the southward. Charlotte Harbor and its adjacent waters afford the best tarpon fishing on the Gulf Coast (see Route 81), and all the game fish of this region abound in the rivers and bays. Deer and turkeys are fre- quently killed within five miles of the railroad, but for the certainty of good sport the hunter must go farther afield, as the large game is generally hunted off in the vicinity of the permanent settlements. Buval County. Area, 900 sq. m.— Lat. 80° 35'' to 30° 10^ N.— Long. 81° 20' to S2° 5'' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 35,000.— Pop. (1880), 19,431.— Assessed Taluation (1888), $9,540,619. — County seat, Jacksonville. Duval was one of the original counties into which the territory of Florida was divided in accordance with an act of Congress, on the second Monday of June, 1822, nearly a year after the United States formally acquired possession. A glance at the map will show the peculiar commercial advantages that it has always held. Ever since the ships of the French Huguenot, Jean Eibaut, anchored inside the bar at the mouth of the St. John's, and named it the Eiver of May, this noble stream has been the natural avenue of travel and trade to and from the interior of the peninsula. Along its banks the first settlements were formed and railroads fol, lowed the settlements. All traffic between the Atlantic States lying to the northward and the Floridian peninsula l^asses almost of necessity either through the St. John's Eiver or near the point where the course of the stream changes from north to east. The county lies on both sides of the river to a point about twenty-five miles from the sea-coast. It was named after the Hon. William P. Duval first territorial governor of Florida. The first white settlement was made by the French in 1564, at St. John's Bluff, a high promontory on the south bank of the liver about three miles from its mouth (see p. 118). 24 DUVAL COUNTY. This was merely a military post. The first civil settlement is believed to have been made in 1812, at the head of the old Eling's road from St. Augustine, on the south bank of the river opposite the present site of Jacksonville. The settler, Lewis Z. Hogan, moved across the river in 1816, and thus was formed the nucleus of the leading commercial* city of DUVAL COUNTY. 25 Florida. Long before this, however, the banks of the river were inhabited by Indian tribes, as is evident from the countless shell mounds that exist on both sides of the stream, often containing rude pottery, stone implements and the like, mingled with bones of men and animals in perplexing and suggestive confusion. The sea-coast line is about twenty miles in extent measuring southward from the mouth of Nassau River. The greater part of it is fine hard beach, suitable for driving and bathing and usually backed by sand ridges or hammocks available for building-sites. All the great railway lines of Florida centre in Jackson- ville. The main line of the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West System runs south to Tampa, Punta Gorda, and Titus- ville. Stations within the county and next to the southern boundary are : 0. Diet. fr. - 4. Jackson- X 11. ^ 14. ville. . . Jacksonville 125 .Edgewood 121 , .Black Point 116 .Reed's •. ... .114 , . Orange Park {Clay Co.) Ill N A Dist. fr. 1 Sanford. The Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax Biver Eailway (J., T. & K. W. System) crosses the St. John's River on a steel drawbridge, just above the city. Stations within the county and next beyond are : Jacksonville 37 1 S. Jacksonville 36 NW 3 . . . . Phillips 34 ^ 5 . . . Bowden , 32 9 Summerville 28 10. . . .Nesbit .2T 11 Eaton 26 V 14 Sweetwater 23 SE 16. ...Bayard 21 17 ... . Register {St. John's Co.) 20 For connections at St. Augustine, see p. 133, The Plant System, Savannah, Florida & Western Railway, Waycross short line. From foot of Bridge Street. Stations within and near Duval County are : Dist. fr. Jackson- ville. Dist. fr. St. Au- gustine. Dist. fr. 1 . . Jacksonville 1 5 1 Callahan. Jackson- ville. SB 12.. 20.. . . Dinsmore ..Callahan^ * For connections, see p. 103. a Connects with F. C. & P. Ry., see p. 67. 2G DUVAL COUNTY. The Florida Central & Peninsula Eailroad — Jacksonville Branch. Between Jacksonville and Fernandina. From foot of Hogan Street. Stations are : 0. 1. DIst. 5. ir. Jackson- 15. YiUe. V 26. 1 ^I 2T. . . Jacksonville^ 37 , . Waycross Jc 36 , . Jacksonville Jc 32 .Duval 22 .Hart's Ed. Jc.2 ii .Hart's Road 10 37. . . .Fernandina^ D:st. fr. Fernandina. * For connections, see p. 103. 2 Connects with Southern Div. F, C. A P., see p. 67. 3 Connects with Mallory Line steamers for New York (see p. 127) ; and coast- wise steamers for Georgia ports. The Jacksonville & Atlantic Bailroad has its station in South Jacksonville. Ferry from foot of Market Street. The stations are : Dist. fr. Jackson- ville. Jacksonville 17.3 1 S. Jacksonville' 16.3 2.8....St. Nichola 14.5 6 ....Pottsburg 11.3 14.6.... San Pablo 2.7 17.3. . . Pablo Beach 1 Connects with J., T. & K. W. System. W A Dlst. fr. Pablo Beach. The Jacksonville, May port & Pablo Bail way & Navigation Co. has its station at Arlington, on the south bank of the St. John's, three miles by ferry, foot of Newnan Street. The stations are : 0. 3. 4. 7. 8. 9. Dist. fr. 10. Jackson- 11. ville. 14. 15. 16. 18. V 19 E 19^ 20. . . . Jacksonville 20 . . . Arlington 17 . . . Egleston 16 . . Verona 13 . .Cohassett 12 . . McCormick 11 . .Mill Cove 10 , . .Pine Grove 9 . .Idlewild 6 . . Greenfield 5 . .Bumside Beach 4 . . .The Jetties 2 . . Jetty Cottage 1 . .Light House k . .Mayport W A Dist. fr. Mayport. ESCAMBIA COUNTY. 27 Escambia County. Area, 720 sq. m.— Lat. 31° to 30° W N.— Long. 87° 40' to 87° 50' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 25,000.— Pop. (1880), 12,156,— Assessed valuation (1888), $3,- 649,758. — County seat, Pensacola. The magnificent bay where Pensacola now stands was dis- covered by Pamphilo de Narvaez, who landed there, accord- ing to the English historian Jeffries, in 1528. A permanent settlement was made in 1696, by the Spaniards under Don Andre d'Arreola, on the present site of Fort Barrancas, and since that time, although the location of the town was re- peatedly shifted, and it has been held successively by French, English, and Americans, it has never been aban- doned by Europeans. Escambia is the westernmost county of Florida, terminat- ing the Gulf range of counties, and separated from Alabama on the west by the Perdido River, and on the north by the arbitrary interstate line. Its soil is sand underlaid with clay, and its agricultural capabilities are rapidly developing. Its main export, however, is lumber, since Pensacola is the shipping-point for a vast region of heavily wooded land lying to the northward, and penetrated by streams, down which the logs are floated to tide-water. Much of the land in the county is high and rolling, with hardwood hammocks along the watercourses. To hunters, fishermen, and yachtsmen, the coasts and waterways of Escambia County offer great attractions. The extensive land-locked sounds and bays afford safe anchorage in all weathers, and are easy of access from sea at all stages of the tide. The shores are almost everywhere available for camping purposes, and game abounds, though reckless and indiscriminate shooting has made it very wild. The Pensacola & Atlantic Division of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad enters the county from Santa Rosa County on the east, crossing Escambia Bay on a long trestle. The stations are : coia. j^j, 9.... Escambia 152 '^^- ESCAMBIA COUNTY— FRANKLIN COUNTY. 29 The Pensacola & Atlantic Division, Louisville & Nash- ville Eailroacl, enters Escambia from Alabama on the north. Stations near and within the county are : 0. . . .Flomatoii i 44 5. . . .Bluff Springs 39 N 12 ... . McDavid 32 a 20....Molino 24 24. . . . Quintette 20 28 Cantonment^ 16 V 32. . . .Gonzalez 12 S 37. . . .Olive 7 44 Pensacola ^ Connects with lines to New Orleans, Montgomery, and Selma. 2 Branch to Muscogee, five miles west. The Pensacola & Perdido Railroad connects Pensacola with Mill view, six miles west, on Perdido Bav. Dist. f r, riomaton. D:st. fr. Ponsacola. Franklin County. Area, 500 sq. m.— Lat. 29° 40' to 30° 5' N.— Long. 84° 30' to 85° 15' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 4,000.— Pop. (1880), 1,791.— Assessed valuation (1888), $495,427. — County seat, Apalachicola. Nearly the whole of this county was originally included in what was known as the Forbes Purchase, the result of negotiations made with the Indians by an English firm, Forbes & Co., in 1819. This was just prior to the transfer of Florida from Spain to the United States. The sea-coas'c of this county is sheltered by St. Vincent's, St. George's Island, and Dog Island, within which are broad sounds and bays navigable for vessels of any size and affording fishing grounds unsurpassed by any on the coast. Dog Island Har- bor especially is one of the finest on the Gulf. Owing to its isolated position Franklin County has not yet been penetrated by railroads, and for this reason it offers attractions to the sportsman not possessed by its more ac- cessible neighbors. Tribatary ^o these nearly land-locked waters are a number of rivers and estuaries, many of them navigable for vessels of considerable size, and all navigable for small boats, affording access to some of the best hunting lands in Florida. The region is most easily reached by way of the Apalachicola River, from River Junction, whence com- munication by rail is easy and direct from all parts of the United States. GADSDEN COUNTY. 31 Gadsden County. Area, 540 eq. m.— Lat. 30° 20' to 30° 40^ N.— Long. 84° 15' to 84° 55' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 13,000.— Pop. (1880), 12,169.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,018,149.— County seat, Quincy. Organized as one of the original counties into whicli the State was divided in 1822, Gadsden County soon became one of the leading agricultural districts of Florida. The face of the country is undulating, with a subsoil of red clay, well watered, and covered with a heavy growth of hammock and pine timber. The Ocklockonee Eiver forms the dividing il>\5 ""> I ^"■"■~~~&""~' GADSDEN COUNTY! ; SCALE OF MI LES , ~^^^ line from Leon County on the southwest, and into this flow numerous " runs " and creeks of clear water, affording abun- dant facilities for water-power and natural irrigation for wide tracts of land. The hills rise to a considerable height in the northern part of this county — more than 300 feet in the neighborhood of Quincy. Under the system of cultivation that prevailed prior to the Civil War, and before adequate means of transportation existed, the annual tobacco crop was something like 5,000 boxes of 350 pounds each. Within a few years this industry has been revived by Northern capital on a large scale in the vicinity of Quincy (see p. — ). The culture of Cuban tobacco was introduced into Gadsden 32 GADSDEN COUNTY— HAMILTON COUNTY. County in 1829, by a Virginian wlio settled in the vicinity of Qnincy. He was so successful that his example was soon followed, and until the Civil War in 1860 the value of the crop nearly or quite equalled that of cotton, the annual ship- ments averaging 1,600,000 pounds. A great advantage of tobacco-growers was that the busy season timed itself so as not to interfere with cotton-planting. Thus the tobacco could usually be harvested after the cotton was started and before it was time for picking, while the packing and boxing was necessarily done in wet weather, when out-of-door work was imjpracticable. The Civil War first and the abolition of slavery afterward practically suspended this industry. The Western Division of the Florida Central & Peninsula Eailway crosses Gadsden County with stations as follows : 9 Ocklockonee (Leora Co.) 34. T>. . I 12.... Midway 31 SE fr Tafia- ' 24....QuiBcy 19 a Dist.fr. h'«==j; V 33....Mt. Pleasaaat 10 I Klver Jc. nassee. ^^ 42.... Chattahoochee i 1 i 43 . . . .River Junction '•* ' Connects Savannah, Florida & Western Eailway, crossing at once into Georgia. 2 Connects Pensacola & Atlantic Division L. & N. (see p. 16), and with Chat- tahoochee River Steamers. Hamilton County. Area, 460 sq. m.— Lat. 30° 20^ to 30° 40^ N.— Long. 82° 40' to 83° 20' W.— Es- fmated pop. (1889), 9,000.— Pop. (1880), 6,790.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,- C42,495.— County seat, Jasper. The county lies between the Suwannee Biver on the west, and one of its main branches, the Alapaha, on the south and east. The surface is generally level, with rolling land near the rivers, and a fine growth of hammock timber and pine, and cypress in some portions. Sea Island or long staple cotton is successfully grown. In the river-swamps and ham- mocks the soil is rich and dark. The Florida Central & Peninsula Railroad runs through the middle of the county from north to south, and the Florida Central & Western Railroad passes close to the southwestern corner at EUa- ville, Madison County. The county contains a number of remarkable springs, sinks, and other natural curiosities. HAMILTON COUNTY— HERNANDO COUNTY. 33 The Gainesville Division, Savannah, Florida & Western Eailroad, crosses the county with stations as follows : Dist. fr. Savannah. 130 .. . .Dupont 49 139.... Forrest 40 N 150. . . .Statenville 29 a x)ist fr 163.... Jasper 16 | Live Oak. V 168 Marion U S 171 Suwannee {Suwannee Co.) 8 ] IT9! . . Live Oak {Suwannee Co.) ' 1 Connects F. C. & P. By. running east to Jacksonville, and west to Eiver Junction (see p. 91). For continuation to Gainesville, see p. 91. The Georgia Southern & Florida Railroad enters the county from Georgia on the north with stations as follows : I 167.... Melrose (Ga.) 43 NW pi.tf^^ iH8t. ir. y i80....Jasperi 30 a Lake Citv. Macon, Ga. gj, 199.... wMte Springs 11 I ^'^^ ^^^* 1 Crosses S. F. & W. Ey. Hernando County. Area. 500 sq. m.— Lat .28° 25^0 28" 40' N.— Long. 82° to 82<' 40' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 10,000.— Assessed va:uat:on (1888), $900,000.— County seat, Brooks- ville. Until 1850 this county, then three times its present size, was named Benton, after the Hon. Thomas H. Benton, of 3 34: HERNANDO COUNTY. North Carolina, a popular statesman of the day. The pres- ent name was chosen when the original county was subdi- vided in 1875. Brooksville, the county town, lies in the midst of one of the finest agricultural regions of the State. The surface soil is largely a rich vegetable mould, underlaid with brown sandy loam several feet deep, and resting upon a substratum of limestone, clay, or marl. In area the land is about equally divided into hammock, high pine, low pine, and swamp. The hammock lands are almost invariably high and rolling, HERKANDO COUNTY with fine natural drainage, and an exceedingly rich soil un- derlaid with sand or clay, and having a substratum of lime- stone. All these lands, except the very poorest, are ex- tremely productive, yielding cotton, tobacco, vegetables, and the various field crops. In the central and western parts of the county the ridges rise to a height of some three hundred feet above tide-water. There are no navigable rivers, and the Gulf coast can be approached only by boats of very light draught, save at Gulf Key or Hammock Creek, where there is a good harbor accessible for vessels drawing six feet of water. Indian Creek, in the same harbor, is also a safe anchorage for small vessels. Elsewhere the approaches to the coast are shallow, with numerous oyster-beds, and an archipelago of small barren islands in the northern part. HERNANDO COUNTY 35 The Florida Southern (J., T. & K W. sysrem), the South Florida, the Florida Central and the Orange Belt railroads cross the eastern part of the county, and a branch of the first named penetrates to Brooksville in the middle of the county. Stations of the Florida Southern within and adjacent to the county are : T^. . . I 63.... Pemberton Ferry 1 11 W Dlst.fr. Aw:^l^' V 69. . . Couper 5 a Brooks- ucaia. J, 74.... Brooksville | vllle. 1 Connects with South Florida Railroad (see below). For continuation of this line to Ocala, see p. 87. The Bartow Branch of the South Florida Railroad has sta- tions within and next to the county as follows : Pemberton Ferry ' {Sumter Co.).. 57 -^^r 1. . . .Fitzgerald 56 ^^ 3. ...Oriole 54 f^ Dist. 6.... Bay City 51 fr. Bartow. 10 Macon {Pasco Co.) 47 11. ...Orange Belt Jc. '^ 48 1 Connects with J., T. & K. W. system (see above). '^ Crosses Orange Belt Railway (see below). For continuation of this line, see p. 76. The Tampa Branch of the F. C. & P. Co. crosses the east- ern iDoint of the county from north to south. The stations are : Dist.fr. I 22....Withlacoochee 39 a Dist.fr. Wild- I 28. ..Lacoochee* 32 I Plant Wood. V 30....Owensboro a 31 | City. J Crosses Orange Belt Railway (see below). ^ Crosses South Florida Railroad (see p. 76). For continuation of this line, see p. 76. The Orange Belt Railway crosses the eastern point of the county from northeast to southwest. Stations are : ■r,,.„x f_ I 66... Wyoming 83 NE Dist.fr. TVTnnVnp ^ 71 . . . . Lacoochec 1 77 A St. Peters- Monroe. g^ ^3 ^^^^^ 2 75 /| ^^g^ 1 Crosses F. C. & P. Ry. (see above), 2 Crosses South Florida Railroad (see above). For continuation of this line, see pp. 74 and 87. Dist. fr. Pemberton Ferry. V S 36 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. Hillsborough County. Area, 1,300 sq. m.— Lat. 27° W to 28° 50' N.— Long. 82" to 82° 50' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 14,000.— Pop. (1880), 5,814.— Assessed valuation (1888), $3,200,000.— County seat, Tampa. This county, or the region adjacent, early received its name after the Earl of Hillsborough, Secretary of State for the colonies of Great Britain during the American Eevolution. The county was organized in 1835. It is mainly in the long- leaf pine region, naturally all woodland, with 1,185 square miles of rolling pine land, 75 square miles of marshy lowland, and 40 square miles of hammock. Of all the Gulf counties Hillsborough is perhaps the most favored in her coast line, which exceeds 150 miles in length, although from north to south the county is only 36 miles wide. This is due to Tampa Bay, which with its branches, Hillsborough Bay and Eiv^er and Old Tampa Bay, penetrates far into the interior. About one quarter of the whole extent of coast is low and marshy, while the rest rises quite abruptly from the water's edge, often with bluffs and a border of fine beach. The greater part of the county is good pine land, with a fair amount of hammock and some open prairie. The better lands for agricultural purposes lie in the western part. Tampa Bay was one of the first discovered and used by the early navigators, and it is almost certain that traders and freebooters visited its waters prior to Hernando De Soto, who anchored there on May 25, 1539, with a fleet of several ves- sels, and a force of 570 men, comprising the very flower of Spanish chivalry. He brought with him, also, 223 horses, and the whole elaborate equipment of armorers, smiths, and servants essential to the needs of such a force. The Feast of Pentecost of that year fell on the day of arrival, and the noble bay was named Bahia Espiritu Sancto (Bay of tho Holy Spirit), after the devout custom of these early explorers. The Spanish name was for centuries retained on the maps, but it appears to have been dropped in favor of the still older Indian name soon after the English gained a foothold. On the shores of the bay and along the Gulf coast and the outlying Keys are many Indian mounds of great interest to 38 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. arcliseologists. Some account of tliem is given elsewhere ■with a sketch of the results of such exxDlorations as have thus far been prosecuted. See Index. Tampa Bay is navigable for vessels of the largest class. The bar carries 20 feet of water at low tide, and good an- chorage for yachts can be found almost anywhere within the bay. There are no dangerous obstructions, and the only difficulty likely to be encountered is in running upon the shoals which make out from the shore, and occasionally occur in mid channel. With a yacht properly constructed for ser- vice in these waters running aground is a matter of small moment. For hunters and fishermen the woods and waters of Hillsborough County offer abundant sport. All the game and fishes peculiar to Florida may be found within a few miles of the centres of poj^ulation. The South Florida Eoad, main line, has the following named stations near and within the county : 83. . , .Lakeland {Folk Co.) i 48 88 ... . Shiloh 43 E 93.... Plant City. 2 37 a 98. . . .Cork 26 Dist.fr. 100....Sparkman 24 Dist.fr. Jackson- 103... .Seffner 21 Port ville. 105 Mango 19 Tampa. 109 Orient 15 V 111. . . .East Cove 13 W 115. . . .Tampa 9 124.... Port Tampa 3 1 Connects with Bartow & Pemberton Ferry Brandies, S. F. Rd. (see p. 80). 2 Connects with F. R. & N. to Pasco County, Dade City, etc. (see p. 76). 3 Connects with ocean steamers to Key West, Havana, New Orleans, and Mobile. Also with coastwise steamboats. The Orange Belt Eoad, from Monroe, Volusia County, to St. Petersburg, enters Hillsborough County from the north near the Gulf and nins southward down the coast. The sta- tions in and near the county are : 106 Odessa {Pasco Co.) 42 114. . . .Tacony 34 N 116 Tarpon Springs 32 a 120... Sea Side 23 122. . . .Sutherland 2G Dist. fr. 123. . . .Yellow BlufE : .25 Monroe. 127 Dunedin 21 130.... Clearwater Harbor 18 132 Armour 16 V 138. . . .Cross Bayou 10 S 142....Lel]raan 6 148. ...St. Petersburg- ' Connects with ferry to Port Tampa and coastwise steamboats Dist. fr. St. Peters- burg. HOLMES COUNTY. 39 Holmes County. Area, 540 sq. m,— Lat. 30° 43' to 31° N.— Long. 86° 5' to 85" 30' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 4,000.— Pop. (1880), 2,190.— Assessed valuation, $382,954.— County seat, Cerro Gordo. The land in Holmes County is mainly a good quality of pine land, which produces cotton, sugar-cane, corn, and tobacco, as the principal field crops. The soil is clay and sandy loam. Peaches, grapes, and plums are successfully grown, and stock- raising is among the profitable industries. The Choctawhat- chee Eiver is the principal watercourse, finding its source in Southern Alabama, running in a southerly direction across the county, and falling into Choctawhatchee Bay. It is navi- gable for steamboats beyond the county line, and is available for logging purposes and small boats well up into Alabama. Holmes County is underlaid with cavernous white lime- stone, which frequently forms remarkable "sinks " and wells. Most of the lakes and ponds are of this nature, often occur- ring on ridges where there was a sufficient quantity of sand and drift to fill in the cavity when the subsidence occurred. 40 HOLMES COUNTY— JACKSON COUNTY. The Pensacola & Atlantic Division of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad crosses Holmes County east and west near the southern border. Stations in and near the county are as follows : Dist. fr. • Eiver Jc 43 . . . .Chipley {Washington Co.) 118 53. . . .Bonifay 108 E 61....Caryville 100 a 63 . . .Westville 98 V 70 Ponce de Leon 91 W 77....Argyle 84 81. . . .De Funiak Sp 80 For continuation east and west, see p. 101. Dist. fr. Pensacola. Jackson County. Area, 1,000 sq. m.— Lat. 30° 35' to 31° N.— Long. 84° 50' to 85° 40' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 20,000,— Pop. (1888), 14,372.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,023,985. — County seat, Marianna. This county is in what is termed the oak, hickory, and pine upland region. It contains about 150 square miles of red lime lands, 400 square miles of oak, hickory, and high pine, and 450 square miles of ordinary long-leaf pine lands. It is named after Gen. Andrew Jackson, military Governor of Florida, and is one of the original counties organized on the acquisition of the Territory by the United States. It is on the eastern border of what is known as West Florida. The Chattahoochee Eiver separates it from Georgia on the east, navigable for river steamers for the whole distance. The Chattahoochee unites with the Apalachicola River near the southeastern corner of the county. Along the river is a strip of bottom land from one and one-half to two miles wide, which is of extraordinary richness, but is subject to over- flow. The Chipola River, rising in the northern part of the county, runs south, dividing it nearly in half. This stream is used for floating lumber to the railroad and to the Gulf, but is navigable only for small boats. Along the Chipola River are rich hammock lands covered with a heavy growth of hard wood timber, as oak, beach, magnolia, maple, hickory, and bay. The county is well watei'ed by the tribu- taries of the streams mentioned, and is besides well supplied with lakes and si)rings. The soil is for the most part red JACKSON COUNTY. 41 clay and sandy loam, and produces cotton, corn, oats, rice, sugar-cane, and tobacco, and all save the strictly subtropical fruits. The Pensacola & Atlantic Eailroad crosses the county from ea,st to west in its middle belt of townships, having stations near and within the county as follows : Kiver Jc. ' {Gadsden Co.) 161 -ci 5....Sneads 156 ^ Dist. f-. 15.... Cypress 146 ^ DIst.fr. lixver Jc. w 25 Marianna 136 Pensacola. -r^ 34 Cottondale 127 44 . . . Chipley ( Washington Co.) 117 1 Connects witti Savannah, Florida & Western Eailroad (see p. 32), and Chattahoochee Kiver steamers. 42 JEFFERSON COUNTY. Jefferson Comity. Area, 560 sq. m.— Lat. 30° to 30° 40' N.— Long. 83' 35' to 84" 5' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 16,000.— Pop. (1880), 16,065.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,800,000.— County seat, Monticello. Jefferson County stretches across that portion of the State known as Middle Florida, touching Georgia on the north Ihodes Store > JEFFERSON COUNTY— LAFAYETTE COUNTY. 43 and the Gulf of Mexico on the south. The Aucilla Eiver, navigable for steamboats to the natural bridge, forms the 'southeastern boundary. The face of the country is unusually diversified, the whole of the northern part hilly and well wooded, Micosukee Lake forming its northwestern boundary. This lake is about twelve miles long and six miles wide at its western end, a curiously irregular body of water, sur- rounded by extensive forests of i)ine. The soil is generally a sandy loam underlaid with clay, well adapted for the cul- tivation of early vegetables and fruits. The field crops are mainly cotton, corn, rice, sugar-cane, and tobacco. About twenty miles from the coast the hills abruptly disappear, and from this point to the Gulf stretch the " flat woods " almost unbroken, but full of game, and affording an inviting field to the sportsman. The Western Division of the F. C. & P. crosses the county about twelve miles from the Georgia line. Its stations within and nearest to the county are : . .Chaires {Leon Co.) 153 W ..Lloyd 14T A Dist.fr. , .Drifton i 138 Jackson- . Aucilla 131 ville. . . Greenville (Madison Co.) 124 1 Connects witli branch to Monticello, four miles, and then with branch of Savannah, Florida & Western Railroad to Sunny PliU, twelve miles, and Thomasville, Ga., twenty miles. 12. Dist. fr. 18. Talla- 2T. hassee. > / 34. ] S 41. Lafayette County. Area, 940 sq. m.— Lat. 29° 20' to 30" 15' N.— Long. 82° 50' to 83° 22' W.— Es- timated pop. (1889), 5,000.— Pop. (1880), 2,441.— Assessed valuation (1888), $562,818.— County seat, New Troy. Lafayette County lies along the west bank of the Suwannee Eiver for the whole of its navigable course, its natural facil- ities for transportation being excellent. The river is navi- gable for steamboats to New Branford, where the Savannah, Florida & Western Railway touches the eastern bank of the river, affording communication by rail with Gainesville, Lake City, and Live Oak, and the great trunk lines of rail- way. The soil is sandy, underlaid with clay, and there is much excellent hammock land as yet unoccupied. The southern extremitv of the countv is within ten miles of I M A ,,D l~S O N JLAFAYETTE COTJNTY SCALE OF MILES LAFAYETTE COUNTY— LAKE COUNTY. 45 Cedar Keys, the Gulf terminus of the Florida Central & Peninsular Railway. The Gulf coast of Lafayette County is very shallow, and destitute of harbors, save at the mouth of the Suwannee and Steinhatchee Rivers, where small vessels may find shelter and anchorage. The fishing is excellent in the rivers and along the coast. Game of all kinds is very abundant in the heavily wooded and sparsely populated region that covers the whole county a few miles back from the river. Lake County. Area, 1,100 sq. m.— Lat. 28° 2G' to 28° 55' N.— Long. 81° 15' to 81° 55' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 14,000 Organized in 1887, no census. — Assessed valuation (1888), $3,724,116.— Highest elevation, 500 ft.— County seat, Tavares. Lake County was formed in 1887 by an act of the State Legislature uniting portions of the adjoining counties (Orange and Sumter). It is among the most beautiful of the inland counties, owing to the picturesque groups of lakes from which it takes its name, and which cover nearly one- sixth of its surface. The larger members of the group are known as Lakes Harris, Eustis, Griffen, Dunham, Dora, Yale, Minnehaha, Mineola, and Apopka, the last named lying partly within the borders of Orange County. Besides these there are small lakes, almost without number, and abundant flowing streams. That the county is nearly on the "divide " of the Floridian Peninsula is evident from the fact that streams flowing through its territory find their way to the ocean through the three widely divergent channels of the St. John's, the Withlacoochee, and the Kissimmee, the first named falling into the Atlantic near the northern boundary of the State, while the others reach the Gulf of Mexico, through Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades. In point of fact, the highest elevations in the State, nearly five hundred feet above tide-water, are found in this county. The approaches, however, are so gradual that only the surveyor's level can demonstrate the constant rise. The larger lakes are all navi- o-able for small steamers, and as some of them are connected LAKE COUNTY. 47 by natural or artificial waterways quite an extensive and varied system of navigation exists. The Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West Railway system, through the Florida Southern Railway Company, affords abundant transportation facilities, and there are besides the Tavares, Atlantic & Gulf, and the Orange Belt Railways. These lines intersect in all directions, skirting the lake shores and rendering all parts of the county easily accessible. Other branch roads are contemplated, notwithstanding the multiplicity, for Lake County is one of the richest orange- growing counties in the State, and it has been abundantly proven that, to be profitable an orange grove must be within a veiy few miles of a railroad. The St. John's & Lake Eustis Division of the Florida Southern Railway (J;, T. & K. W. system) enters the county at Astor (forty-two miles from Palatka) after crossing the St. John's River. The stations are : Diet. fr. Astor. Astor 25 4 Bryansville 21 6 Cummings 19 7. . . .Sellar's Lake 18 12 ... . Summit 13 15 Ravenswood .10 16 Pittman 9 18 Altoona 7 20. . . .Glendale 5 N A Dist. fr. Fort Mason. S 21.... Umatilla 4 25 ... . Fort Mason i ^ Connects with branches to Tavares and Leesburg (see below). Connections with the foregoing at Fort Mason (sixty-seven miles from Palatka). This line is U-shaped, curving around the north shore of Lake Eustis. The stations are : , . .Leesburg i 23 .Grandview 22 NE .Belle'reva 21 & . Laniers 18 SW .Tilson 17 A Orange Bend 16 ....Lisbon 15 Dist. fr. , . Lancaster 12 Lane Park. , . Grand Island 11 , .Fort Mason 2 9 , . . Eustis 7 .Mt. Homer 6 . Tavares ^ 3 , . . Lane Park T. & K. W. system to Pemberton Ferry, etc., and to Also with F. C. & P., Southern Division (see p. 48). 2 Connects with J., T. & K. W. branch to Astor (see above). 3 Connects with J., T. & K. W. branch to Sanford (see p. 48). C. 1.. 2.. 5.. 6., 7.. Dist. fr. 8,. Leesburg. 10.. 11.. V 14 . NE 16.. & 17.. SW 20.. 23 . 1 Connects with J., Ocala, etc. (see p. 48). 48 LAKE COUNTY. The main line Florida Southern Eailway (J., T. & K. W. system), from Ocala, Marion County, and beyond, has stations within and near the county as follows : Dist. fr. Ocala. 21 ... . South Lake Weir {Marion Co.) 53 24 Conant 50 26 Lady Lake 48 29 ChetwyBd 45 30. . . .Fndtland Park . .44 34 Leesburg ^ 40 36 Corleys 38 38 Helena 36 39 Okahumpka 35 44 Casons 30 48 Centre Hill (Sumter Co.) ......... 26 N A Dist. fr. Brooksville. 1 Connects witli J., T. & K. W. to Fort Mason (see p. 47) ; F. C. & P. to Wildwood (see below) ; and Lake Griffin steamboats. For continuation of this line, see p. 63. The Sanford & Lake Eustis Eailway (J., T. & K. W. sys- tem), from Sanford to Tavares, has the following stations near and within the county : Dist. f r. Sanford. W 11.. 16.. 19.. 24 . 29.: E .Markham 21 .Ethel ....18 . .Wayland 13 ^ Sorrento 10 , .Mt. Dora 5 , .Tavares Dist. fr. Tavares. The Southern Division F. G. & P. enters the county from Sumter County on the west. The stations adjacent to and within the county are : D'st. fr. Wildwood. 5 Bamboo (Sumter Co.) IT 9 Montclair 13 11 Leesburg i 11 14. ...Sadie 8 15 Eldorado 7 22. . . .Tavares 2 N A Dist. fr. Tavares. 1 Connects with J., T. & K. W. system (see p. 47). 8 Connects with J., T. & K. W. system (see p. 47). The Tavares, Orlando & Atlantic Eailroad has stations as follows within and adjacent to the county : I Tavares I 32 N Dist.fr. I 4.... Ellsworth 28 a Dist.fr. Tavares. V 8 Victoria. 24 ( Orlando. S 10 Gainsboro (Oran(7e Co.) 22 ! J Connects with J., T. & K. W. system (see p. 47), and F. C. & P. (see above). 'V, LAKE COUNTY— LEE COUNTY. 49 The Tavares, Apopka & Gulf Bailroad lias stations as fol- lows Dist. fr. Tavares. 0. . . .Tavares i 29 3. . . .Ellsworth 25 8. . . . Astatula 20 15 West Apopka , 14 20 Montverde 9 23.... Watts Jc C 2T Mineola 2 29 Clermont N A Diet. fr. Clermont. 1 Connects with J., T. & K. W. ; Tav., Or. & Atlantic ; and F. C. & P. (see p. 48). The Orange Belt Eailroad from St. Petersburg, on Tampa Bay, to Monroe, Orange County, has stations near to and within the county as follows : 92 Cedar Hammock {Sumter Co.) .. .57 I 98 Mascotte 51 Dist. fr. 102.... Sheridan 47 St.Peters- I 107 ... Clermont » 42 burg. V 109 Mineola 40 E 110.... Mohawk ...39 116. . . .Killarney {Orange Co.) 33 W A Dist. fr. Monroe. Connects with Tavares, Apopka & Gulf Railroad (see above). Lee County. Area. 1,800 sq. m.— Lat. 25° 50^ to 26° 58' N.— Long. 81° 40' to 82" 5' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 1800.— Assessed valuation (1888), $875,834.— County seat, Myers. Lee County was formed by act of Legislature in 1887 out of Monroe County. By a popular vote of the inhabitants it was named after General Robert E. Lee, the Confederate leader. Like the adjacent counties of Dade on the east, De Soto on the north, and Monroe on the south, it still is a wilderness, mainly forest, but opening toward the west into the vast level savannas and everglades bordering upon Lake Okeechobee. The fact that until 1887 the county seat (Key West) was one hundred and eighty-five miles from the north- ern limit of the county gives an idea of the " magnificent distances " of this region. Fort Myers, or Myers as it is now called, is the present county seat. There are as yet no railroads in this county, the nearest terminus being at Punta Gorda, about nine miles north of the boundary line. Access from that point is easy by means 50 LEE COUNTY. of steamboats which run down the coast to Naples, and up the Caloosahatchee River. The Gulf coast is well provided with harbors in San Carlos Bay, Charlotte Harbor, and Ostego Baj. The Caloosahatchee River is the most important of the watercourses, finding its source in Lake Okeechobee and flowing in a southwesterly direction to the Gulf. For twenty- three miles from the mouth it averages more than a mile in width and is navigable for vessels drawing about seven feet. Above this point it narrows, to about one hundred and LEE COUNTY— LEON COUNTY. 51 seventy-five feet, becomes deeper, with banks sometimes ten to twenty feet high and clothed with a dense growth of virgin forest. The Disston Land Company has straightened and deepened the channels connecting with the great lake, so that now small steamers can go through to and from the Kissimmee Eiver, crossing Lake Okeechobee. The county in general is flat and low, averaging some thirty feet above tide-water. The soil is well adapted to vegetables, oranges, pineapples, sugar-cane, and all the tropical fruits. The lands bordering the Upper Caloosahat- chee are largely vegetable mould, several feet in depth, and even in the pine lands muck-ponds are found at short inter- vals, affording valuable manure. Considerable quantities of egg-plants and tomatoes are shipped to the North in January and February, and the strawberry, which ripens here in Jan- uaiy, is already an important crop. Stock raising is the most important interest of Lee County, and from Punta Rassa, at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee, the annual shipments to Cuba number about 10, 000 head. Leon County. Area, 900 sq. m.— Lat. 30° 15' to 30° 41' N.— Long. 84° to 84° 55' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 20,000.— Pop. (1880), 19,662.— Assessed valuation (1888), $2,006,413.— Elevation, 250 feet, near Tallahassee. — County seat, Tallahassee. Leon County is one of the oldest and most prosperous in the State. To the stranger approaching from the generally level country to the eastward it presents a pleasing variety of landscape, with its wooded hills and picturesque valleys, its hard clay roads, its groves of magnolia and live-oak, and the extensive plantations of cotton, sugar-cane, tobacco, and grain. Pears, peaches, and grapes are profitable crops and easily cultivated. The soil is clay and sand, the sand predominating in what are known as " gray hammocks " while in the rich lands or " veritable hammocks," as they are locally termed, red clay predominates and forms a permanently rich and practically inexhaustible soil, suitable for almost all agricultural pur- 52 LEON COUNTY. poses. Beneath this, at a depth of eight or ten feet, is a bed of limestone, through which run subterranean rivers, and in which are formed the remarkable ' ' sinks " that are among the natural curiosities of the region. As a grazing country Leon County is noted all over this part of the State. There are several kinds of native grass, which grow with great luxuriance, and are apparently quite as good for dairy stock as any of the standard Northern grasses. Among these XEON COUNTY are the Bermuda grass, " crab grass," " crow's foot," and *•' beggar weed." The last named is a leguminous plant which springs up without seeding on almost all cultivated land, after the usual market crop has been hai-vested. It possesses excellent fattening qualities, and if not used for pasturage forms a fertilizing crop which returns to the sur- face soil an abundant supply of excellent manure. The other kinds of grass make good hay when harvested and cured. All kinds of live stock eat them with avidity, and thrive as well as on the Northern varieties. LEON COUNTY. 53 During the existence of negro slavery, Leon County was mainly occupied by large j)lanters, whose estates covered thousands of acres, and whose wealth enabled them to live in true baronial style. Their crops of cotton and tobacco were hauled to the St. Mark's Eiver and shipped thence to the markets of the world. Tallahassee, the capital of the State and the county seat, was the social centre of this life and still retains many of its former characteristics. The great plantations are now largely subdivided and sold or let to small tenants, and the j)i'oductive energies of the county are adjusting themselves to the new order of things. There are several large lakes within the borders of the county, all of which afford excellent sport for the fisherman, and to the southward, within easy reach, is an almost un- broken wilderness, reaching to the Gulf of Mexico, where there is an abundance of game. The eastern part of the county is drained by the St. Mark's Eiver (see p. 98) and the western part by the Ocklockonee. Neither of these streams is navigable within the limits of Leon County. The Western Division F. C. & P. crosses the county from east to west, with stations in and near the county as follows : I 147 . . .Lloyds {Jefferson Co.) 61 -g Diet. fr. 153 .. . .Chaires 55 -pj^j.^ £j._ Jackson- J, 165 Tallahassee* 43 '> iJiyerJc' ville. ^ 174 OcklockoBee 34 ^ 177.... Midway (6?adso!en Co.).... 31 ' 1 Connects with St. Mark's Branch F. R. & N. (see below). For continua- tion east see p. 43 ; west, see p. 32. The St. Mark's Branch F. C. & P. south from Tallahassee. Stations are : -n!„4- 4U. I 0.,.. Tallahassee! 21 N %o • I 4....Belair 17 A Dist.fr. iTotifl V 16 ... . Wakulla ( Wakulla Co.) 5 I St. Mark's. nassee. g 21 .... St. Mark's ( Wakulla Co.) | J Connects with Western Division F, C, & P. (see above). §4 LEVY COUNTY. Leyy County. Area, 940 sq. m.— Lat. 29° to 29" 35' N.— Long. 82° 22' to 83° 5' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 8,000.— Registered vote, 1,540.— Pop. (1880), 5,767.— Assessed valua- tion (1888), $1,101,369.— Elevation, 120 ft., near Bronson.— County seat, Bronson. Levy County was organized in 1850, and named after a leading politician of that day, who soon afterward changed his name to Ynlee. He was a senator of the United States and prominent in the movement for secession. A large proportion of the land in Levy County is undulat- ing pine forest with a sandy soil more or less mixed with loam and underlaid with limestone. It is well adapted for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. The whole county LEVY COUNTY— LIBERTY COUNTY, 55 is well witliin the latitude adapted for orange culture. The Suwannee River forms the northwestern boundary, and is navigable for river steamers, as is the Withlacoochee, which forms the southeastern boundary. Midway between these two is the Wacassassa Eiver, navigable for small boats, and penetrating what is known as the Gulf Hammock, a rich, fertile tract capable of jproducing all the farm crops in great abundance. The coast is well provided with harbors for small craft, and at Cedar Key vessels of considerable size can find shelter and secure anchorage. The best oysters on the Gulf Coast are found in this vicin- ity and are shipped in large quantities to other parts of the State. The Cedar Key Division F. C. & P. enters the county from the northeast. Its stations near and within the county are : Diet. fr. Waldo. V 29 Archer {Alachua Co.) 41 f^p, 38. . . .Bronsou 32 ^^^ 50.... Otter Creek 20 ^ D:st. fr. 51....Ellzey ....19 SW it G (see pp. 4 and 5). 60 Rosewood 10 Cedar Key. 70. . . .Cedar Key Connects at Gainesville witli J., T. & K. W. system, and with F. C. & P. Liberty County. Area, 800 sq. m.— Lat. 30° to 30° 40' N.— Long. 840 40/ to 85° lO' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 2,000.— Pop. (1880), 1,362.— Assessed valuation (1888), $238,- 012. — County seat, Bristol. Liberty County lies between the Apalachicola Eiver on the west and the Ocklockonee River on the east. The land is for the most part second and third class pine, with a sandy soil underlaid with clay. Oranges are successfully cultivated, and the rivers and lakes abound with fish, but the principal industry is stock-raising, for which the open pine-woods are admirably suited. No railroads have as yet penetrated the county, but the Apalachicola Eiver affords steamboat communication with the Gulf of Mexico and with the Flor- ida Central & Peninsula Eailroad at Eiver Junction. Bristol, the county seat, has a population of about three 56 LIBERTY COUNTY. hundred souls. In the middle of the county are a number of small lakes from one to five miles in length. Taluga .^^^/' Eiver, a tributary of the Ocklockonee, andNewEiver, flowing directly to the Gulf of Mexico, drain the central portion of the county. MADISON COUNTY. 57 Madison County. ^ Area, 650 sq. m.— Lat. 30° W to 30° 38' N.— Long. 83° 10' to 83° 50^ W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 16,000.— Pop. (1880), 14,798.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,- 500,100.— County seat, Madison. The eastern half of Madison County is mainly i^ine land, and the western is largely hammock of good quality. The natural division between these two tracts rung irregularly north and south. A clay subsoil underlies the whole region, farther below the surface among the pines than among the hammocks. In both divisions tho soil is productive and so well adapted to the cultivation of Sea Island cotton that one of the largest manufacturing houses in the world has estab- lished a factory at Madison, the county seat. It is claimed that nearly one-twelfth of the entire long staple cotton crop of the world is grown in Madison County. The climate can hardly be considered semi-tropical, but the Gulf of Mexico 58 MADISON COUNTY. is near enough to prevent destructive frosts, tlie nights are generally cool, and the temperature rarely rises above ninety degrees in summer, and the health of the settled portions of the county is exceiDtionally good. Figs and grapes are among the most prolific of the fruit crops. Fig-trees grow without cultivation, reaching in a few years a height of fifteen to twenty feet, and bearing abundantly. Grapes are raised in large quantities, including the native scuppernong, and foreign varieties, including the black Hamburg, and the wine-producing industry has aleady reached respectable pro- portions. Le Conte pears have been introduced within a few years, and with peaches can be ripened for the North- ern markets long before similar fruits come to j)erfection in higher latitudes. The Suwannee and Aucilla Eivers with their tributaries drain the county, affording abundant water and numerous mill-sites. In the extreme southern portion, and extending into the neighboring counties of Taylor and Lafayette, is a great swamp, known as San Pedro Bay. It has never been explored beyond a short distance along the edges. The whole tract, save occasional ridges and islands, is under water, and four considerable streams flow outward in different direc- tions. These are the FinhoUoway and the Econfenee on the west, and the Spring Warrior and Steinhatchee on the east. The "bay" is a noted retreat for large game, including deer, bear, panthers, and wolves. It is no trifling matter to hunt in this region, but with competent guides good sport may be anticipated. The Western Division F. C. & P. bisects the county, crossing it from east to west, with stations at : 94. . . .Bucki Jc. {Suwannee Co.) 113 95....EUavine 112 E Dlst.fr. 103.... Lees 1C4 a Wcf f- Jackson- 105.... West Farm 102 i^'-^i. i-. vlUe. V 110.... Madison 9T W 124. . . .Greenville 83 131 ... . Aucilla (.Jefferson Co.) T6 For continuation east to JacksonviUe, see p. 91 ; west to Tallahassee, Pensa- cola, etc., see p. 43. Eiver Jc. MANATEE COUNTY. 59 Manatee County. Area, 1,330 sq. m.— Lat. 26° 56' to 27° 38'' N.— Long. 82° to 82° 60^ W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 6,000. —Pop. (1880), 3,544.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,257,922.40.— County seat, Manatee. Manatee. County takes its name from the manatee, or sea- cow, an animal formerly abundant along the coasts of Flor- ida, but now nearly extinct (see p. — ). Lying mainly be- tween the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth parallels of latitude, it is semi-tropical in all its climatic characteris- tics, and being on the coast its range of temperature is still further modified by the equalizing influence of the Gulf. GO MANATEE COUNTY. Without prejudice to other sections it may 15e said that the county contains a greater area of strictly arable land than any other county south of the twenty-eighth parallel. There is a great variety of soil ranging from rich hammocks to worthless swamps, but the greater part is pine land capable of more or less successful cultivation according to location. Some excellent farms have been opened in the flat woods, and crops can be grown out of doors the whole year round. The i)rairie lands, of which there are tens of thousands of acres, are believed to be productive, but at latest ad- vices no considerable attempt has been made to cultivate them. The garden section of the county is along the Manatee River, which is bordered by some of the richest hammock land in the State, and smaller hammocks and '* bays " exist all through the piney region. Early vegetables for the Northern markets are cultivated with great success. The coast extends from Tampa Bay on the north to the headwaters of Charlotte Harbor on the south. It includes the mouth of the Manatee River and Sarasosta Bay with its outlying keys, and afibrds an unsurpassed cruising-ground for j)leasure craft suited to the navigation of these shallow waters. Fish, oysters, and turtle abound, the tarpon may be caught with the rod, and the devil-fish may be harpooned •out in the Gulf. The keys are many of them quite high and well adapted for residence and the cultivation of the more tender sub-tropical fruits. The nearest railway connections are at Tamj)a, and St. Petersburg on the north and Punta Gorda on the south, with which points there is constant communication by coasting steamers running to the river towns on Manatee and Sara- sosta Bay. The county is a great cattle range, with its principal ship- ping point at Charlotte Harbor (see Eoute 81). The fishing is good in all the lakes and streams as well as along the coast, and deer are found within a few miles of any of the settle- . ments. The Manatee and the Myakka Elvers are navigable for small boats far up into the interior, and these afford the MANATEE COUNTY— MARION COUNTY. 61 easiest access to tlie best Imnfcing-grounds, since camp equip- age can be more easily carried by boat than by any other means of transportation. Marion County. Area, 1,55T sq. m.— Lat. 28° 55' to 29° 30' N.— Long. 81° 35' to 82° 32' W.— Es- t'mated pop. (1889), 22,000.— Pop. (1880), 13,046.— Assessed valuation (1888), $4,- 222,200.— Comity seat, Ocala. Marion County lies on the central ridge of the Florida Peninsula, the natural drainage being toward the Atlantic on the east, and toward the Gulf of Mexico on the west. The extent from north to south is thirty-eight miles, from east to west fifty-four miles, and it is one of the richest orange- growing counties in the State, possessing besides some of the most attractive natural scenery and many of the most popu- lar winter resorts. The land is divided into the usual grades of hammock, first, second, and third class pine and scrub, the last named, however, being confined almost wholly to the townships lying east of the Ocklawaha Biver, omitting, however, the bend of the stream from Moss Bluff to Eaton, where there are high rolling hills and excellent soil. The rest of the county is very attractive, even to one w4io sees it only from a passing train. The gently .swelling hills clothed with open woods, and often carpeted with green grass, suggest, even in midwinter, some of the most beautiful parts of the North. There is an almost total absence of the scrub palmetto, with which the traveller becomes so familiar as the almost ever- present undergrowth of the pine forests, and while there are wide reaches of inferior pine barrens, the general impression conveyed is of a naturally rich and productive country. The native growth of wild orange-trees suggested grafting to the first settlers, and the result has been some of the finest groves in the State, or even in the world. In 1889 valuable phosphate beds were discovered in the southwestern part of the county. Their extent is not definitely determined. Of veritable high hammock land it is estimated that Marion County contains nearly one hundred thousand acres, 62 MARIOIT COUNTY. covered with a rich and practically inexhaustible vegetable mould. These lands were iinder cultivation by the aborig- inal races long before Europeans came, and here the Sem- inoles made their most resolute stand against the United States forces during the war that resulted practically in their extermination or expulsion. MARION COUNTY. 63 Orange Lake, Lake Weir, Lake Kerr, Lake Bryant, and countless smaller bodies of water are within the borders of the county, and Lake George, forming part of the St. John's Eiver, touches its eastern boundary. The Ocklawaha Biver runs across the county from south to north, navigable for the entire distance. To this stream are tributary. Silver Spring Bun, navigable to its source, and Orange Creek, the outlet of Orange Lake. The Withlacoochee Biver defines the southwestern boundary, with Blue Biver, a wonderfully beau- tiful " spring run " as a tributary. The main line of the Florida Southern Bailway (J., T. & K. W. system) enters the county from Palatka, etc., on the north. The stations near and within the county are : Dist. fr. Palatka. 45... M! canopy Jc. {Alachua Co.) 101 47 Boardman 99 49 Mcintosh 97 52 Lochbie 94 55 Oak Lawn 1 91 57. . . .Keddick 89 63 Martin 83 70. . . .F. C. & P. Crossing 76 72. . . .Ocala =» 74 82. . . . Welshton 64 85. . . . Candler 61 88. . . .Oklawaha 58 V 89 . . . Weir Park 57 S 93.... South Lake Weir 53 96 Conant {Lake Co.) 50 Diet. fr. BrooksvUle 1 Branch east to Citra, 6 m. (see below). 2 Connects with Silver Spring, Ocala & Gulf Eailway (see p. 64), and South- em Division F. C. & P. (see below). For continuation south, see p. 48 ; north, see p. 4. The Soutliem Division F. C & P. crosses the outlet of Orange Lake from Alachua County on the north. Its sta- tions in and near Marion County are : Dist. fr. Femandina. 111.... Citra 1 67 117 Sparrs 61 120 Anthony 58 124 Spring Park 54 126 Silver Spring Jc. 2 52 130 ... . Ocala ^ 43 141 Belleview 37 146 ... . Summerfield 32 151. .. . Oxford {Sumter Co.) 27 N A Dist. fr. Tavares. ^ Branch west to Oak Lawn, 6 m. (see above). 2 Branch west to Silver Spring, 1 m. 3 Connects with J., T. & K. W. system (above) ; Silver Spring, Ocala & Gulf Hallway to Homosassa (see p. 64). 64 MARION COUNTY— MONROE COUNTY. The Silver Spring, Ocala & Gulf Eailroad runs southwest from Ocala. Its stations in and near the county are : O....0calai 48 I 3. . . . Agnew 45 NE ° ^a^tel 40 A Dist.fr. Homa- Bassa. Dist. fr. 13>^..Leroy ..34)^ Ocala. I „f.j/ (Blue Spring) 07^ SW 26....Dunel]on 22 34 ... . Citronelle ( Citrtis Co.) 14 1 Connects with J., T. & K. W. system, and F. C. & P. (see p. 63). Monroe County. Area, land and water, 2,600 sq. m.— Lat. 24" SO' to 25= 50' N.— Long. 80° 40' to 82° 55' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 20,000.— Assessed valuation, $1,408,458.— County seat, Key West. The county as it exists is far smaller than prior to 1887, when the whole northern portion, now Lee County, was separated for convenience of administration. The popula- tion prior to the division was 10,940 (1880). Nearly one-half of the present county is on the main pen- insula of Florida, the most southerly portion of the territory of the United States. The rest comprises the long line of keys and reefs that reach from Cape Florida on the east coast of the peninsula to Key West and the Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of about one hundred and forty miles. The peninsula section is almost uninhabited, and has been only partially surveyed, owing to the nature of the country, which has not yet proved inviting to settlers, save hunters or fishermen. The northern and western part of this tract is more or less available as a cattle range, but to- ward the coast innumerable bayous wind in and out, forming a labyrinth known as the Ten Thousand Islands. This re- gion has been partially mapped by the United States Coast Survey. It affords an attractive cruising-ground for sports- men provided with small boats. The more important part comprises the chain of keys or islands, almost wholly com- posed of coralline rock, which sweeps in a grand curve around the end of the peninsular and forms the northern bank of the Gulf stream, at its very source. Monroe County lies between the twenty-fourth and twenty ^«%.^ ^Md^ .1 o ^H, ^ Y MONROE COUNTY— NASSAU COUNTY. 65 sixtli parallels of latitude. Frost is unknown within its bor- ders, its vegetation is strictly tropical, and its climate milder than any other part of the Atlantic seaboard. The keys (Spanish, cayo, island) are at once an aid and a menace to navigation. They afford shelter to small craft, but the channels are so tortuous that they are extremely dan- gerous for large vessels. Coral reefs approach the surface at intervals throughout a wide belt of ocean. As soon as they are built up to within a few feet of the surface man- groves take root and in a few years the foundation is laid for a new island. Key "West (see p. — ), is the only large city in the county, and the only x^oint to and from which there is at present any regular means of access. Eailroads there are none, except tramways at Key West, but the possibility of a southern ter- minus for a line down the eastern coast of the peninsula is in contemplation, Turtle Harbor being regarded as the most favorable locality. It has even been seriously suggested that a line carried on trestles from key to key is not beyond the resources of modern engineering. Several lines of ocean steamers touch regularly at Key West, and there are mail packets once a week thence to Biscayne Bay and the intermediate Keys. Nassau County. Area, 600 sq. m.— Lat. 30° 15' to 30° 45' N.— Long. 81° W to 82° 5' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 10,000.— Pop. (1880), 6,635.— Assessed valuation (1888), $2,564,351.— Highest elevation, 23 to 30 feet. — County seat, Fernandina. See p. 127. Nassau County, named by its early settlers after William, Prince of Nassau, is the northeastern county of Florida. Its northern and western boundary is defined by the St. Mary's Kiver, separating it from Georgia, and navigable for steam- boats as far as Trader's Hill, thirty miles from the sea. The Nassau Eiver, with its affluent, Thomas Creek, forms nearly the whole of its southern boundary. The soil varies from the clays and marls of the river-bot- toms to sandy loam and sand near the coast and among the 66 NASSAU COUNTY. pines of the interior. The immediate sea-coast is formed by Amelia Island. It is covered with calcareous sand and is one of the islands where the famous long staple sea-island cotton originated. Similar soil is found along some of the sea-coast rivers, often in connection with what are known as " fresh marsh and black rush lands," which are considered very valuable for gardening. Corn, cotton, and oats are the principal commercial pro- ducts, and early vegetables, strawberries, and melons are suc- cessfully raised for the Northern markets. Many of the semi-tropical fruits can be grown, but not with sufficient certainty to make them profitable crops. The Savannah, Florida & Western Railroad, the main ave- NASSAU COUNTY. '67 nue of commerce between Florida and the North, enters the county at the northwestern angle, running in a southeasterly direction to Jacksonville, in Duval, the adjacent county. Stations near and within the county are : Dlst. fr. Way Cross. V sw 35 Folkston {Georgia) .41 43.... Boulogne 36 NW jjjst. fr. 46....Hil]iard. ...30 a jack- 56....Callahani 20 gonville, 64 Dinsmore {Duval Co.) 12 | T6 . . . . Jacksonville 2 {Duval Go.) J Crosses F. E. & N., Southern Division (see below). 2 Connects with J., T. & K. W. system F. C. & P. (see pp. 25 and 26) ; Jack- sonville, Mayport & Pablo Railway (see p. 26). Also with ocean steamers to the North, St. John's River steamboats. The Southern Division F. 0. & P. (Fernandina to Orlando) has the following stations in and near the county : Dlst. fr. Fer- nandina. SW Fernandina ' 47 11 . . . .Hart's Road Jc. 2 36 19.... Italia 28 27 ... . Callahan 3 , . .23 32 ... . Crawford 15 37. . . .Button 10 41 Brandy Branch 6 4:T ... .BsLldvnn * {Duval Co.).... NE A Dist. fr. Baldwin. ' Connects with ocean steamers. 2 Connects with Jacksonville & Fernandina Branch F. R. & N. (see beiOw). 3 Crosses S. F. & W, Ry., Jacksonville Division (see above). 4 Connects with Western Division F. C. & P. (see p. 7). The Jacksonville and Fernandina Division F. C. & P. runs nearly north from Jacksonville to Hart's Road, thence east to Fernandina. Its stations are : Dist. fr. Jack- sonville. Jacksonville ' 37 5 Jacksonville Jc... 32 15 ... . Duval 22 27. . . .Hart's Road 2 10 37 Fernandina ^ Dist. fr. Fernandina. J Connects with railroads and steamers out of Jacksonville (see pp. 25 and 26). 2 Connects with Southern Division F. C. & P. (see above). 3 Connects with ocean steamers. QS ORANGE COUNTY. Orange County. Area. 1,250 sq. m.— Lat. 28° 20' to 28° 52' N.— Long. 80° 50^ to 81° 40' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 20,000.— Pop. (1880), 6,618.— Assessed valuation, 84,652,573.- County seat, Orlando. Orange County, as its name implies, is in the central orange belt of the peninsula, and includes some of the most exten- sive groves in the State. The head waters of the St. John's Eiver form its eastern boundary, and a group of lakes adds greatly to the natural attractions of the region. Lake ORANGE COUNTY. 60 Apopka, lying mainly within the western boundary of the county, is second in size only to Okeechobee, and Lakes Monroe, Jessuj), Harney, Butler, Conway, Maitland, and many others, range from a few acres up to thousands of acres in extent. Almost without excejotion the land rises from the water in gently rolling hills, securing immunity from malarial influences and affording unsurpassed sites for homes and for the cultivation of the various crops. The face of the country is varied and the soil corresponds. There are high and low hammocks, high, medium, and flat l)ine lands, bay-heads and savannahs, all of which are capable of different uses for the agriculturist and horticulturist. A partial list of the fruits that can be successfully and profit- ably grown in this county includes oranges, lemons, limes, grape-fruit, shaddock, -citron, guava, pineapples, pomegran- ates, Japanese plums, figs, etc. Eice, sugar-cane, cassava, strawberries, plums, and early vegetables are cultivated with success. The central and northwestern townships are the most at- tractive, and contain most of the i^opulation. Toward the cast and south there are few or no settlements and an abun- dance of game during the winter months. The larger lakes and the St. John's Eiver above Lake Monroe are navigable for launches and small craft, but there are at present no regular boats running above Sanford. The main line of the J., T. & K. W. system enters the county from the north, with stations in and near Orange County as follows : DIst. fr. i . . . . Enterprise Jc. i ( Volitsia Co.) r N -n- f f Enterprise V 4 Monroe - 3 a cT'^I' H' Jc. S 7.... Sanford 3 | Sanford. 1 Connects Indian River Branch J., T. & K. W. system (see p. 9T;. 2 Connects Orange Belt Railroad (see p. TO). 3 Connects South Florida Railway (see p. 70) ; and Sanford & Indian River Railway (see p. 71). For continuation of this line nor:;h, see p. 97 ; south, see below and p. 70. The South Florida Eailway, connecting with the J., T. & K. W. system at a station used in common, has stations as follows within and near the county : 70 ORANGE COUNTY. Dist. fr. Sanford. 0. . . .Sanford ' 124 3. . . .Belair 121 5.... Lake Mary 119 10 Longwood^ 114 13 Altamonte Spring . .111 15. . . .Maitland 109 18. . . .Winter Park 106 22.... Orlando 3 102 27. . . .Pine Castle 9T 34....McKinnon 90 40 Kissimmee * {Osceola Co.) 84 N A Dist. fr. Port Tampa. ' Connects J.. T. & K. W. system (p. 69), and Sanford & Indian Kiver Eail.- way (p. 71), and St. John's Kiver steamboats. '^ Connects Florida Midland Railway (below). 3 Connects Tavares, Orlando & Atlantic Railway. * Connects Kissimmee River steamers. The Orange Belt Railroad, Monroe to Petersburg on Tampa Bay, has stations in and adjacent to the county as follows : Monroe ^ 149 2. . . .Sylvan Lake 147 NE 4 ...Pao!a2 145 a 6. . . .Island Lake 143 9. . . . Glen Etbel 140 11 ... . Groveland 138 12. . . .Palm Springs ^ . . , 137 — Granada — Dist. fr. 15. ...Forest City.... 134 Mpnroe. 18. . . .Toronto '- 131 20. . . .Lakeville 129 . . . Clarcona s 123 . . . Millerton 125 , . .Crown Point 123 , . .Winter Garden. 119 , . . Oakland 117 . . . Killarny 115 . . . Mohawk {Sumter Co.) 110 T. & K. W. system (see p. 69). 2 Crosses Sanford & Lake Eustis Branch J., T. & K. W. system. 3 Crosses Florida Midland Railway (see below). 4 Connects Tavares, Orlando & Atlantic Railway. 5 Crosses Florida Midland Railway. For continuation southwest, see p. 87. The Florida Midland Eaihvay lies wholly within the coun- ty. Its stations are : 21. 24.. 26., 30.. 32.. 84.. 39 . ' Connects J. V SW Dist. fr. St. Peters- burg. Dist. fr. Longwood. Longwood i 27 3 . . .Palm Springs 2 . . 24 4 Altamonte 23 6 Lake Brantly 21 8 . . . . Fitzville 19 10 East Apopka 17 ll....Apopka3 16 15 Clarcona * 12 18.... Villa Nova 9 20 Oconee 7 V 21 Minorville 6 S 23....Gotha 4 27 Englewood 1 Connects J., T. & K. W. system (see p. 69). 2 Crosses Orange Belt Railway (see above). 3 Crosses Tavares, Orlando & Atlantic Railway. * CroHfies Orange Belt Railway (see above). D:st.fr. Englewood. ORANGE COUNTY— OSCEOLA COUNTY. 71 The Sanford & Indian Eiver Eailroad (S. F. Ry. system) is completed to Lake Charm. The stations are : 0. . . .Sanford 19 2 Speer Grove ... 17 N 3.... Fort Reed.... 16 a 3.5 ... Onoro 15.5 4 Silver Lake. 15 5. . . .Rutledge. 14 6 . . . Lords .13 7. . . .Clydes 12 12. . . .Clifton 7 14 Tuscawilla ..... 5 iQ (Oviedo, > ^^- • (Lake CharmJ Dist. fr. Sanford. Diet. fr. Lake Charm. Osceola County. Area, 2,520 eq. m.— Lat. 27" W to 23° 30' N.— Long. 80° 60^ to 81° 35' W.— Es- timated pop. (1889), 3,000.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,667,895.— County seat, Kissimmee. Osceola County, named after the famous Seminole Chief, was formed by act of the State Legislature in 1887, from parts of Orange and Brevai'd Counties. A series of large lakes, Tohopekaliga, Cyj)ress, Hatcheneka, and Kissimmee, connected by canals and natural channels, form the head- waters of the Kissimmee River, flowing southward to Lake Okeechobee, and thence through the Caloosahatchee Eiver to the Gulf of Mexico. This whole system of inland water- courses is navigable to Kissimmee at the head of the chain of lakes. The surface of the country is generally level or slightly rolling, with vast tracts of rich, low-lying prairie land. The soil is especially adapted to the cultivation of vegetables, wliich can be brought to perfection, in ordinary seasons, in January and February. The latitude of the northern extremity of the county is 28° 30', assuring almost entire freedom from frosts and an abun- dance of grass for stock-raising during the whole year. A large number of cattle, sheep, and swine range the woods with- out shelter, and are " rounded up " at stated seasons, afford- ing one of the most profitable industries of the county. Large quantities of sugar-cane have been planted on the re- cently reclaimed lands, with every prospect of a speedy and bountiful vield. 72 OSCEOLA COUNTY. The temperature at Kissimmee rarely rises above 90" in the summer, and the natural healthfulness of the locality Shingle Or ■ff o ! FtDave'nport ^1 ' 27 D E OSCEOLA COUNTY SCALE OF MILES [-.-,1-^1—1 I— ,— fcr-l 5 10 has been singularly confirmed by the experience of the white workmen on the dredging pachines of the Okeechobee drain- OSCEOLA COUNTY. 73 age company. Since 1881 these men have been employed without intermission, even in summer, and have enjoyed un- interrupted health. Not a single death had occurred up to March, 1889, and it had never been necessary to send for a physician. As the work is carried on in a region usually supposed to be highly malarial, this record is certainly note- worthy. Osceola County is settled only at its northern extremity. To the south of Lake Tohopekaliga the wilderness is almost unbroken. Game abounds, and a large part of the egion is accessible in small boats by taking advantage of the creeks and numerous small lakes that abound throughout this re- gion. Within a few years past large drainage o^Derations have been undertaken under State patronage by the Okeechobee Drainage Company, which have reclaimed extensive tracts of land in Osceola County, and bid fair largely to increase the sugar product of the State. The South Florida Eailway from Orange County on the north crosses the northwest corner of the county with sta- tions near and within the boundaries as follow : I 34 McKinnon {Orange Co.) 90 N -n.-. -.„ Dist.fr. I 40....Kissiminee 84 a v)^J Sanford. V 44. . ..Cambells 80 I mf^L S 57....Davenport (PoZfc Co.) 67 | ^^^V^- For continuation of this line north, see p. 70 ; south, see p. 79. 74 PASCO COUNTY. Pasco County. Area, 1,700 sq. m.— Lat. 28° 9' to 28° 29' N.— Long. 82° to 82° 45' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 1,800.— Assessed valuation (1888), $954,329.— County seat, Dade City. This county was formed in 1887 from the southern part of Hernando County. In soil and climate it is among the most favored of the Gulf counties, lying just above the twenty- eighth parallel of latitude and within the influence of the warm Gulf breezes. For the most part the soil is naturally of the better grade of pine lands, underlaid with clay, marl, and limestone. There are large areas of rich hammock, es- pecially in the western townships, which send some of the most noteworthy exhibits to the annual fair at Ocala. Cotton, oats, rice, corn, and sugar-cane, are the staple^^ and all kinds of vegetables have been introduced within the 13ast few years. The Pithlaschoscootee and Anclote Elvers drain the eastern part of the county, and the Withlacoochee and Hillsborough drain the western jjart. In some sections the land rises to the height of eighty or ninety feet above tide-water, and the high hammocks are covered with a mag- nificent growth of hard wood. The hunting and fishing are good, but for large game it is necessary to go ten or twelve miles from the railroads, and guides with camping outfits are indisj)ensable for strangers. The Orange Belt Kailway enters from Hernando County on the north and crosses it southwest and northeast. The stations adjacent to and within the county are : , . . Wyoming (Hernando Co.) 83 , . . Lacoochee ' 78 NE ...Macon 2 76 /\ . . Leonard 74 . . .Blanton 71 ...Cliipco 70 . . . San Antonio 65 , . .Pasco 61 . . Big Cypress 58 . . .Drexei 51 . . . Odessa 43 . . .Tarpon SpT'mgs{HiUshorough Co.)32 66. 71. 73. 75. 78. Dist. fr. 79. Monroe. 84. 88. 91 V 98. SW 106 117. D-st. fr. St. Pet- ersbui'g. ' Crosses Tampa Branch F. C. & P. (see p. 76). 2 Crosses J., T, & K. W. (see p. 76). For continuation north, sec p. 33 ; south, sse p. 38. 76 PASCO COUNTY— POLK COUNTY. 22. 23. Dist. fr. 30. Wildwood.. V 36. S 44. 61. The Tampa branch of the F. C. & P. enters from Hernando County on the north. Stations in and near the county are : . . .Withlacoochee {Sumter Co.) 39 . . . Lacoochee >■ 33 N . . . Owensboro 2 31 a Dist.fr. . . .Dade City 25 I Plant City. ...Abbott 17 I . . .Plant City {Hillsborough Co.) 1 Crosses Orange Belt Railway (see p. 74). ' Crosses J„ T. & K. W. (see below). For continuation north, see p. 35. The Pemberton Ferry Branch of the South Florida Eail- -way (J., T. & K. AV. s^^stem) has stations within and near the county at : Dist. fr. Pemberton Ferry. 6 Bay City {Hernando Co.) . .51 10 Macon 47 11 ... . Orange Belt Jc. i 46 12 Owensboro - 45 16. . . .Dade City 41 22....Ellerslie 35 23. . . .RicWand 34 32 . . . . Tedderville ,..23 37. . . .Kathleen {rolk Co.) 23 Dist. fr. Bartow. ' Crosses Orange Belt Railway (see p. 74). 2 Crosses Tampa Branch F. C. & P. (see above). For continuation north, see p. 85 ; south, see p. 80. Polk Countj. Area, 1,980 sq. m.— Lat. 27° 35' to 28° 10' N.— Long. 81° 25' to 82° 2' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 8,000.— Pop. (1880), 3,181.— Assessed valuation, $3,500,000.— County seat, Bartow. The county -was formed in 1859, by act of the State legis- lature, from portions of the large neighboring counties of Hillsborough, Orange, and Sumter, but its organization was interrupted by the Civil War, and not perfected in its pres- ent shape until 1874. It is named after James K. Polk, elev- enth President of the United States. The twenty-fifth par- allel of latitude runs nearly through the middle of the county. It was settled mainly by cattle men, who had served in the In- dian wars and noted the natural advantages of the country. Its average elevation above the sea is estimated at 150 feet, and its greatest elevation, according to the levels run by the engineers of the South Florida Bailroad, is 235 feet. Nearly one-fifth of the surface is water, in lakes of every conceivable POLK COUNTY. 77 size and shape, from Lake Kissimmee, eigliteen miles long, down to little pools too small to be shown on the map, but sometimes indicated by a dot. As a rule, these lakes are full of pure, clear water, and well stocked with fish. Most of them are deep enough to deserve the name of lakes or ponds, but some are little better than savannahs. The lake region proper lies in the middle of the county. The north- POIiK CO. SCALE OF MILES ern portion of this region is high rolling land, the bluffs ris- ing sharply from the lake shores sometimes as much as sixty feet. These afford an endless number of excellent building- sites, with the advantage, somewhat unusual in Florida, of a decided elevation. The land is sandy and sandy loam, and the usual variety of high and low hammock and the three grades of pine land are well distributed over the count v. Toward the south the 78 POLK COUNTY. face of the country is more generally level, and prairies are more frequent. The Kissimmee Eiver, here mainly a succession of lakes, is navigable to the Gulf of Mexico through Lake Okeechobee and tho Caloosahatchee River. Peace River is navigable for small boats to Fort Meade. This stream falls into Char- lotte Harbor on the Gulf of Mexico. Its tributaries, with those of the Alafia and the "Withlacoochee Rivers, drain a wide region in the southern and western part of the county. The best grade of pine lands in this region are considered most desirable for agricultural purposes, because, under judicious cultivation, their productiveness seems to increase, while the high hammocks deteriorate after a few years of astonishing productiveness. The dryer kinds of low ham- mock are prized for general farming and garden crops, es- pecially the early vegetables that are becoming such an im- portant factor in the commerce of the State. The timber is mainly pine and cypress, but all the hard woods are found in the hammocks. The summer temperature ranges from 86° to 97° at mid- day, falling some twenty degrees during the night. In the winter the ordinary range is from 45° to 75°, with, however, occasional northers, when the thermometer drops very sud- denly to the freezing-point. After the first of February im- munity from frost is almost certain, and the thermometer ranges from 60° to 78°. The rainy season begins in June and lasts till the middle or end of September, rain falling, as a rule, almost every day. The vital statistics of the county show that general health is good, the death-rate from ordinary diseases very low. The county commissioners of Polk County certify the follow- ing list of its products ; Corn, oats, rye, pumpkins, squashes, beans in variety (the snap and lima runners being very pro- lific), i)eas (in variety), potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, pars- nips, egg-plant, cucumbers, cantaloupes, water-melons, cab- bages, collards, cauliflower, kohl-rabi, ruta-bagas, turnips, l^epper, okra, tomatoes, lettuce, salsify, spinach, mustard, sorghum, sugar-cane, cassava, arrow-root, ginger, chufas, pindars or ground peas, goubers, grass-nuts, pie melon, etc. POLK COUNTY. ■79 Of plants and herbs, sweet marjoram, thyme, tea-plants, castor-bean, and benne. Of fruits, orange, sweet, bitter-sweet, and sour ; lemons, limes, grapes, peaches, LeConte and avo- cado pears, tiger apples, sugar apples, citron, shaddocks, grape-fruit, mangoes, Japan plums, bananas, pineapples, guavas, jDlums, pomegranates, figs, olives, and pecans. Many of these are not recommended as profitable crops. The list is given to show the possible range of agricultural resources. The Polk County region was a favorite hunting and farm- ing ground of the aboriginal races, and mounds and other evidences of prehistoric habitations are found. When the United States surveys were made in 1848 numerous evi- dences existed of extensive cultivation, but the luxuriant forest growth has nearly obliterated most of them at the present time. The South Florida Railway enters the county from Pasco County (northwest), and Osceola County (northeast), its branches forming a triangle in the heart of the county. The main line has stations near and within the county as follows : Dist. fr. Sanford. 42 ... . Campbells (Osceola Co.) 71 50... Lake Locke... 63 NE 54 Emmanton , 61 a 57 . . Davenport 58 61 . . . Haines City 54 68. . . .Bartow Jc. i 47 Dist. fr. 72 ... . Anbumdale 43 Port 77 Fitshughs 38 Tampa. 81.... Acton 34 83. . . .Lakeland 2 32 V 93.... Plant City 22 SW 115.... Tampa 9 124. . . .Port Tampa ' Connects Bartow Branch (see below). " Connects Pemberton Ferry Branch (see p. 80). The Bartow Branch stations are : I — Bartow Jc.'* 17 -Kr-n, •n^^i. ^v 5.... Winter Haven 12 .-^ -Pk-of '^^ 17. ...Bartow^ ' ' Connects vnth main line to Tampa, south, and Sanford. northeast. 2 Connects F. S. (J., T. & K. W. system) for Punta Gorda. Charlotte Harbor, etc. so POLK COUNTY— PUTNAM COUNTY. The Pemberton Ferry Branch has stations near and within Polk County as follows : Dlst. fr Pemberton 23. . . .Richland (Pasco Co.) 31 32...,Tedderville 22 NNW 37. . , .Kathleen 17 a Dist. fr. 40 . . .Griffin's Mill 17 Feny. V 43. . . Lakeland i 14 SSE 51. . . .Haskell 6 57.... Bartow 2 o Punta Bartow. 1 Crosses J., T. & K. W. from Sanford and Tampa. 2 Connects Bartow branch and F. S. Ky. to Punca Gorda. Putnam County. Area, 860 sq. m.— Lat. 29° 20' to 29° 50' K— Long. 81" 23' to 82° 2' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 12,000.— Pop. (1880), 6,261.— Assessed valuation (1888), $4,- 130,503.— County seat, Palatka. Putnam County is one of several organized in 1847, after the first Seminole war. It is named after General Israel Putnam, of the Eevolutionary Army. The shajje is very ir- regular, some of the boundaries being crooked rivers, and others arbitrary lines. As is often the case in Florida, it is impossible to give a general statement of the topography. The great river St. John's divides the county into two por- tions, of which the western is by far the larger. Orange Creek, the navigable outlet of Orange Lake, just over the line, in Alachua County, joins the Ocklawaha River at the southern border, and together they form a considerable stream tributary to the St. Johns, and one of the famous tourist routes of Florida (see -p. — ••). Except in the im- mediate vicinity of the water-courses the western part of the county is gently undulating, covered with heavy pine forests, which are rapidly giving way to orange groves. Through this comparatively low region there runs an elevated rolling plateau, ten or fifteen miles wide, and in some places said to be two hundred feet above tide-water. This plateau is dotted all over with lakelets, surrounded by wooded hills. Here and there are prairies and swamps of moderate extent. An attractive section of the county is the Fruitland Penin- sula, a tract of land eight or ten miles wide, somewhat re- sembling the plateau just described lying between the St. John's River on the west and Crescent Lake on tlic east. Its PUTNAM COUNTY. 81 surface is generally liilly, interspersed with lakes, forests, and occasinal marshes. The J., T. & K. W. Railway system passes through the entire length of the jjeninsula. Crescent Lake is a navigable body of water, having easy steamboat connection with the St. John's Eiver through Dunn's Creek, the outlet at the northern extremity of the lake. To the north of this stream, still on the east side of the St. John's River, is a fine orange region, including some of the oldest and best groves in the State. The St. John's River through- out this portion of its course is practically a series of lakes, varying in width from a mile to four miles. It is slightly affected by the ocean tides as far up as Lake George, and the current is nowhere so rapid as to interfere with the use of small boats as a convenient means of travel. The main line (J., T. & K. W. system) from Jacksonville 82 PUTNAM COUNTY— SAINT JOHN'S COUNTY. and the north crosses the county nearly north and south. Stations are as follows : Diet. fr. Jack- Bouville. 41....WestTocoi {Clay Co.) 84 46....Bo8twick 78 49 ... . Teasdale 75 52. . . .Sauble 72 55 Palatka Junction 69 56. . . .Palatka i 68 58 Lundy 66 60. . . .Peniel 64 63. . . .Buffalo BlufE 61 64 Satsuma 60 67....Sisco 57 70 Pomona 54 72 . . . .Como .52 75 Huntington 49 78. . . .Denver 46 82 Hammond {Volv^ia Co.) 42 84. . . .Seville (Volusia Co.) 41 Dist. fr. Sanford. ^ Coimects St. Aug. & Halifax Eiver Ey. (p. 84) ; St. John's & Halifax Eiver Ry. (p. 85) ; and F. S. Ry. to Gainesville (see below). For continuation of main line J., T. & K. W. system, see pp. 16 and 97. The main line Florida Southern Eailway runs east from Palatka. The stations within the county and just beyond its western line are : 0. . . .Palatka • 47 5 Francis 42 E 12 . . . .Hollister 35 a 15. . .Manville 32 17 . . .Interlachen 30 19. ..Keuka 28 21.... Clark's Mill 26 23 Johnson 24 V 25. . . .Cooper's Mill 22 W 26 Cone's Crossing 21 29 . . Colgrove 18 ' Connects St. Augustine & Halifax River divisions (see p. 84) ; and with main line J., T. & K. W., north to Jacksonville, and south to Tampa and Punta Gorda (see above). Dist. fr. Palatka. Dist. f r. Gainesville. Saint John's County. Area, 1,000 sq. m.— Lat. 29" 22' to 30° 13' N.— Long. 81° 5' to 81° 40' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 12,000.— Pop. (1880), 4,535.— Assessed valuation (1888), $2,250,870.— County seat, St. Augustine. See p. 133. St. John's County may almost be termed a peninsula, lying as it does between the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the St. John's River on the west. Along the river there are valu- able lands under successful cultivation at many points for oranges, pears, sugar-cane, vegetables, and the like. A short distance back from the river the flat woods appear, succeeded ST. JOHNS GO. SCALE OF MILES 84 SAINT JOHN'S COUNTY. by belts of rich liammock, wliicli in turn give way to palmetto scrub that extends to the sea-coast. A few small streams, tributary to the St. Johns, water the rolling lands along the river, and others find their way into Matanzas Inlet, Halifax Eiver, and North Eiver on the coast. Much of the land is, and probably must remain, worthless, but, thanks to its climate, the county is one of the most prosperous in the State, and attracts more tourists than any other section. This is due to the existence of St. Augustine, where nearly three centuries ago Europeans first learned the salubrity of the Floridian climate. The history of St. Augustine is that of St. John's County, and will be found in the account of that city. Fishing is good all along tlie creeks, inlets, rivers, and lagoons, and game is to be found by persevering huntsmen, thanks to the almost impenetrable " scrub " in which deer and turkeys still find shelter. It is wellnigh useless, how- ever, to hunt without guides and dogs, and even then hunt- ing is no child's play. The harbor of St. Augustine, with its connecting inlets, is a favorite resort for yachtsmen, and a short day's run to the northward opens the extensive inland cruising grounds of the St. John's Eiver and its numerous lakes. The Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax Eiver Eailway (J., T. & K. W. system), St. Augustine to Palatka, has stations as follows : Dist. fr. St. Augus- tine. V sw 0. . . .St. Augustine^ 31 New St. Augustine 30 4....Tocoi Jc 26 8. ...Smith's 22 10. . . . Middleton 20 12 Armstrong 18 14. . . .Holy Branch 16 16.... Quid's 14 18. . . .Merrifield .12 20 Buena Vista 10 21 Pattersonville 9 25. . . .East Palatka Jc 6 31. . . .Palatka'-* NE A Dist. fr. Palatka. 1 Connects -with J., T. & K. W. system to Jacksonville (see p. 85). 2 Connects with J., T. & K. W. system to Indian River. Tampa and Punta Gorda (see p. 82). The Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax Eiver Eailway SAINT JOHN'S COUNTY— SUMTER COUNTY. 8d (J., T. & K. W. system) is the most dkect route between tlie two cities. Stations and distances follow : Jacksonville ' 37 1.... South Jacksonville 86 NW 3. . . .Phillips M A 5. . . .Bowden 32 9 Summerville 2S 10. . . .Nesbit 2T 11. ...Eaton 26 14 Sweetwater 23 16.. ..Bayard 21 18. . . .Eegister 19 19. . . .Clarkville 18 21. . . .Durbin 16 V 28 Sampson 9 SE 32. . . .Magnolia Grove 5 37. . . .St. Aiigustine2 Dist. fr. Jack- sonville. Dlst. fr. St. Augus- tine. * For railway and steamboat connections see p. 103. 2 Connects with line to Palatka, see p. 84. Sumter County. Area, 625 sq. m.— Lat. 28° 15' to 28° 57' N.— Long. SI":* 55' to 82<^ 18' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 12,000.— Pop. (1880), 4,686.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,719,- 018.— County seat, Sumterville. Sumter County is topographically part and parcel of the central lake region, and of the large orange-growing counties of Lake, Marion, Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco. It was orig- inally organized as a county in 1851, including parts of the present territory covered by Orange and Polk Counties. Changes to the present boundaries were made successively in 1871, 72, '79, and '87. The Withlacoochee Eiver, which forms the major part of the western boundary, is navigable to Pemberton Ferry. In the winter of 1888-89, during a jjeriod of exceptionally high water, a boat crossed from the vicinity of Lake Panasoffkee and the Withlacoochee Eiver, thus demonstrating the possibility of crossing from the Atlantic to the Gulf. The shooting and fishing are excellent over a large portion of the county. Near Dragem Junction is the scene of the massacre of Major Dade and his com- mand (see p. ), which was practically the beginning of the long Seminole war, 1835 to 1842, which nearly exter- minated the then existing settlements in South Florida. The Florida Southern Kail way (J., T. & K. W. system) en- M S!^. Carlsoi ScottsHiU o Panasof Ikee ( /a DADE'S &^ MASSACRE \. -r^T.f,'^. '*^.rj?^^. (ST Pemberton Fy. 1 l,Teina 07 22 ' Bushnell SUMTERVJLLe 20 23 21 Cente; Webster 22 Taixytown O' r- ". — ^ Lacobchee SUMTER COUNTY Hill i^aniniock < 23 : J 2-4 SCALE OF MILES 10 P Q L K SUMTER COUNTY. 87 ters tlie county at a point about twelve miles southwest from Leesburg. The stations within the county and near its lim- its are : Diet. fr. Palatka. SW 115 Cason's (Lake Co.) 31 120. . . .Centre Hill 26 125 .. . .Webster , , . .21 129. . . .Dragem Jc.i 17 135. . . .Pemberton2 il 146 Brooksville (Hernando Co.}.. .... NE A Dist. f r. Brooks- ville. J Crosses F. C. & P. (see below). 2 Connects with J., T. & K. W. system for Punta Gorda and Tampa. The southern division F. C. & P. enters the county from Ocala, Marion County, on the north. Stations adjacent to and within the county are as follows : Dist. fr. Ocala. 16 Summerfield (Marion Co.).. 21 21.,.. Oxford 16 26. . . .Wildwood i 11 29 Orange Home 8 31 Bamboo. 6 35 Montclair 2 37. . . .Leesburgs (Lake Co.) Dist. fr. Leesburg. i Connects with Tampa branch F. C. & P. (see below). 2 Connects with J., T. & K. W. system (see p. 47). The Tampa division F. C. & P. connects with the forego- ing at Wildwood. The stations are : Dist. fr. Wildwood. 0. . . .Wildwood 1 61 5 Coleman , ...56 8 Panasoffkee 53 9.. .Sumterville Jc 52 14. . . .Bushnell. ... 47 18. ...St. Catharine^ 43 22 . . . . Withlacoochee 39 28. . . . Lacoochee (Hernando Co.) 33 Dist. fr. Plant City. ^ Connects with F. C. & P. to Leesburg (see above). 2 Crosses J., T. & K. W. system (see above). The Orange Belt Eailway crosses the southern part of the county. The stations near and within the county line are : 51 Mascotte (2ya/c« Co.) 96 -p, 56.. Cedar Hammock 91 "t Dist.fr. 60....Tarrytown ..87 '^ Dist. fr. St. Monroe, w 64: . . .Wyoming 83 Petersburg. 70. . .Lacoocheei (Hernando Co.) 77 71 Macon" (Hernando Co.) 76 V W 1 Crosses Tampa Branch F. C. & P. (see p. 35). a Crosses J., T. & K. W. system (see p. 35). 88 SANTA KOSA COUNTY. Santa Rosa County. Area, 1,260 sq. m.— Lat. 30° 19' to 30° 58' N.— Long. 86° 38' to 87° 20' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 10,000.— Pop. (1880), 6,645.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,282,800.— County seat, Milton. Santa Eosa County, next to the narrow territory of Es- cambia, is the westernmost county in Florida, and was one of the original civic divisions of the State. It takes its name from the fine bay discovered by Tristan de Luna in 1559. Santa Eosa has four navigable rivers, namely, the Escambia, forming the western boundary, and navigable into Alabama ; the Blackwater, draining the north- ern half of the county, a rich lumber region, sparsely settled, SANTA ROSA COUNTY— SUWANNEE COUNTY. 89 and affording a fine cattle range ; the Yellow Eiver, crossing the county diagonally, and forming part of its eastern boundary, and East Bay Eiver, parallel to Santa Eosa Sound, a short distance inland. The lumber and live-stock interests are the principal industries, sheei^ raising having of late years taken a foremost place. The subsoil is clay with a sandy surface, and rice, corn, sweet potatoes, oats, Leconte X3ears, peaches, grapes, and figs are grown successfully. The pecan tree flourishes and makes a profitable crop when once the trees are in bearing. The nuts are quite equal to those grown in Texas. The finest and oldest grove in the State is in the town of Black- water. The Pensacola & Atlantic division of the Louisville & Nashville Eailroad crosses the county on a line running nearly northeast and southwest. The stations near and within the county are : Dist. fr. River Jc. V SW 110 . . . Crestview ( Walton Co.) 50 114 ... . Chaffin's 46 122. ...Holt's 38 131 . . .Good Eange 29 141. ...Milton 19 144 Arcadia 16 152 Escambia {Escambia Co.) 8 NE A I Dist. fr. Pensacola. For continuation southwest to Pensacola see p. 29 ; east, to River Junction, see p. 101. Suwannee County. Area, 750 sq. m.— Lat. 29° 52' to 30° 24' N.— Long. 82° 46' to 83° 18^ W.— Es- timated pop. (1889), 10,000.— Pop. (1880), 7,161.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,579,988.— County seat, Live Oak. The name Suwannee is of Seminole or Muskhogee origin, meaning "deep water," and the fine stream that bears it and gives its name to the county forms the boundary on three sides. It is navigable for river steamboats as far as White Springs during the greater part of the year, and with its numerous tributaries affords many desirable mill sites. The river gives easy access to the Gulf of Mexico, and the loca- tion of the county within reach of the sea-breezes from both directions renders its climate exceedingly equable. The temperature averages about 50° in the winter months, and in 90 SUWANNEE COUNTY. summer rarely rises higher than 90°, the average being 80° to 85°. The soil is a sandy loam with a substratum of clay, fertile and easy of cultivation. Large tracts of good land are still SUWANNEE COUNTY SCALE OF MILES 3 lchetuckn.ee Spr. \C • c*^-- ALACHUA 10 open to settlement under the State and United States laws, and while considerable portions are held by capitalists, the prices of land to actual settlers are by no means exorbitant. The lumber within reach of water or railway transporta- tion is abundant, and of excellent quality. Hammock lands SUWANNEE COUNTY. 91 border the water-courses bearing the finest varieties of hard- wood, as ash, hickory, live oak, red oak, white oak, cherry, red bay, beach, maple, and magnolia, while pitch pine and yellow pine cover thousands of acres of rolling country. Sea Island cotton was largely cultivated by slave labor be- fore the Civil "War, and now, after a lapse of many years, is resuming its importance. Some of the leading Northern and European cotton factors have permanent warehouses at Live Oak and elsewhere. The total annual shipment of cotton, according to the latest report available, is about three thou- sand bales. Oranges can be successfully cultivated, but not with the certainty that obtains in South Florida, and tobacco is becoming an important and profitable crop. Extensive plantations of the Leconte pear are in bearing, strawberries are extremely prolific, and all the small fruits are in a marketable condition a month ahead of the same kinds in Delaware, and two weeks in advance of Georgia. The western division of the F. C. & P. crosses the north- ern part of the county on a line running northwest and southeast. The stations within the county are : I Tl....Welborn .....94 q^^, Dist.fr. 76.... Houston 89 . Dist.fr. Jackson- J. 82. . . . Live Oak» 83 r' Talla- ville. -JL- 92 BuckiJc.2 73 hassee. •""^ 95....EllavilIe 70 ' * Crosses Savannah, Florida & Western Eailway (see below). 2 Connects with Suwannee River Railroad (see below). For continuation westward see p. 58 ; eastward, p. 18. The Gainesville division S., F. & W. Ed. (Savannah, Ga., to Gainesville, 249 miles, 9i hours). Stations within and near the countv are : Dist. fr. Savannah, Ga. 168 Marion (Hamilton Co.) 81 171 Suwannee 77 179. . . .live Oaki 70 184. . . .Padlock 65 188. . . .Pine Mount 61 190 .. . .McAlpin 59 196. . .O'Brien 52 203. . . .New Branford2 46 216 . . .Lake City Jc.s {Columbia Co.).. .33 DIst. fr. Gainesville. ^ Crosses western division F. C. & P. (see above). 2 Connects Suwannee River steamers. s Connects Lake City division. 92 SUWANNEE COUNTY— TAYLOR COUNTY. The Suwannee Kiver Railway runs from Hudson-on-the- Suwannee to Bucki Janction. It is about twelve miles long, with no regular stations between termini. When the Su- wannee River is low this road is convenient for steamboat connections at New Branford. Taylor County. Area, 1,080 sq. m.— Lat. 29° 40' to 30° 15^ N.— Long. 83° 22^ to 84° W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 3,000.— Pop. (1880), 2,2T9.— Assessed valuation (1888), $270,094.— County seat. Perry. Taylor County was organized in 1851, and named after General Zachary Taylor, the j)opular hero of the war with" Mexico, 1847-4:8, and subsequently President of the United States. The county has about forty miles of coast on the Gulf of Mexico, with shallow harbors at the mouths of the Aucilla, Fenholloway, and Econf ena Rivers, and in Deadman's Bay, available only for small boats. There are no lighthouses on this coast. The surface is generally level, intersected with plentiful streams, some of which afford excellent mill sites, and in all of which the different varieties of fish are found in plenty. The piney woods are broken by several large ham- mocks, the home of bear, deer, panthers, wild-cats, and tur- keys. The game has not yet been hunted out in this region, and good sport may be had with the assistance of competent guides. Along the Gulf the pine lands are very poor, but in the interior they are of good quality, the soil varying from gray to dark in color, and about two feet deep. The ham- mocks are a dark sandy loam, unsurpassed in fertility. As a cattle range the county has always afforded excellent facilities, owing to the abundant growth of native grasses. The climate is that of the Gulf coast of Florida, and is healthy when ordinary judgment is used. Along both banks of the Econf ena River there is a healthy belt ten miles wide, while along the Fenholloway it is sickly, the reason being that in the former case the water is pure, while in the latter case it is strongly impregnated with lime. In the lime-water TAYLOR COUNTY. 93 regions cisterns for rain-water are used by prudent residents. The Econfena Kiver rises in Washington County, southeast from Oak Hill. Its course is thirty miles from its source to St. Andrew's Bay, but this is interrupted by Natural Bridge, fifteen miles from the mouth, to which point the stream is navigable. Below the bridge for several miles the voyager is delighted by the frequent occurrence of remarkable springs along the west bank. The lands along this river are of fine 94 TAYLOR COUNTY— VOLUSIA COUNTY. quality and the locality has a liigli reputation for liealtliful- ness. Bear Creek, a navigable tributary, enters the Econfena from the eastward, about four miles from salt water. Besides the springs referred to are Hampton Spring on Eocky Creek and a chalybeate spring on Blue Creek. Perry, the county seat, may be best reached from Madison, Madison County, thirty-one miles by mail route. Tolusia County. Area, 1,340 sq. m.— Lat. 28° 85' to 29° 25' N.— Long. 81° 35' to 81" 40' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 10,000.— Pop. (1880), 3,294.— Assessed valuation (1888), $3,994,572.— County seat, DeLand. Volusia, as may be inferred from the phenomenal increaso in its population, is, to Northern settlers, one of the most attractive counties of South Florida. This is largely ac- counted for from its easy access to Northern mariiets, its ad- vantages of soil and climate for invalids, and the facilities that it offers to tourists and sportsmen. The county was organized under territorial government in 1825, and its somewhat unfortunate early name was Mosquito County, a title which was naturally repudiated as soon as possible, and Orange was adopted. It originally included Orange and Brevard Counties. In 1854 Volusia and part of Brevard were set off, and in 1878 the present boundaries were established. Lying between the St. John's Eiver on the west, and the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Volusia County has navigable waters on both sides, besides which railroads cross it in four directions, affording ready transportation for the enormous orange crop. The country bordering the princij)al railroads and watercourses, indeed, is almost a continuous orange grove, and the planters claim that no part of the State excels it for raising this favorite crop. The land is largely high pine and hammock, and very productive for all kinds of crops. Along the ocean front are found the narrow beaches, sometimes, as at Daytona and Ormond, rising into verit- able hammocks. Within these, to the westward, are the coastwise rivers, the Halifax and the Hillsborough. West- VOLUSIA comruY. 95 ward again is a wide belt of the richest hammock, two or three miles wide, and containing evidences of ancient culti- vation in the shape of drains, canals, and ruined houses, con- cerning some of which all records have been lost, while tlie 96 VOLUSIA COUNTY. history of the others, as the Turnbull tract at New Smyrna, is tolerably well known. Beyond the hammocks is a belt of prairie, broken by islands of cabbage-palm and pine, rising first into " fiat-woods," and again into the rolling pine-lands that extend nearly to the St. John's Eiver at the western boundary. The first settlement within the present limits of the county was made during the British occupancy by Dr. Turnbull, a Scotch gentleman of wealth, who, having obtained a large conditional grant of hammock land in the vicinity of New Smyrna, enlisted a colony of some fifteen hundred Greeks, Italians, and Minorcans, and brought them over with the intention of organizing an agricultural community. Dissensions followed, and the colony was broken up, but not before a large amount of work had been accomplished (see Route 63). In 1803 a colony of nearly twenty families from St. Augus- tine resettled the abandoned lands of the Turnbull tract, es- tablishing, in sj)ite of hostile Indians, quite a prosperous set- tlement. In 1835, however, the Seminole war broke out in earnest, and the inhabitants were obliged to escape across the river and see their houses and plantations burned behind them. Until 1842 the county was abandoned by whites, and even after that time Indian alarms were so frequent that, in 1860, there were barely twenty-five families within the pres- ent boundaries. Then followed the Civil War, when New Smyrna enjoyed a short lived and costly importance as an entrepot for blockade-runners, but was presently shelled by United States gunboats, and nearly destroyed. An expedition from Jacksonville was sent up the St. John's Eiver, and is said to have captured every man in the county. Two of the prisoners were released, however, as too small of stature for military duty, and for several months these two were the only white men in the county. At the first election after the return of peace there were twenty -one registered voters, and every one of them was present to organize the first court. Shortly after this the movement began which has so wonderfully increased the population of tlie county, and developed its resources. VOLUSIA COUNTY. 97 The main line of the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West sys- tem to Sandford (connecting for PnntaGorda and Port Tampa) and Titusville follows a generally north and south direction near the St. John's River. The stations within and near the county are : Dist. fr, Jackson- ville. 7T. 81. 84. 92.. 94.. 97 99 103.. 105.. 107.. 108.. 113.. 118 . 126.. 131.. 138.. 147.. 151.. 153.. 157.. . . Denver (Putnam Co.) 82 . .Hammond 78 ..Seville 75 . .Bakersburg 71 . .Pierson . . .' 70 . . Eldridge 67 . Barberville 65 . . .Deep Creek 62 . . . Spring Garden 60 . . .Glenwood — 57 . . .Highland Park 55 . ..DeLandJc.i 52 . - .Beresford 51 . . .Orange City Jc.^ 47 . . .Enterprise Jc 41 . . .Osteen 30 . Cow Creek 23 Maytown 18 . Aurantia {Brevard Co.) 9 .Mims {Brevard Co.) 5 .La Grange {Brevard Co.) 4 .Titusville {Brevard Co.) Dist. fr. Titus- ville. » At DeLand Junction is a spur three miles eastward to DeLand, and two miles westward to DeLand Landing. 2 At Orange City Junction is the crossing of the Atlantic & Western Kailroad (see below). Atlantic & Western Eailroad from Bhie Springs on the St. John's Eiver to New Smyrna on the sea-coast, crossing the county from east to west : . . . .Blue Springs 29 I 0% .. Orange City Jc 28>^ W Tvi-i. f_ 3... Orange City 26 a Dist. Smvrna ' 8>^. .Lake Helen 19)^ i fr. Blue bmyma. ^ 22 ...Waverly 6 Springs. E 25X..G]encoe 3M I 29 New Smyrna At Orange City Junction is the crossing of J., T. & K. W. (see above). 98 WAKULLA COUNTY. Wakulla County. Area, 580 sq. m.— Lat. 30° to 30° 20' N.— Long. 84° 5' to 84° 45' W.— Estimated pop. (1889), 3,500.— Pop. (1880), 2,723.— Assessed valuation (1888), $362,281.— Comity seat, Crawf ordville. This county is named after the famous spring near the Gulf coast. The Seminole word Wakulla means mystery, and no one who visits the spring will question the fitness of the title (see p. — ). A further mystery, peculiar to this region, is the alleged *' Wakulla Volcano," a column of U ^VAKULiLA COUNTY I SCALE OF MILES *— I T— ^ 1-=.— F Jjcksons smoke or vapor that perpetually rises above the trees at a certain point to which no man has as yet penetrated (see p. ■ — ). The surface is mainly level and sandy, with a clay subsoil and limestone rock, often rich in phosphates, not far below the surface everywhere. Heavily timbered hard-wood hammocks cover a large portion of the county, and game is abundant. The Ocklockony Eiver, a considerable stream, forms the western boundary, and its tributaries water the western part of the county. In the eastern part are the St. Mark's and Wakulla Eivers, which unite, forming the Apala- chee Eiver, five miles from the Gulf. The former has its source in the famous spring just referred to. The latter rises in a small pond, nineteen miles northeast from the WAKULLA COUNTY. 99 junction of the streams. Boats drawing four feet of water can ascend to the sources of both these streams. It is sup- posed from topographical surveys that the St, Mark's derives its supply from Lake Micosukee and its tributaries (see p. 52). Numerous sinks occur along a certain connecting line, and sometimes the river itself emerges for a time above ground. The Ocklockony River, forming the western boundary of the county, rises in Georgia, and running generally south, falls into Ocklockony Bay, twenty miles west of St. Mark's. It is navigable for steamboats about fifty miles. Some twenty miles from its mouth it divides. New Eiver carrying a portion of its waters to the bay. Its principal tributaries are Tugalo, Little Eiver, Robinson's Creek, and Rocky Com- fort. The Gulf coast line is about twenty-five miles in extent, not attempting to trace its various indentations. It forms an extensive bight known as Apalachee Bay, early discovered by the Spaniards, and the site of attempted settlements in the sixteenth century. At the mouth of St. Mark's River, on the east side, is a lighthouse showing a fixed white light of the fourth order, visible fifteen miles at sea. The tower is white, eighty-three feet in total height above the water. The channel is well buoyed, and admits vessels drawing seven feet at low tide. The principal industries are turpentine-making, stock-rais- ing, bee-culture, hunting, and fishing. There are many natural curiosities as sinks, springs, and the like scattered through the county. The supply of drinking-water is mainly derived from cisterns, as the natural flow is strongly im- pregnated with lime. The St, Mark's Railroad from Tallahassee, in Leon County, to St. Mark's, is twenty-one miles long ; through time, one hour and forty-five minutes. I Tallahassee 21 -»j Dist.fr, J, 4....Belair. IT -"^ Dist.fr. Tallahassee, q 16. ...Wakulla 5 A St. Mark's. ^ 21... St. Mark's ' For connections at Tallahassee (see p. 53). 100 WALTON COUNTY. Walton County. Area, 1,360 sq. m.— Lat. 30° 20^ to 31" N.— Long. SS" 52' to 86" 39' W.— Esti- mated pop. (1889), 6,000.— Pop. (1880), 4,201.— Assessed valuation (1888), $1,122,755.— County seat, De Funiak Springs. Walton County is bounded on the north by Alabama, east by Holmes and Washington Counties, south by Choctawhat- cliee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, and west by Santa Rosa County. The land is mainly covered with pine woods, flat near the coast but high and rolling to the northward. The soil is for the most part sandy with clay near the streams. The land is highly productive and large shipments are an- nually made of cotton, corn, sugar, vegetables, fruits, and to- bacco. Stock-raising, especially sheep, is extensively fol- lowed and is on the increase. This industry was originally introduced by a colony of Scotch Presbyterians who settled in the Euchee Valley in 1823, and whose descendants still WALTON COUNTY— WASHINGTON COUNTY. 10 i remain among the most prosperous and thrifty farmers of this region. The Pensacola & Atlantic division of the L. & N. Ed. crosses the county from east to west. The stations within and near the county are as follows : Dist. fr. Kiver Jc. Pensacola. TO Ponce de Leon {Holmes Co.). . . 134 77....Argyle 128 E 81 De Funiak Springs 124 a -njcf ut in a state for defence. On September 10th the French ships came down from the St. John's in the night, and, according to the good chaplain before quoted, were only prevented from capturing the ves- sels and all who were left on board, by the special interj)o- sition of Our Lady of Bon Secours d' Utrera, who, in answer to the prayers of the frightened mariners, descended in per- son upon one of the vessels, bringing a breeze that enabled all to escape. Further than this, the good lady, or some other power, caused a terrific gale to arise, which wrecked the French fleet before it could regain the St. John's. Now was Menendez's opportunity. He promptly despatched five hundred men, knowing that the garrison at Fort Caro- line must be greatly weakened, surprised and captured the fort, and put to the sword those of the garrison whom he SAINT AUGUSTINE. 137 did not hang (see p. 123). This success was followed by the surrender and execution of most of the shipwrecked French- men at Matanzas Inlet (see p. 178). On September 28, 1565, St. Augustine set the example that has since been followed by nearly every town in the State — it had a great fire. The quarters occujDied by the garrison were consumed, with large quantities of stores and j)rovisions. Incendiarism was suspected, but never proved. Work was begun immediately on a regular fortification, the Spaniards having before them a wholesome fear of French vengeance for the recently perpetrated massacres. More- over, it was learned presently that about two hundred French- men still survived, and had fortified themselves at Canaveral — probably north of the present Cape of that name. Against this fort Menendez presently moved, and one hundred and fifty of the garrison surrendered, and for some inexplicable reason were courteously treated as prisoners of war. The winter that followed was a most trying one to the garrison, increased as it was by the accession of the French l^risouers. The Indians, friendly at first, had been estranged, as usual, by cruel treatment from the Spaniards. No one could go outside the fort to hunt or fish without danger from an ever- vigilant and preternaturally crafty foe. It is credibly stated that more than one hundred and twenty of the gar- rison were thus killed, including several officers. At this crisis, while provisions were growing scarce, Menendez went to Cuba for relief. During his absence tho garrison mutinied, and not even his return sufficed wholly to restore discix^line. Altogether some five hundred men re- turned to Cuba, Mexico, and Spain, and for the first time in history Florida was denounced to intending settlers as barren, swampy, and unproductive. The fort was completed before spring, but by June pro- visions again ran short, and but for the timely arrival from Spain of a fleet of seventeen vessels with 1,500 men and ample supplies the attempt to colonize Florida must have been abandoned. Juan de Avila was admiral of this fleet, and with him he brought to Menendez a welcome letter from his royal master, Philij) II., wherein the " retribution you 138 SAINT AUGUSTINE. have visited upon the Lutheran j)irates " was warmly com- mended. In the meantime, operating from St. Augustine, as head-quarters, several colonies were planted, and, leaving affairs in a seemingly prosperous condition, Menendez caused to be built a 20-ton '-frigate," of very light construction, in which he sailed for Spain, making the run to the Azores, more than three thousand miles, in the remarkably short time of seventeen days. He was received with high honors by Philip II., but in the meantime vengeance was brewing in France, and before Menendez could return to St. Augus- tine, the soldier of fortune, Domenique de Gourgues, had captured the Spanish forts on the St. John's, and avenged the massacre of the Huguenot colony (see p. 120). Shortly after this Menendez returned from Spain to find the garrison at St. Augustine again on the point of starva- tion and mutiny. It seems incredible that, in such a pro- lific land as Florida has since proved to be, no serious efforts were made to cultivate the soil, but it is certain that starva- tion more than once threatened the garrison at St. Augustine during the nine years that intervened before Menendez's death. In the Church of San Nicolas, at Aviles, is a handsome monument bearing the following inscription, which is here translated to show the distinguished titles and honors held by the founder of " San Augustin : " " Here lies buried the illustrious Cavalier Pedro Menen- dez de Aviles, a native of this city, Adelantado of the Prov- inces of Florida, Knight Commander of Santa Cruz of the order of Santiago, and Captain General of the Oceanic Seas, and of the Armada wliich his Eoyal Highness collected at Santander in the year 1574, where he died in the 55th year of his age." After its founder's death the colony at St. Augustine was left mainly to its own resources, and soon began to learn how to take care of itself. It passed through the usual trials of a frontier town during the twelve years that fol- lowed, slowly growing, however, in strength and resources. On May 28 (O. S.), 1586, the English freebooter. Sir Francis Drake, was sailing up the coast and discovered a lookout on SAINT AUGUSTINE. 139 Anastasia Island. "None amongst us had any knowledge of it at all," says Drake in his narrative. So an armed party was sent ashore, who discovered the fort and town, and re- ported accordingly. Upon this Drake landed a cannon near the head of the island and opened fire just as night fell. The first shot *' strake through the Ensigne," and the second struck the wall of the fort. Darkness prevented further op- erations, but during the night Christopher Carleil, the lieu- tenant-general, made a reconnoissance in " a little rowing Skiffe," and was fired at from the fort. Morning dawned, and, continues Drake in his narrative, " forthwith came a Frenchman, being a Phipher, in a little boat, playing on his Phiph the tune of the Prince of Orange his Song." The deserter proved to be one Nicolas de Bur- goyne, who had been sjoared by Menendez at the time of the Huguenot massacre. He reported the evacuation of the fort. The English immediately manned their boats without waiting for full daylight, and found the French fif er's report true, the garrison of 150 men having fled in such haste that the treasure-chest, containing £2,000, fell into Drake's hands. An advance was then made upon the town, which lay some three-quarters of a mile to the southward, but, after a feeble show of resistance, both soldiers and inhabitants fled, and Drake pillaged and burned the place, which had by this time attained quite a respectable size, with a "Hall of Justice," a parish church, a monastery, and twelve squares of dwellings and other buildings, each with its garden on the west side. The fort (St. John of the Pines) was a rude octagonal af- fair of pine logs, set palisadewise, was without ditches, and is described as quite incapable of resisting such an attack as Drake could have delivered. The narrative says, in fact, " So as to say the truth they had no reason to keepe it, being subject both to fire, and easie of assault." The English soon departed, and the Spanish governor, a nephew and namesake of the original founder, led back his colony and began the work of reconstruction. In 1592 twelve Franciscan missionaries arrived and began systematically to work for the conversion of the Indians. 140 SAINT AUGUSTINE. The governor had encouraged Indian settlements, and two villages had been established, known as Talomato and Tapoqui, the first being in or near the northwest part of the town, and the second a little to the northward of the fort, where was an Indian church consecrated to " Our Lady of the Milk." In 1598 the native converts began to tire of ec- clesiastical restraint, and under the leadership of a young chief broke into the chapel at Talomato, which stood near the present Boman Catholic Cemetery, and killed Father Corpa while at his evening devotion. Thence they went to Tapoqui and served Father Roderiguez in like manner, permitting him, however, at his own request, to put on his vestments and say mass. He was killed before the altar, which it is said was spattered with his blood. The fierce young chief then led his band against the several other missions that had been established up and down the coast and in the in- terior and very nearly exterminated the Franciscan brother- hood in Florida. Of course, summary vengeance was taken by the Spaniards, who burned villages and granaries, when they could not catch the marauders themselves. The fate of tlie martyred priests served only to stimulate the missionary spirit among the Franciscans, and in a few years there were twenty prosperous missions in as many of the principal Indian towns with their headquarters at St. Augustine. In 1638 the AjDalachian Indians rose against the Spaniards, and many prisoners were brought to St. Augustine and set to work on the fortifications. By 1647 there were 300 house- holders, resident in the city, and 50 Franciscans occupied the monastery. There was a parish church with a full staff of ecclesiastics, and the fort was rebuilt on a more secure plan. Menendez the Second had been killed by Indians, and his son-in-law, Hernando de Alas, succeeded him — the last of the Menendez line. Diego de Bebellado was Captain-General from 1655 till 1675 and during his term of office (1665) Captain John Davis, an English freebooter like his predecessor Drake, came up from Jamaica with a fleet of seven small vessels, landed somewhere south of the town and marched directly upon it with a force probably greatly superior to that of the garrison. SAINT AUGUSTINE. 141 At all events, the town was sacked, the garrison, two hundred in number, apparently remaining in the fort, not being strong enough to make resistance or afford j)rotection. At this time the fort was square, with bastions, and capable of a good de- fence. The English, at any rate, seem to have deemed it pru- dent to take themselves off with their plunder without at- tacking the fort. Don Juan Marquez de Cabrera was appointed Governor in 1681, and took in hand energetically the work of completing the castle (see p. 158). At this time incipient hostilities began between the Spaniards in Florida and the English and Scotch in Georgia and the Carolinas, each side finding just cause for complaint in the encroachments of the other. In 1675, and again in 1685, the Governor of St. Augustine sent armed expeditions against Port Eoyal. The second one was successful, the Spaniards breaking up Lord Cardross' colony and plundering plantations along the Edisto Eiver. In 1687 Captain Juan de Aila brought from Spain the first negro slave imported to the colony, an event that was hailed with joy by the inhabitants. Menendez, it will be re- membered was authorized to import five hundred slaves, but he never did it, and though the Spaniards did not hesitate to enslave Indians whenever convenient, they did not prove so tractable as negroes. Under Don Diego de Quiroga y Losada, in 1690, the con- struction of a sea-wall was undertaken as a public work, and in the following year substantial aid was received from the home government. This old wall apparently extended from the castle to the present Plaza. Portions of it were visible along the middle of Bay Street until about 1860, and exca- vation, were it desirable, would no doubt reveal a consider- able portion of the old structure, which the progress of mod- ern improvement has covered up (see p. 156). The year 1702 saw war formally declared between Great Britain and Spain, and James Moore, then Governor of South Carolina, a man of energetic and warlike instincts, organized an expedition against St. Augustine. The castle was now in shape to stand a siege, and preparations were made accord- ingly. The inhabitants removed their valuables within the 142 SAINT AUGUSTINE. walls. Moore's attack was planned by land and sea, but the land forces under Colonel Daniel arrived first, and occupied the town without opposition. Shortly afterward the fleet of transports appeared in the offing and the castle was com- pletely invested. The walls were found to be too strong for the light ord- nance brought by Governor Moore and two different mes- sengers were sent to Jamaica for heavier guns. The first messenger proved inefficient, but the second, Colonel Daniel, procured the guns and returned with great expedition. In the meantime, however, two Spanish frigates appeared in the offing and Moore, thinking that Colonel Daniel could not now accomplish his mission, raised the siege and marched home, abandoning or burning his ships and firing the town as he departed. When Colonel Daniel returned with his ord- nance and stores he narrowly escaped capture, not know- ing that his colleagues had withdrawn. The Carolinians carried home a considerable quantity of rich booty, includ- ing vestments and plate from the churches, and thus was St. Augustine again forced to begin her career over again. There is but small doubt that had Moore awaited Daniel's return, the castle would have fallen, for the Spanish frigates had but two hundred men, who could not have afforded substan- tial aid. The siege had lasted nearly three months, and the beleaguered garrison was glad to have it end at any cost. This narrow escape had the effect of inducing a more lib- eral policy on the part of the home government. Money and men were sent to complete and strengthen the fortifications, but in 1712 there was nearly a famine, for the provision ships failed to arrive and the Spanish colonists for some reason had not learned to make a living by peaceful means. The year 1725 found the city with an enemy again at her gates, this time Colonel Palmer, of South Carolina. He was merely on a raid, however, and as the city was walled by this time, he could only destroy everything outside the gates. Seven years passed. Another martial governor had ap- peared in the north, to wit, James Edward Oglethorpe, of Georgia. War still existed between Great Britain and Spain, and Oglethorpe, under instructions from the English Crown, SAINT AUGUSTINE. 143 made a descent upon St. Augustine. The expedition was organized with a view to ending the partisan warfare that had so long subsisted between English and Spanish colo- nists. Oglethorpe held the king's commission as a general officer; a regiment of the line was sent from England to join the expedition, and several hundred volunteers were en- rolled among the colonists. Four 20-gun ships and two sloops formed the naval force. The Governor of Florida at this time was Don Manuel de Monteano, an energetic and able commander, who made every effort to strengthen his position. The population of St. Augustine was about two thousand. The garrison num- bered about seven hundred and forty men, horse, foot, and artillery. There were fifty pieces of cannon in the castle — 12- to 48-pounders. Don Antonio de Arredondo, an able of- ficer of engineers, strengthened the works, and threw up in- trenchments around the town, the remains of some of which are still visible. Oglethorpe's forces rendezvoused at the mouth of the St. John's, May 24, 1739. Two Spanish forts on the river, at Picolata, had already been captured. About two miles north of the Castle of St. Marks was an outwork called *' Negro Fort," or "Fort Moosa," having at that time water communication with the castle through a tidal creek. It was originally intended as a shelter for plan- tation hands against the Indians, whence its name, but was subsequently garrisoned by the Spaniards. The English found it deserted, and decided to destroy it. Probably this was the result of some misunderstanding, for hardly was the work begun, when it was countermanded, and Colonel Palmer was sent with 133 men to hold the position. On June 6th, Colonel Vanderdusen arrived with the North Carolina Kegiment, having marched down the beach from the St. John's, but it was not until June 20th that the fleet took position and St. Augustine was fairly invested. On Anastasia Island, directly opposite the castle was a battery of four 18-pounders, and one 9-pounder. Two more 18- pounders were mounted on higher land. On San Matteo, or North River Point were seven more pieces, and, according 144: SAINT AUGUSTINE. to Spanish accounts, there were thirty-four mortars in posi- tion. The remains of the principal battery on Anastasia Island can still be traced. The town was at once rendered untenable by the English guns, and the inhabitants sought shelter in the fort. On the night of June 25th a sortie in force was made from the castle, and the insufficient garrison at Fort Moosa was over- powered after a sharp fight. Colonel Palmer, the nominal commandant, had from the first protested against being left with so few men in an exposed position out of reach of suc- cor, and, moreover, Captain Mcintosh, commanding a High- lander detachment that formed part of the garrison, was dis- posed to be insubordinate — facts which, taken in connection with the partial destruction of the fort, sufficiently account for its capture. Nevertheless, a stubborn resistance was made, and two assaults were repulsed. A third was more successful, and the Spaniards gained the interior of the work, where their superior numbers soon compelled submission. A few of the garrison cut their way out and escaped to the English lines, but Colonel Palmer was killed, fighting to the last. Captain Mcintosh, with about twenty of his men, was captured and taken to Sj)ain. After this hostilities consisted mainly of an artillery duel between the castle and the batteries, resulting in small damage to either side. The walls of the old fort still bear marks of shot and shell, but the range was too great for the ordnance of that period ; the missiles merely imbedded themselves harmlessly in the coquina ramparts. Oglethorpe, indeed, counted upon starvation to compel sur- render, and his hopes might probably have been realized, but for the unaccountable omission to guard Mosquito and Matanzas Inlets, thus leaving the authorities at Havana free to send supplies in response to Monteano's appeals for aid. There is some doubt as to whether the siege was raised be- fore or after the wants of the garrison were relieved. Be that as it may, Oglethorpe and his officers believed that sup- plies had been received, and were satisfied early in July that it was useless to protract the siege with the means at hand. On the 10th of that month, therefore, the little army crossed SAINT AUGUSTINE. 14:5 the river, and paraded — drums beating and colors flying — within sight of the castle, in the vain hope that the Span- iards would come out and fight in the open. Monteano very properly and prudently declined this challenge, and so, after a month of siege, "Xa siempre jiel Ciudad de San Augustin'^ was once more left to her balmy sea-breezes, with the flag of Spain floating above her ramparts. Great credit is due to the courage, fortitude, and ready re- source displayed by Governor Monteano during this siege. Early in the spring of 1742 St. Augustine was the centre of vigorous preparations for a retaliatory expedition. A fleet of thirty vessels gathered in the harbor and outside the bar, and, about July 1st, sailed with Monteano in command to carry the war into Oglethorpe's own territory. Barring some temporary successes the expedition was a failure. In March, 1743, Oglethorpe was again before the city gates, and so swiftly did he come that his Indian scouts overtook and slew a number of Spanish soldiers (forty ac- cording to Oglethorpe's report) under the very walls of the castle. Oglethorpe was merely engaged in a foray, however, and after seeking in vain to induce the garrison to come out and fight, he returned as quickly as he came. Don Alonzo Fernandez de Herrara was appointed Gover- nor in 1755. Under his administration the castle was com- pleted as it now stands, all save the water battery, which is of modern construction. After a tacit suspension of hostilities a treaty was ratified whereby Florida passed into the hands of Great Britain, and in 1763 the Cross of St. George at last took the place of the Spanish lion on the flagstaff of the castle. With English rule came an abrupt change of policy. The population of the city had, until now been semi-militavy, largely under pay from the crown, and coiTespondingly idle and worthless. Nothing whatever had been done to dis- cover or develop the resources of the country. No sooner, however, had the English taken possession than they began to encourage immigration by publishing accounts of the soil and climate which were quite as trustworthy as some of 146 SAINT AUGUSTINE. more recent date and finer typography. Stork's map of the city (1752) is very minute, showing every lot and alleyway in detail. Under the English flag the Castle of St. Mark be- came St. John's Fort. To the Spanish residents the change of flags was unendur- able, and nearly all of them emigrated at short notice, not- withstanding civil and religious liberty was guaranteed by the terms of the treaty. Such was their malicious temper that the commandant of the post, Major Ogilvie, had much ado to keep them from destroying their houses. Even the outgoing Governor uprooted and destroyed the fine garden of the official residence. During the night of January 2, 1766, the mercury fell to 20^ and, for the first time on record, lime, citron, and ba- nana trees were killed in St. Augustine. In the manuscript of John Gerard Williams de Brahm, in the collection of Harvard University, it appears that the number of inhabitants of St. Augustine and vicinity was 288 householders (144 of them married), and upward of 900 ne- groes. The coquina lighthouse, constructed by the Span- iards on Anastasia Island, was surmounted in 1769 by a wooden superstructure, sixty feet high, from which a system of signals was displayed for the benefit of mariners. The first English Governor was Lieutenant-Colonel James Grant, of the Fortieth foot. He was appointed in 1760, and in- augurated many wise measures for the improvement of the town and colony. One of his most noteworthy undertakings was the construction of public highways leading north and south from St. Augustine. In spite of the neglect of suc- ceeding generations these roads are still among the best in the country. During his governorship he led two consider- able expeditions, the first against rebellious North Carolin- ians, and the second against the Cherokee Indians. Subse- quently he was promoted general for services in the Royal Army during the war for American Independence. Governor Grant retired in 1771 and was succeeded by Governor Moultrie, a brother of him who w^as afterward a leader in the Revolutionary War, His administration of affairs was somewhat stormy, and in 1774 he was succeeded SAINT AUGUSTINE. 147 by Governor Tonyn, who came out from England for the pur- pose. In the meantime the northern colonies had revolted, .and one of the first acts of the new Governor was to issue a proclamation inviting the loyalists of Georgia and the Carolinas to Florida, assuring them protection and immunity from rebel raids. As a result the population of St. Augus- tine and vicinity was largely increased. The sentiment of the town was intensely loyalist, and when news of the Declaration of Independence was received, Adams and Hancock were burned in eflSgy in the Plaza where the monument now stands. In August, 1775, there were several British cruisers at anchor inside the bar and a considerable garrison in the fort, for St. Augustine was a convenient station for military and naval operations. A powder-laden vessel from London, named the Betsy, lay off the bar waiting a favorable tide to run in. She was discovered by an enterprising American privateer from Carolina and captured under the very eyes of fleet and garrison. To one who knows this coast such an oc- currence is easily explained. An easterly wind in connection with a heavy swell on the bar or a flood tide would render a rescue out of the question, by anything save a fleet of steam launches — perhaps not even by them. The impotent wrath of the local royalists may be imagined. In 1778, the British garrison being small, much anxiety was caused in the royalist city by the organization of an American expedition for its capture. The plan was aban- doned for some reason, and St. Augustine saw nothing of the *' rebels.'* A successful British expedition against Sa- vannah, Ga., was organized under General Prevost at St. Augustine in 1778, making the town gay for a time with scarlet uniforms on shore and a fleet of transports in the harbor. After the capture of Charleston, S. C, by the British in 1780, sixty-one prominent citizens of the place were seized for their rebellious sentiments and brought to St. Augustine as prisoners of war and hostages. The nominally full list as published in Fairbanks' " History " is as follows, and is reproduced here as of interest from the 148 SAINT AUGUSTINE. many prominent family names that it contains. The number it will be be noticed falls four short of the alleged total : John J. Budd. Edward Blake. Joseph Bee. Richard Beresford. John Berwick. D. Bordeaux. Robert Cochrane. Benjamin Cudworth. H. V. Crouch. I. S. Cripps. Edward Darrell. Daniel Dessaussure. John Edwards. George Flagg. Thomas Ferguson. General A. C. Gadsden. "William Hazel Gibbs. Thomas Grinball. William Hall. George A. Hall. Isaac Holmes. Thomas Heyward, jr. Richard Hutson. Colonel Isaacs. Noble Wimberly Jones. William Johnstone. William Lee. Richard Lushington. Morton William Logan. Rev. John Lewis. William Massey. Alexander Moultrie. Arthur Middleton. Edward McCready. John Mouatt. Edward North. John Neufville. Joseph Parker. Christopher Peters. Benjamin Postell. Samuel Prioleau. John Earnest Poyas. General Rutherford. Edward Rutledge. Hugh Rutledge. John Sansom. Thomas Savage. Josiah Smith. Thomas Singleton. James Hampden Thompson. John Todd. Peter Timothy. Anthony Toomer. Edward Weyman. James Wakefield. Benjamin Waller. Wilkinson. The Governor, Patrick Tonyn, as shown by an oflScial letter to Lord St. Germain, sought " to have them treated with great contempt, and to have any friendly intercourse with them is considered as a mark of disrespect to his Majesty and displeasing to me." Nevertheless, these pesti- lent rebels appear to have made friends, and increased the SAINT AUGUSTINE. 149 number of the disaffected even in St. Augustine itself. They -were in custody for nearly a year, and were then sent to Philadelphia to be exchanged. About this time, 1780, the policy of evacuating East Flor- ida altogether began to be agitated, and an order to this ef- fect was actually issued by Sir Guy Carleton, but subse- quently revoked. The province had, in fact, grown wonder- fully under British rule. The exports of East Florida (that i^, of St. Augustine) amounted in 1768 to £14,078, in 1778 to £48,236. In 1781, owing largely to the Revolutionary War, they fell to £30,715. St. Augustine had been a considerable port of entry for coastwise and foreign traffic, and every- thing pointed to a prosperous future, when, after the Inde- pendence of the United States was recognized, the British Government, on September 3, 1783, re-ceded Florida to Spain, with the very unsatisfactory stipulation that the English inhabitants might have eighteen months of grace wherein to sell out their property, or move their effects. Al- most to a man the English settlers decided to emigrate, but they did so under great hardship and loss, having been in- duced to settle in Florida by liberal grants of land. During the British occupation St. Augustine became the centre of a rather select society. Among the residents, of- ficial and otherwise, were Sir Charles Burdett, Chief Justice Drayton, the Rev. John Forbes, General James Grant, Lieutenant-Governor Moultrie, William Stark, the historian, the Rev. N. Frazer, Dr. Andrew TurnbuU, Bernard Romans, Esq., civil engineer, James Moultrie, Esq., and William Bartram, Esq., the Quaker naturalist and author. Bar- racks capable of containing five regiments were erected south of the present town, and the old city within its gray coquina walls must have been a very pleasant place of resi- dence. The wonderful productiveness of " Florida sand " had been promj^tly discovered by English gardeners, and to this day evidences of their thrift and energy are apj^arent, not only in the city itself but wherever the land was exception- ally good within a reasonable distance from the coast. In June, 1784, the new Spanish governor, Zespedez by 150 SAINT AUGUSTINE. name, took possession, and again after twenty years' absence the banner of Spain floated over the castle walls. This transfer inaugurated what was perhaps the most idyllic pe- riod of the city's history. The world went on fighting as usual, but St. Augustine had ceased to be a bone of content tion. The young republic to the northward was some- what aggressive, it is true, but the new order of things did not for a generation intimately aiSect the old city. Under the wise and temperate government of Don Enrique White a somewhat unique Spanish community apj)ears to have developed. Music, dancing, civil and ecclesiastical feasts, and all the light amusements dear to the Latin heart, were celebrated during the genial winter months and the city was a veritable bower of tropical vegetation, with narrow, paved streets lined with cool gray coquina-walled houses. Within the gates no hoof of horse ever sounded. Those who could afford to ride rode in palanquins. In 1792 the city suffered an irreparable loss in the burn- ing of the British barracks — five large brick buildings that stood to the southward of the town. In a most entertaining volume, entitled *' A Voyage to the Spanish Main" (London, 1819), "An English Gentleman,'* whose name has never come to light, gives a charming pic- ture of the city and its manners and customs at the time of his visit (1817), albeit that was almost the beginning of the end. The second war between the United States and Great Britain (1812-1814) indicated unmistakably the manifest destiny of Florida. The young republic had acquired by purchase from France all the surrounding territory. An American, or " patriot " party was growing in strength, even under Spanish rule, and marauders, too often aided and abetted by United States officials, rendered life and pro^jerty insecure. Negotiations followed between the governments at Wash- ington and Madrid, and as the result of a treaty ratified in February, 1821, the Spanish flag was lowered on July 10th of that year and the stars and stripes rose in its place. European residents in St. Augustine had already spread SAINT AUGUSTINE. 151 tlie fame of her climate, and no sooner was the State fairly in the Union than invalids began to flock thither during the "winter months. The facilities for travel were, however, so inferior in those days that, until the establishment of coastwise steamboat routes, about 1827, no one foresaw the coming importance of the modern winter resort. For fifteen years St. Augus- tine enjoyed peace and prosperity, but in 1835 the Seminole War broke out, and she was again an important centre of mil- itary preparations. Daring this period great prosperity prevailed, stimulated, of course, by the fictitious values in- duced by Government contracts. War parties of Indians prowled under the very walls, and many massacres occurred ill the vicinity. In February, 1835, the mercury fell to 7° F., a point that has never been touched since. Even the wild orange-trees were killed to the ground. Hostilities continued, with more or less danger to the in- habitants of the city, until 1812, when the Indians were finally subjugated in this vicinity or driven far to the southwai'd among the everglades. From this time may be dated St. Augustine's prosperity as a resort for invalids and tourists, a prosperity that was not seriously interrupted until the winter of 1860, when the indications of coming civil war be- tween the States became so marked that Northern invalids dared not risk their usual flight to the South. Secession found Fort Marion in charge of Ordnance Ser- geant Douglas, U. S. A., and, like many another of his fel- lows about this time, he was confronted on Januaiy 7, 1861, by a company of volunteers under orders from the Gov- ernor of the State, demanding a surrender of his chai-ge. He had no choice but to comply, although he required a re- ceipt for all jjroperty from the Governor's aide. By this prompt action, prior by three days, indeed, to the passage of the Ordnance of Secession, the State, and subsequently the Confederacy, secured 6 field batteries of four guns each, 20 sea-coast and garrison cannon, 31 foreign guns of various calibres, and a quantity of small arms and ammunition. The United States ensign was pulled down, not without 152 SAINT AUGUSTINE. some unspoken misgivings on the part of the more thought- ful spectators, and for more than a year the " stars and bars " floated at the flagstaff. On March 11, 1862, the United States gunboat Huron, Commander C. P. R. Rogers, appeared in the offing, crossed the bar with some difficulty, and approached the city under a flag of truce, as had been directed by Commodore Dupont. A white flag was soon hoisted on Fort Marion. Upon this Commander Rogers went ashore with an unarmed crew and was received by the Mayor and City Council, who informed him that the small Confederate garrison of two companies had evacuated the fort during the night. The guns of the fort were not spiked, and on recommendation of Commander Rogers the Mayor had the national ensign hoisted on the fort. The whole affair was conducted with courtesy on both sides, and an adequate garrison of United States troops was soon landed to take permanent possession. About one thousand five hundred of the inhabitants remained in the city, some five hundred having fled when it became evident that no defence would be made. On the evening before the arrival of the gunboats a number of women cut down the flagstaff in front of the United States barracks, in order to delay the hoisting of the national colors. This appears to have been the only overt act of hostility that was j)ermitted by the cooler headed of the inhabitants, who well knew the futility of resistance under the circumstances. Shortly after the Federal garrison had taken possession, a detail of the Tenth Connecticut Regiment was attacked by a squadron of Confederate cavalry, while acting as guards for a party of wood-cutters. The attacking party made a dash for the teams of the wood-cutters, but were driven off after a sharp skirmish. Three of the Connecticut men were killed and their commanding officer, Lieutenant Brown, was fatally wounded. During the remaining years of the Civil War St. Augustine was merely a quiet garrison town under martial law, with the avenues of approach duly guarded and gunboats often at anchor inside the bar. The soldiers of the garrison, like the Spaniards and the English who preceded them in former SAINT AUGUSTINE. 153 wars, enjoyed such excellent liealfcli that the sick list proved a telling advertisement for the healthfulness of the climate. No sooner were hostilities over than inquiries began to arrive from the North as to hotel accommodations for the coming winter, and very soon the sound of preparation was heard. New hotels were built, largely with Northern capital, new and unfamiliar Paris fashions appeared with early winter along the sea-wall, and the old Spanish city en- tered upon a career of prosperity which soon surpassed her wildest dreams. Description. The city of St. Augustine stands near the southern extrem- ity of a peninsula formed by the Matanzas and San Se- bastian Rivers. The land is in the main level, low in some places, and where not cultivated is covered with the beach scrub common to this vicinity. The land approaches to St. Augustine are by no means inviting, as all three of the railroad lines thread miles of flat woods and cross other miles of prairie before the towers and spires of the city can be seen. Carriages and hotel stages are always in waiting at the station, and the drive to the city, about three-quarters of a mile, is over a delightfully smooth asphalt pavement. A wide range of choice is offered in the matter of hotels and boarding-houses. TJie Plaza de la Constitucion and its surroundings form the nucleus of the city. This iDublic square was established when the town was originally laid out. Its dimensions are very modest, though the narrowness of the adjacent streets lend it, by contrast, some apparent extent. Standing on the sea-wall and facing eastward, one looks across Matanzas Eiver, three-quarters of a mile, to Anastasia Island with its spiral striped lighthouse, its wharf and miniature railroad train, scrub-palmetto and bushes. To the left the land drops away to a beach, where Sir Francis Drake posted a gun one evening in 1586 and pounded away, as the sun went down, at the grim old fortress opposite. Beyond the point is St. Augustine Inlet, La Riviere des Dauphines as the ST. AUGUSTINE — MAP OF HARBOR AND BEACHES. SAINT AUGUSTINE. 155 French Huguenot Laudonniere named it before the Span- iards set foot on its shores. Beyoud this again is North Beach and the Tolomato Eiver. To the right Matanzas Eiver and the shores of Anastasia Island disappear in the distance. Turning westward toward the Plaza we face the pretty stretch of greensward with its shade trees. Almost opposite, in the foreground, is the "Old Slave Market," popularly so called, though in reality the original structure was a provis- ion market, built in 184:0, and used as such until the city outgrew its accommodations. The roof and woodwork were burned in 1887, but the structure was subsequently rebuilt and serves mainly as a lounging-place. Originally the square was probably designed as a parade-ground, and as such it was certainly used by the British and by the United States troops during the Civil War. The white coquina monument surmounted by a cannon- ball commemorates the adoption by the Spanish Cortez in 1812 of a new constitution, whence the Plaza takes its of- ficial name. The monument was erected in 1813. The in- scription translated reads as follows : " Plaza of the Constitution promulgated in the city of Sfc. Augustine, in East Florida, on the 17th day of October, in the year 1812; the Brigadier Don Sebastian Kindalem, Knight of the Order of Santiago, being Governor. For eter- nal remembrance the Constitutional City Council erected this monument, under the superintendence of Don Fernando de la Maza Arredondo, the young municipal officer, oldest member of the corporation, and Don Francisco Robira, At- torney and Eecorder. In the year 1813." In 1814 Ferdinand VII. was recalled to the Spanish throne, and straightway repudiating his pledge to support the new " constitucion " ordered all the commemorative mon- uments that had been erected to be torn down. Alone, it is believed, the far-away province of Florida neglected to obey the royal behest. The tablets were removed as a salve to loyal consciences, but in 1818 they were replaced and so the monument fortunately survives as a curious memento of the past. 156 SAINT AUGUSTINE. The other monument under the trees on the north side of the Plaza commemorates the Confederate dead of St. Augus- tine. One face bears this inscription : " Our Dead. Erected by the Ladies' Memorial Association of St. Augustine, Fla., A.D. 1872." The second : "In Memoriam. Our loved ones who gave their lives in the service of the Confederate States.'' On the third face : " They died far from the home that gave them birth." And the fourth : " They have crossed the river and rest under the shade of the' trees." The shaft is of co- quina. The Plaza has always been, and is still the scene of public meetings. Here the men-at-arms gathered when the alarm gun was fired in the old days of the French, English, and American Wars. Here in 1776 the royalists burned Adams and Hancock in eflSgy, when the news, a fortnight or more old, came from distant Philadelphia that the Declaration of Independence had been signed. Here the Florida Vol- unteers fell in on a January morning of 1861 and marched to take possession of Fort Marion, and thence subsequently they marched away to four years of fratricidal war and final defeat. And here, finally, after peace was restored, the Dec- laration of Independence was read before a mass meeting of approving citizens. On the right, or north side, of the Plaza is St. Joseph's Cathedral, built under Spanish rule and finished in 1701. It was burned in 1887, and immediately rebuilt, enlarged, and most tastefully improved by Messrs. Carriere & Hastings, architects. Thus the cathedral could not, even had it escaped the flames, have claimed a remote antiquity, even in the American acceptation of the term. Its predecessor, however, dated back to 1682 or thereabout, one of the old bells, still preserved, bearing that date and the legend Sancte — Joseph — Oka — Pko — Nobis. On the left is the modest spire of Trinity Church, episco- palian, and beyond are the post-oflSce, and the towers of the great Ponce de Leon and Cordova hotels. To the north and south at either hand stretches the sea-wall, terminated at the south by the United States Barracks and at the north by Fort Marion. The Sea- Wall Some x3rotection against the inroads of the JSTINE. Depot. San Marco Hotel. Warden's. Cemetery. Fort Marion. Gateway. Museum. Methodist Church. Magnolia Hotel. Opera House. Hernandez Hotel. Florida House. Bath House. Court House. Yacht Club. Bank. Cathedral. Bishop Moore's. Studios. Hotel Ponce de Leon. Alcazar. Hotel Cordova. Post Office. Old Market. Plaza. Plaza Basin. Plaza Hotel. School. Episcopal Church. Lyon Block. Villa Zorayda. Presbyterian Church. Barracks Basni. Parade. Barracks. Military Cemetery. Water Park. New Presbyterian Church. MAP OF ST. AUGiaSTIWE. // j "^ .duOii ..'-X .0 T«.V60l .['3toH R,W^ ,V SAINT AUGUSTINE. 157 ocean became necessary as soon as St. Augustine began to consider itself a permanent place of abode. Easterly storms with their accompanying high tides often drove the water up into the streets, and even now the spray at times flies over the stone coping. The first wall was begun in 1690, under the administration of Diego de Quiroza y Dosada, who was Governor at the time. It extended from the Fort to the Plaza and its remains are not far beneath the present sur- face of the street. Its location and extent are shown on a map of the town made during British occupancy. It is of record that the Spanish soldiers voluntarily contributed labor and money to aid in its construction. The present wall was begun in 1835 by the United States Government, and was finished in 184:2. It is three-quarters of a mile long, built of coquina, with a coping of granite three feet wide. The wall itself is ten feet above low-water mark. The cost was about $100,000. There are two breaks in the wall, af- fording access to the water's edge, one opposite the Plaza, and the other near the barracks. These breaks are protected by out-walls and the basins are used for loading and un- loading fish, fruit, and the other products of sea and shore. The Minorcans. In the early part of the present century the population of the city was largely made up of natives of the Balearic Isles, Minorca and Majorca, lying in the western Mediterranean, oJff the coast of Spain. These people were brought over by Dr. Andrew Turnbull (see Koute 63), in 1790, with a view to establishing a colony at New Smyrna, but they revolted against the rule of his agents, and most of them came to St. Augustine, where, for a generation they formed a distinct class of the population. A few of their descend- ants remain, distinguished by dark eyes, hair, and com- plexion, but for the most part they have intermarried with Americans, and race characteristics have been largely modi- fied, or have disappeared altogether. Fort Marion. Any of the streets running north — parallel to the sea-wall, that is — lead to this ancient fortress, the most important and interesting of the Spanish relics. On or near this site Menendez constructed a wooden fort 158 SAINT AUGUSTINE. in 1565, and named it St. John of the Pines (San Juan de Pinos). It was, according to the most trustworthy accounts, octagonal in form, and mounted fourteen brass cannon. It was this fort that Sir Francis Drake destroyed in 1586, the garrison having fled with but a faint show of resistance. By this time the Spaniards had discovered the valuable properties of coquina for building purposes, and their sub- sequent works were of the more durable and less combustible material. Little is known of the structure that was threat- ened by Davis, the English buccaneer, in 1665, but its walls were at that time well advanced, having been pushed forward by the labor of Indian captives and convicts from Spain and Mexico. We have the testimony of Jonathan Dickinson, a Philadelphia Quaker, who was here in 1695, that the walls were thirty feet high at that time. Seven years later (1702) they were certainly far enough completed to defy Governor Moore, of South Carolina, and in 1740 Governor Oglethorpe, of Georgia, hammered away at them for more than a month without producing any perceptible impression. The Spaniards named the fort San Marco, the English changed the name to St. John, and on retrocession to Sj)ain in 1783, San Marco was once more recognized. On the ac- cession of the United States the saints were laid aside, and the name of the patriot soldier of South Carolina was adopted by the War Department. The fort is planned in accordance with the Vauban system of fortification, which, up to the beginning of the jD^esent century was considered the best. A plan of the work, with its outlying defences and the modern water batteries, is aj)- pended. Approaching from the direction of the town the visitor as- cends a path leading up what was formerly the exterior slope of the glacis. The mass of masonry on the left, pierced for cannon and musketry, is the barbican, an outwork intended for the protection of the weakest point in the main work, namely, the entrance. An extension of the moat in- cludes the barbican, and both moats are now crossed by rough plank platforms, where once were regular drawbridges. On the left, after passing the angle of the barbican, is a niche MOAT 5Q PLAN OF FORT MARION. 1. Bridge from glacis to barbican. 2. Stairway to barbican parapet. 3. Bridge. 4. Sally-port. 5. Arched passage. 6. Bakery. 7, 8. Store-rooms. 9, 10. Store-rooms. 11. Bomb-proof. 12. Chapel. 13. Store-room. 14. Treas- ure room. 15. Casemate from which Coacoochee and Osceola escaped. 16, 17. Dark vaults, 18. Guard-room. 19. Incline to parapet. B, B, B, B. Bast- ions, each with a protected watch-tower, W, in the salient angle. The spaces left blank are ventilated casemates designed for quarters and the like. 160 SAINT AUGUSTINE. opening into a stairway, and containing, carved in stone, the royal arms of Spain, wliich, in a sadly dilapidated con- dition, barely survive the rough handling to which they have been subjected by the elements all the time, and by witless vandals at intervals, until protected by an iron grating. Turning to the right, another rude structure of planks crosses the wide moat and leads to the entrance. Above this again are the arms of Spain with an almost obliterated in- scription which, restored and translated, reads as follows : KEYNANDO EN ESPANA EL SEN^ DON FERNANDO SEXTO Y SIENDO GOV«^ Y CAP« DE ES^ C° S^^ AUG^ DE LA FLORIDA Y SUS PROV^ EL MARESCAL DE CAMPO D ALONZO FERN"« HEREDIA ASI CONCLUIO ESTE CASTLLO EL AN. OD 1756 DIRIGIENDO LAS OBR. CAP INGN»«^ DN PEDRO DE BROZAS Y GARAY. "Don Ferdinand VI., being King of Spain, and the Field Marshal Don Alonzo Fernando Hereda, being Governor and Captain-General of this x)lace, St. Augustine, of Florida, and its province. This fort was finished in the year 1756. The works were directed by the Captain-Engineer Don Pedro de Brazos of Garay." This door is provided with a heavy portcullis, which still remains in jDosition, though hardly in working order. The door or sally-port is barely wide enough for four men to march abreast. Within is a wide arched passage leading to the open parade inside the walls. On either side of the passage are doors leading to the vaulted chambers or case- mates that surround the parade on all sides, and served in their time as quarters for the garrison, as cells for prisoners, including American rebels during the revolution, and Indian captives in more recent times. The sergeant in charge of the fort conducts visitors through the casemates. As this is not part of his regular duty, a fee (25c. for each person, or one dollar for a party of several) is customary. SAINT AUGUSTINE. 161 On tlie left of the entrance passage is the guard-room and on the right is the bakery, through which access is had to two dark vaults, used, no doubt, for storage. The terreplein, or parade, is 103 by 109 feet, and a broad stairway, formerly an inclined plane for the easier handling of gun-carriages and the like, leads to the parapet. Directly opposite the entrance is the chapel, without which no Span- ish fort of that period was complete ; in it are still visible the stations of shrine and altar, and other evidences of the decoration customary in such places. It was used for re- ligious services as late as 1860 or thereabout, and was turned into a schoolroom for the Western Indians who were con- fined here in 1875-78. The portico of the chapel was orig- inally quite an elaborate bit of decorative architecture, but it has long since disappeared. In 1882 a party of French astronomers had the use of the fort as a station to observe the transit of Venus, and a tablet near the chapel-door commemorates their visit. It bears this inscription : " Plaque commemorative du passage de Venus, observe au Fort Marion le 9 Decembre 1882, par MM. le Colonel Perrier, le Commandant Bassat, le Capitaine Deffoges de I'armee Francaise." The casemates are in the main alike, dark vaults, some of them lofty, others divided into two stories, some dimly lighted through narrow slits high up near the ceiling, others totally dark save for the entrance-doors. That captives, red and white, pagan and Christian, have pined away their lives in more than one of these dungeons is extremely probable when it is remembered that not so very long ago the rack and the stake were instruments of nomi- nally Christian offices, but no records remain, and the imagi- nation may have full play as regards most of the casemates. Two of them, however, have authentic histories. In the one marked 15, near the southwest bastion, Coacoochee and Osceola, two of the most celebrated Seminole chiefs, were confined during the war that lasted from 1835 till 1842. After the final subjugation of the tribe Coacoochee gave the following account of their escape : " We had been growing sickly from day to day and so re- 162 SAINT AUGUSTINE. solved to make our escape or die in the attempt. We were in a room eighteen or twenty feet square. All the light ad- mitted was through a hole about eighteen feet from the floor. Through this we must effect our escape, or remain and die with sickness. A sentinel was constantly j)osted at the door. As we looked at it from our beds, we thought it small, but believed that, could we get our heads through we should have no further nor serious difficulty. To reach the hole was the first object. In order to effect this we from time to time cut up the forage-bags allowed us to sleep on, and made them into ropes. The hole I could not reach when upon the shoulder of my companion ; but while stand- ing upon his shoulder, I worked a knife into a crevice of the stonework, as far up as I could reach, and upon this I raised myself to the opening, when I found that, with some reduction of person, I could get through. In order to re- duce ourselves as much as possible we took medicine five days. Under the pretext of being veiy sick, we were per- mitted to obtain the roots we required. For some weeks we watched the moon, in order that the night of our attempt it should be as dark as possible. At the proper time we com- menced the medicine, calculating on the entire disaj)pear- ance of the moon. The keeper of this prison, on the night determined upon to make the effort, annoyed us by fre- quently coming into the room, and talking and singing. At first we thought of tying him and putting his head in a bag, so that, should he call for assistance, he could not be heard. We first, however, tried the experiment of pretending to be asleep, and when he returned to pay no regard to him. This accomplished our object. He came in, and went immedi- ately out ; and we could hear him snore in the immediate vicinity of the door. I then took the rope, which we had secreted under our bed, and mounting upon the shoulder of my comrade, raised myself by the knife worked into the crevices of the stone, and succeeded in reaching the embras- ure. Here I made fast the rope that my friend might fol- low me. I then passed through the hole a sufficient length of it to reach the ground upon the outside (about twenty- five feet) in the ditch. I had calculated the distance when SAINT AUGUSTINE. 163 going for roots. With mucli difficulty I succeeded in get- ting my head through ; for the sharp stones took the skin off my breast and back. Putting my head through first I was obliged to go down head foremost, nntil my feet were through, fearing every moment the rope would break. At last, safely on the ground, I awaited with anxiety the arrival of my comrade. I had passed another rope through the hole, which, in the event of discovery, Talmus Hadjo (Osceola), was to pull, as a signal to me from the outside, that he was discovered, and could not come. As soon as I struck the ground, I took hold of the signal for intelligence fi'om my friend. The night was very dark. Two men passed near me, talking earnestly, and I could see them dis- tinctly. Soon I heard the struggle of my companion far above me. He had succeeded in getting his head through, but his body would come no farther. In the lowest tone of voice, I urged him to throw out his breath, and then try ; soon after he came tumbling down the whole distance. For a few moments I thought him dead. I dragged him to some water close by, which restored him, but his leg was so lame he was unable to walk. I took him upon my shoulder to a scrub, near the town. Daylight was just breaking, it was evident we must move rapidly. I caught a mule in the ad- joining field, and making a bridle out of my sash, mounted my companion, and started for the St. John's Eiver. The mule was used one day, but fearing the whites would track us, we felt more secure on foot in the hammock, though moving very slow. Thus we continued our journey five days, subsisting on roots and berries, when I joined my band, then assembled on the headwaters of the Tomoka Eiver, near the Atlantic coast." Osceola was subsequently recaptured and sent to Fort Moultrie, Charleston, S. C, where he died. During the years 1875-78 the fort was again used as a prison for Indians brought from the far West. Their cap- tivity was nominal during good behavior, and some attempts were made to educate them. Within the northeastern bastion is a chamber known as "the dungeon," though there is good reason for believing 164 SAINT AUGUSTINE. that it was originally intended as a magazine. In 1839 the masonry in one of the adjacent vaults caved in, and, while repairs were in progress, it was discovered that there was still another innermost chamber, whose existence had not before been suspected. The wall was broken through, and, among other refuse, some bones were found so far gone in decomposition that the post surgeon could not determine whether they were human or not. The rumor spread, how- ever, that an entire skeleton had been found chained to the wall, and that implements were scattered about suggestive of the *' Holy Inquisition " and a chamber of horrors. The tale grew by repetition and for many years it was generally be- lieved that the dungeon had once been the scene of a tragedy. The author of the "Standard Guide to St. Augustine," how- ever, cites the statement of an old resident of the city, who was employed at the fort when a boy, and remembers the old disused magazine in the northeast bastion. According to this account, during the later days of Spanish occupancy the mag- azine fell out of repair, and became a receptacle for refuse of all sorts, until finally it was walled up, being regarded as a menace to health. There are still those who insist that the tragic accounts of the "dungeon" are the true ones, but the weight of evidence seems to be in favor of the more pro- saic version. Ascending to the parapet, the commanding position of the fort is apparent, and the outlook in all directions is very in- teresting. With the aid of the map on page 159 all the noteworthy points of interest can be traced, and many of the historic localities identified. In the salient angle of each bastion is a sentry-box of stone, where a man-at-arms might be tolerably secure against Indian arrows, or even against the firearms of the last century ; on the northeastern bastion, the most exposed of the four, the sentry-box has a supplementary story or watch- tower, whence a still wider outlook may be obtained. To the non-military visitor, who knows not the uses of bas- tions, their purpose will at once become evident on looking over the parapet. Soldiers posted in these projecting angles can, it is easily seen, deliver a direct fire sweeping the entire SAINT AUGUSTINE. 165 moat to and beyond the salient of the opposite bastion. Bastioned works reached their complete development under the system of Vauban, one of whose disciples, Captain Pedro de" Brozas y Garay, was the engineer in charge of the construction of the fort. It is not likely that, even in case of a foreign war, guns will ever again be mounted en barhette on Fort Marion. Even if the coquina masonry could sustain the weight of modern ordnance, it could not long withstand the impact of modern projectiles. For this reason the water-battery along the sea- face was built in 1842, but the gun-platforms were never finished, and the whole work is long out of date. The guns that lie rusting along the glacis mostly antedate the Civil War, and are worthless save as old iron. The floor of the moat was originally of cement, but it is covered deep with sand and soil. When the old fort was in fighting trim this moat could be flooded at high tide. A stairway near the barbican permits easy descent into the moat for those who do not choose to jump or climb down from the crest of the counterscarp. From this level a better idea of the height of the walls is obtained, and one can readily understand how Osceola was effectually disabled by his fall from the narrow opening through which he and Coacoochee squeezed themselves in the western face of the fort. Along the eastern or sea front numerous scars and in- dentations may be seen in the masonry, some of which were made by British guns during Oglethorpe's siege in 1740. These respectable old wounds will readily be distinguished from the ones that have been inflicted by modern riflemen, who have at times used the moat as a shooting-gallery. The use of all firearms within the fort is now very properly pro- hibited. The small brick building in the eastern moat is a furnace to heat shot for the water battery. It was built in 1844. St. Francis Barracks are named from the old Franciscan convent, whose site they occupy. They stand at the south- ern end of Bay Street. In front, facing the water, are the officers' quarters, with barracks for enlisted men in the rear. 166 SAINT AUGUSTINE. Usually two companies of regulars are in garrison at this post. The parade in front of the barracks is flanked on the south by the adjutant's offices and ordnance sheds, and the open space is used as a drill-ground and for the usual routine parades and inspections of the small garrison. The old convent was abandoned for religious purposes when the British took possession in 1763, and was used as barracks when the Spaniards returned twenty years after- ward. Although the buildings have been largely remodelled and rebuilt, some of the old coquina convent walls are still standing, and are believed to be among the oldest structures in the city. It is singular that the memory of St. Francis should be perpetuated at one end of the city, while that of St. Mark was obliterated at the other end when the United States took possession, but such are the inconsistencies of history. The convent in its time was the headquarters of missionary life in Florida, Thence the devoted priests went out and built their little chapels from the everglades to the Suwan- nee, and thither, if at all, they returned, often broken down with the labors and perils of their voluntary exile. ^ A few steps beyond the officers' quarters is the military cemetery, kept in beautiful order by the garrison, and worthy of a visit for its associations. Here, under three low pyra- mids of masonry, lie many of the soldiers who perished in the Seminole War. Near by is a shaft to the memory of Major Dade and his command, almost the first victims of the long and bloody war that followed. The inscription reads : " Sacred to the memory of the Of- ficers and Soldiers killed in battle and died on service dur- ing the Florida War, This monument has been erected in token of respectful and affectionate remembrance by their comrades of all grades, and is committed to the care and preservation of the garrison of St, Augustine." Museums. Ghaphi's 3Iuseum, near Fort Marion, contains the most considerable collection of relics, Spanish and In- dian arms, armor and implements, and natural curiosities in the State. The preserved specimens of birds, beasts, fishes, and reptiles are numerous. SAINT AUGUSTINE. * 167 Vedder's Museum, on Bay Street, a short distance north of the Plaza, adds to a miscellaneous collection of curios many living birds, animals, and reptiles. The snake-room is es- pecially worthy of a visit, and the building in which the collection is ke^Dt is part of the old Spanish prison, and some of the time-worn interior fittings are still visible. The St. Augustine Institute of Natural Science has its col- lection in No. 33 Alcazar Court ; hours 2 to 5 p.m. ; admis- sion free. The Villa Zorayda. This building faces the Alameda near the great hotels. It was the first specimen of mono- lithic architecture in the city, and was in this sense the pioneer of modern St. Augustine. The credit is due to Mr. Franklin W. Smith, of Boston, who made the first experi- ments, forming a concrete with fine shells, Portland cement, and sand. While in a semi-liquid condition, the mixture is poured into moulds made of boards, where it quickly hardens. By setting up the moulds where the walls of the intended building are to stand, the whole structure can be solidly built up by pouring in successive layers of concrete. "When finished in its natural tint, the wall presents a slightly rough surface, cool gray in color, and of a substance that has thus far perfectly endured the test of exposure. While in the semi-liquid state the cement readily takes any desired color, and may thus be adapted to nearly all the requirements of decorative architecture. The Villa Zorayda was also the first modern building to be erected after the Moorish order. Over the entrance is an Arabic inscription, signifying "There is no Conqueror but God " — the motto of Mohammed Aben Alahmas, founder of the Alhambra. The interior has the traditional open court with double galleries, and all is decorated in the Moorish style, many of the motives having been derived from the Alhambra itself, and from other famous buildings of similar design. The Alameda Hotels. It is not the province of a general guide-book to make distinctions in the matter of hotels, but the Alameda group is so remarkable that it seems no more than right that an exception should be made. The Alameda 168 SAINT AUGUSTINE. itself is an open Plaza with asphalt drives, footways, foun- tains, and parterres of tropical plants. On the north side is the Ponce de Leon, on the south the Alcazar, on the east the Cordova, and on the west the Villa Zorayda. The present appearance of this Plaza is due to the foresight of Mr. Henry M. Flagler and to his choice of architects, Messrs. Carrere & Hastings, of New York — neither could have achieved the present result without the other. The architecture of the Ponce de Leon is Spanish — not Moorish, as is sometimes erroneously said. It represents the best school of Spanish art, and instead of being a copy of any existing examples is the result of conscientious study of princij)les that have made famous the cathedrals, universi- ties, and palaces of classic Spain. The Ponce de Leon faces 380 feet on the Alameda, and 520 feet on Cordova and Seville Streets. The main building with its accessory j)ortico surrounds a court 150 feet square, with a central fountain and carefully tended beds of flowers. On three sides of the court rise the arched galleries, quaint windows, and red-tiled roofs of the main building, while across the fourth side, that toward the Alameda, stretches a roofed portico, which is in fact a continuation of the main lower galleries. Above all this rises the central dome, and above this again lofty square towers with pointed finial roofs, shaded balconies, and admirable decorative devices in iron and terra cotta. To describe the vast establishment in detail is impracti- cable, but a few words are called for regarding the rotunda and the dinii^g-hall. Just within the front or main door- way are the spacious vestibule and rotunda, opening a fine perspective of columns, caryatides and rich decoration, lead- ing by a short flight of steps into the dining-hall beyond. The pavement of the rotunda and its adjacent corridors is a marble mosaic, small fragments set in cement and arranged in tasteful patterns. The wainscot is of Numidian marble. The central dome or rotunda rises in four interior galler- ies, with arcades agreeably varied in the successive stories. The whole is supported by four piers and eight columns of solid oak, carved in caryatid figures of remarkable grace and SAINT AUGUSTINE. 169 beauty. These are arranged in groups of fours, standing back to back, and admirably posed to convey at once an idea of strength and lightness. The decorative standing figures painted on the interspaces of the second story are typical of Adventure, Discovery, Con- quest, and Civilization. The seated figures represent Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Adventure wears an eagle-crested hel- met with a cuirass, and holds a drawn sword, while behind her a sheaf of arrows radiate to form a background. Dis- covery holds a globe in her right hand and rests her left vipon a tiller, her sea-blue robe contrasting with sails and cordage. Conquest is in full panoply of mail with helmet and red draperies, and the gleam of poniards in the back- ground. Civilization is clad in white, with an open book and the symbols of Christianity as accessories. Of the seat- ed figures Earth is in a russet robe with fruits and flowers and peacocks of gorgeous plumage, while, by way of con- trast. Air holds two eagles in leash and with translucent draperies of pale blue seems the incarnation of airiness and light. Fire, auburn-haired and clothed in red, stands amid tongues of flame grasping a blazing torch, with fire-endur- ing salamanders in arabesques around her. Water stands upon a shell to which are harnessed sea-horses. Her robes are pale green and white, and all the accessories are sugges- tive of the sea and its mystery. The decoration of the upper stories is less conspicuous until the dome is reached, where Cupids join hands around the lower rim, and the highest vault is beautifully modelled in delicate patterns of white and gold, with armor and sails, and eagles soaring above all. A massive yet graceful archway of red Verona marble, with spandrel patterns in variegated mosaics, leads to the great dining-hall, a room so well proportioned that its noble dimensions are at first hardly suspected, and so bold in de- sign and rich in decoration that, though finished in 1887, it is already famous among students of architecture. The ex- treme dimensions are 90 by 150 feet, with seats for 800 guests. The central section of the hall is square, with an arched or semi-cylindrical ceiling — technically an elliptical barrel- 170 SAINT AUGUSTINE. vault. At the sides this arch is supported by rows of oak columns, and beyond the columns are spacious alcoves, form- ing a part of the grand hall and yet sufficiently separated from it to prevent the sense of too great space, so often a characteristic of large dining-rooms. The ceilings of the alcoves are comparatively low, and each is bounded at the wings by great bay windows through which the daylight streams in subdued radiance, and which at night reflect gleams of blue and gold from the electric globes overhead. The decorations of the central arch will command the at- tention of every appreciative visitor. In the spandrels of the side arches are the four seasons, duplicated though not repeated. Spring on one side is sowing grain, on the other she holds early flowers and opening buds. Summer on the right is in the shade of trees, on the left the grain and sickle suggest industry. One Autumn personates the vintage, the other the harvest, and Winter appears in the double role of a woodcutter and a master of festivities. In the semicircular spaces over the musicians' galleries are Spanish ships in all the glory of gala attire, and in quaint letters on wall and ceiling are Spanish proverbs, suggestive mainly of good cheer (see below). On the ceilings of the alcoves the history of Florida is most ingeniously worked out in a series of what may p)erhaps be termed conventionalized Indian hieroglyphics. H'ere may be found the triumphant caravels of Ponce de Leon, the wrecked vessels of Narvaez, the fieur-de-Us of Huguenot France, the lion of Spain, the rude fort of the early settle- ment, the cross of St. George, the naval bombardments, the sieges, and finally the American national emblems closing the record with the year 1821. A happier conception than this picture-written history of Florida it were hard indeed to find, and the skill and in- genuity with which it has been realized are deserving of the highest praise. With the aid of the summaries given else- where almost every event of considerable importance may be found rei)resented in the beautiful tracery of these alcoves. Inscriptions, Mottoes, Etc. — The various inscrii)tions in Latin and Spanish are interesting, and often perplexing to SAINT AUGUSTINE. 171 visitors. Many of the shields bear simply the names of cities and provinces of Spain, and need no translation. In the court-yard, near the west entrance, is a terra cotta shield with this inscription : Con lo que Sagno sano Do- mingo ADOLECE — What is one man's meat is another man's poison (literally, " What keeps Sagno well makes Domingo sick"). At the eastern entrance : Oveja que bala bocado piekde — The sheep that bleats misses a bite. On the escutcheons at right and left of the entrance from court to rotunda : No sb HACEN TORTILLAS SIN KOMPER Hu^vos — ^You Can't make om- elettes without breaking eggs ; Quien quando puede no QuiERE, QUANDO QUiERE NO PUEDE — He that will not wlicu lie may, may not when he will. BiEN Venido — Welcome, is the legend that greets the visitor who enters from the drive -way. On the first landing of the steps leading from rotunda to dining-room is the concluding verse of William Slijenstone's ode " Written at an Inn at Henley," jjrobably about 1740 : Whoe'er has travelled life's dull round, Where'er his stages may have been, May sigh to think he still has found The warmest welcome at an inn. Over the main entrance to the dining-room is a shield in- scribed : JusTiciA hechores contra Alava Mal — Alava dooms those who strive against her. In the dining-room on the west side of the central arch are four Spanish j)roverbs : Amigo viejo tocino y vino ANEJO — An old friend is both meat and drink ; Quien pruviero LLEGA esela calza — First come first served ; De la mano a la BOCA SE piERDE LA soPA — Tlicrc's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip (literally, "Between the hand and the mouth the soup is lost ") ; El buen vino no ha menester pregonero — Good wine needs no bush. On the east side of the arch are these : Oveja que bala bocado pierde — The sheep that bleats misses a bite ; Ee- muda de pasturage hace bizzeros cordos — Change of feed 172 SAINT AUGUSTINE. makes fat cattle ; Quien mucho abraza poco aprieta— He who grasps much, keeps but little ; Quien mas sabe, mas CALiiA — Who knows most says least. In the west alcove, over and above the arches, near the bay windows, are shields, inscribed for the most part with the arms, names, and mottoes of Spanish cities. Here and there are legends as : Cadiz — Hercules dominator fundator, in recognition of the Phoenician Hercules, as the fabled founder and ruler of the ancient town. Soria cabeza de ESSORIA PURA REMADURA, a punning motto of the town and province of Soria. On the semicircular ceiling of the west alcove are four signs of the zodiac — Scorpio, Saggitarius, Leo, Virgo, and many of the famous names identified with the early history of Florida. The corresponding spaces in the eastern alcove bear the four signs, Pisces, Aquarius, Taurus, Gemini, with historical names and dates ingeniously repeated in varied form, with names and arms of cities, including that of Huelva, a mari- time city in Spain, in Latin : Huelva, et terr^ custodia PORTus MARIS — Huclva, entrance of the sea and guardian of the land. The frescoes and mural decorations are by Messrs. Thomas Hastings, George W. Maynard, and H. T. Schladermundt. The whole building is in keeping with the magnificence of which a brief and inadequate description has been at- tempted regarding two of the principal divisions, but no de- tailed general account can here be given. The visitor should not fail to visit the tower and roof terraces, and permits can be obtained at the oflSice to inspect the kitchens, laundries, and other domestic departments. Facing the Ponce de Leon, on the opposite side of the Ala- meda, is the Alcazar, an adjunct of the main hotel, the work of the same architects, and like it in the Spanish renaissance style. The name is from the Al-Kasr (House of Caesar), but the design is original and wholly unlike that of the famous Palace of Seville. The general plan embraces an interior court with a garden and fountains, surrounded by open ar- cades, shops, and offices, and a large restaurant. Beyond SAINT AUGUSTINE. 173 are magnificent swimming-baths of water drawn from an ar- tesian well, aerated to free it from the odor of sulphur, and turned at once into the bath, where it falls in a sheet of beautifully clear greenish water, exactly at the right tem- perature for swimming. Beyond the bath are courts for tennis and croquet, where there are yearly matches and tournaments of interest to all lovers of these games. The lodging-rooms in the Alcazar are all provided with private baths, and are charged at a fixed rate, on what is termed in America the " European plan." An excellent res- taurant is connected with the establishment, but guests are free to go where they please for meals. The Alcazar is open throughout the year. The Hotel Cordova (formerly known as the Casa Monica) was the first of the Alameda group. Like its neighbors, it is monolithic, but its style of architecture diff'ers from theirs in that it is suggestive of tlie arts of war rather than of peace. Its architect is Mr. F. W. Smith, of Boston, to whom is due the credit of having made the first experiments in the composition of coquina concrete. The motives for the lieavy battlemented walls and towers are found in the castles of Moorish Spain. The northern entrance is an adaptation of the Puerto del Sol of Toledo, and the balconies are after those said to have originated in Seville, and known as *' kneeling balconies." They are said to have been designed by Michael Angelo, for the convenience of devotees, who desired to kneel during the passage of religious processions. The City Gates. All that remains of the ancient defences of St. Augustine stands at the head of St. George Street ; two solid, square posts — for they are not high enough to be termed towers — flanked by a few yards of coquina wall. The stone sentry-boxes still remain in the interior buttresses. According to tradition, a guardhouse once stood just within, and a drawbridge crossed the moat. Only a few yards of wall now remain flanking the gates, and it is not known how far, in its best estate, it extended. The most formidable of the fortifications defended the land approach, and substantial earthworks once reached from river to river, the exterior 174 SAINT AUGUSTINE. slope of the parapet being covered with a dense growth of Spanish bayonet, through which it is well-nigh impossible to force a passage. Old engravings of the city show it as a completely walled town, and the visitor may find on some of the ancient tombstones in the cemetery Latin inscriptions containing the word oppidum^ which was often used to dis- tinguish a walled town from one without such defences. The coquina dwellings of the present town are largely com- posed of material plundered from still older structures, and there is no way of determining how many roods of city wall were taken by builders who cared nothing for Spanish relics. The present gateway was the principal entrance, was strongly guarded, and repeatedly saved the town from the sudden onslaught of savage or civilized foes. The Coast. Between the mouth of St. John's Eiver and St. Augustine Inlet, the coast is an unbroken sand beach nearly forty miles long, backed by scrub-covered sand hills and strewn with the wreckage of centuries. For walking, riding, driving, or wheeling no highway made by mortal hands can approach this superb beach during the hours when the tide is not at its highest. The coast is monotonous, to be sure, but the sea is ever beautiful in color, and there are always objects of interest for the lover of nature. Off shore the water deepens quickly, and mariners, when once they have cleared the shoals at either inlet, may confidently run down the beach within half a mile of the breakers. Four- teen miles south of St. John's Light are the sources of Guano Hiver, in Diego Plains, a short distance inland from the beach. This stream flows into Tolomato or North River, a tributary of St. Augustine Inlet. It follows the beach all the way at a distance of one-quarter of a mile until it joins the Tolomato, when the distance is one to two miles. Its headwaters may be approximately located from the beach or from a vessel by noting the greater distance of the woods from the coast. SAINT AUGUSTINE. 175 31. Saint Anastasia, familiarly called Anastasia Island, is the natural breakwater of St. Augustine. It is nearly fourteen miles long, and at- the widest part, not far from the inlet, is nearly two miles across. Four miles farther south it narrows to a mere strip of scrub-covered beach. For the most part the island is covered with a dense growth, into which few explorers will wish to penetrate after five or ten minutes of faithful efltbrt. With the aid of good dogs or a good guide it is still possible to find deer on the island, but only in certain places known to the initiated. The Spaniards found it necessary at an early date to main- tain a lookout on the island. At that time nearly all navi- gators — friends and foes — approached from the southward, and from the town such sails could not be seen until close at hand. The first structures were of tall tree-trunks, with a " crow's-nest " or platform at top. Such an one betrayed the existence of the town to Sir Francis Drake, in 1586 (see ■p. 138). Subsequently a coquina tower was erected, but still with the original idea of a lookout, or perhaps a com- bined watch-tower and blockhouse, for the wily Seminole was not long in discovering lonely vedettes in exposed posi- tions. A gun was mounted there after a time, and flag sig- nals were made by an established code, whereby the city was notified of friend or foe. It was not until the United States came into possession that a regular lighthouse was estab- lished. The old Spanish tower was rebuilt and utilized for the purpose, and the lantern was first lighted in 1823. This tower stood a short distance northeast of the present light, and was originally half a mile from the beach. The sea gradually encroached, however, and in June, 1880, a violent gale undermined the walls, and the ruins still cover the rocky point south of the railroad station. Here visitors usually make their first acquaintance with coquina in its natural form. The present light tower, ofiicially known as St. Augustine Light, stands in latitude 29° 53' 7" N., longitude 81° 17' 12" W. The nearest light to the northward is at the mouth 176 SAINT AUGUSTINE. of St. John's River, 30 miles ; the nearest to the southward is at Mosquito Inlet, 60 miles. The light is of the first order, and shows a fixed white light, varied bj a white flash every three minutes. It is visible at sea 19 nautical miles. The base of the tower is 15 feet above the sea-level, and the centre of the lantern is 150 feet above the base. The tower is accessible to visitors at all times, except when some unusual duty prevents the keepers from attending. The view from the gallery is the best that can be obtained of the inlet and the adjacent coasts. The peculiar painting of the tower in spiral bands is adopted so that it can be readily distinguished from any other landmark on the coast — an important feature in light- house construction, since a momentary sight is often all that can be obtained in thick weather. The seaward shore of the island is known as the South Beach. At the railroad station it is somewhat steeper than most Florida beaches, but beyond the site of the old light- house it becomes hard enough for riding and driving. Tlie coquina quarries are one mile and a half south- east from the lighthouse. They may be reached by a fairly good path (twenty-five minutes), either by following the beach to the rocky point and then striking inland, or by a path from the lighthouse, or by a path from Quarry Greek, which falls into Matanzas Kiver three-quarters of a mile below the Plaza in St. Augustine. The last-mentioned trip makes a pleasant excursion from the city by boat, including a walk of about two miles going and returning. The quarries are interesting as showing the stratifications of the coquina (Spanish for shell-fish). The small shells are the accu- mulations of ages. Acted upon by water they become par- tially dissolved, and then, drying, are firmly cemented to- gether in a solid mass. The loose shells are found in vast quantities on some of the neighboring beaches. The seaward coast of Anastasia Island offers no obstacles to navigation after clearing the shoals at either end. The three fathom curve is but half a mile from the beach, and shallow boats are in safe depth just outside the breakers. About three miles north of Matanzas Inlet, and two miles SAINT AUGUSTINE. 177 off shore, the mariner is sometimes startled by the sight of breakers under his bow where no danger is indicated on the chart. One who is familiar with the phenomenon, however, may calmly steer directly over the apparent obstacle, for there are twenty-one fathoms of water in the midst of the breakers, and nine fathoms all around it. The disturbance is caused by a boiling spring, such as occur frequently on the main- land of Florida. When directly over or to leeward of the breakers the odor of sulphuretted hydrogen may be per- ceived, suggesting the same source as the artesian wells common on the main land. The volume of water varies from time to time, and of course the disturbance at the surface of the sea is more apparent at low tide than at high tide. Sometimes it is not visible at all. The exact bearing of the spring from Matanzas Inlet is N. by E. i E., distant 3i miles. It may be readily found in calm weather with the aid of a pocket compass. St. Augustine Inlet is three-eighths of a mile wide. On the north is North Point, on the south is Black Point, the north- ern extremity of Anastasia Island. Outside the inlet, shift- ing shoals make out a mile and a half, and the bar is very variable. Generally ten feet may be carried through the South Channel, which is the deeper of the two. Sharpies of any size can pass in or out at any time of tide, the mean rise and fall of which is 3 ft. 6 in. to 4 ffc. 9 in., greatly influenced, however, by the direction of the wind. The main channel runs close along the outer beach of Anastasia Island, with a swift current at the ebb and flow of tide. Inside, the inlet divides into Tolomato and Matanzas Eivers, the former finding its source, as has been stated, four- teen miles up the beach. Sail-boats may ascend the Tolo- mato about eight miles, and row-boats still farther. Bird Island. To the south of the inlet, half a mile off shore, is Bird Island, a sand bar of recent formation, which appears to be increasing in extent and height from year to year. It was formerly a great resort for wild-fowl, but the free use of modern breech-loading fire-arms has frightened most of them to less frequented shores. Bird Island is often visited in fair weather -for the sake of the sea-shells that are 178 SAINT AUGUST [NE. thrown up in great variety by every easterly blow. With a fair wind the run may be made in an hour from St. Augustine. North Beach. Opposite Anastasia Island is North Beach. The point of laud is two miles (half an hour) from the Plaza. Launches and sail-boats make frequent trips, fare 25c. The outer beach is rich in sea-shells, strewn with wreckage, and offers a tempting surface for walking or riding as far as the eye can reach. The North Beach Railroad runs frequent trains from the Union Station, crossing Tolomato River on a bridge, and landing passengers within a few steps of the beach. 33. Matanzas River and Inlet, separating Anastasia Island from the mainland, is thirteen miles long to Matanzas Inlet, and has an average width of one-eighth to one-quarter of a mile. There is only three feet of water at the "divide" at low tide, and six feet is about the limit of draught that can be taken through at av- erage high water. The rest of the channel is deep, though narrow. A pleasant excursion is down this stream to Matan- zas Inlet and return. It is practically an all-day trip, though, with a favoring wind or in a launch, the round trip may be made in five hours with time for a short stop at the inlet. One mile south of the Plaza is the mouth of Quarry Creek (see p. 154). The portion of Anastasia Island south of this is known as Fish's Island, though really not separated from Anastasia. This tract is the old Fish estate. The original owner, Jesse Fish, came from Flatbush, N. Y., prior to 1763, during the first Spanish period, and his descendants still own the place. This estate includes the most valuable part of the island, and its orange groves were once among the finest in the State. Mr. Fish made many improvements, and his plantation was celebrated during the period of British supremacy. The old planter died and was buried on his own acres, and his tomb is shown almost hidden by sur- rounding orange -trees. Four miles farther south, on the mainland, is Moultrie, the site of Buena Vista, another famous old plantation, the SAINT AUGUSTINE. 179 property, in British times, of Lieutenant-Governor John Moultrie, who was an active loyalist, while his brother, Will- iam Moultrie, of Charleston, S. C, was so prominent a rebel that the British brought him to St. Augustine as a pris- oner. No doubt the brothers had memorable meetings during the period of confinement. Buena Vista was fortified in the early days, and later a regular fort was built, which was occupied as one of the outposts of St. Augustine. Here, in 1823, was executed the treaty of Fort Moultrie, be- tween the Government of the United States and the Semi- nole Indians. Alleged infractions of this treaty were among the causes of the Seminole War (1835-42). Near Matanzas Inlet, on an island, are the picturesque ruins of an old Spanish fort, of unknown date. Here the Spaniards first and the English afterward kept a small gar- rison to prevent the surprise of St. Augustine from this direction. On these shores, more than three centuries ago, was enacted one of the darkest tragedies of Floridian history. In 1564 a colony of French Huguenots under Bene de Laudonniere fortified themselves on the St. John's Biver. In August of the following year Pedro Menendez d'Aviles with a strong Spanish force established himself at St. Augus- tine (see p. 135), having orders from his king to make war against the French. Almost simultaneously reinforcements for Laudonniere had arrived in a French fleet under Jean Ribaut (see p. 120), who at once assumed the offensive. On September 10th he appeared off St. Augustine with a powerful armament, but a protracted storm compelled him to put to sea and the whole squadron was wrecked in the neighborhood of Canaveral. Giving thanks to Heaven for this signal interposition, though he was at the time unaware of the completeness of the French disaster, Menendez marched to Fort Caroline, where he surprised and slew most of the garrison (see page 123). Beturning at once to St. Augustine he soon heard of the shipwrecked Frenchmen on the coast to the southward. Marching to Matanzas Inlet he bivouacked within sight of the French camp-fires and awaited the dawn. The ship- 180 SAINT AUGUSTINE. wrecked Frenclimen, ignorant of the fate of Fort Caroline, were cautiously making their way thither. Menendez had but about sixty men with him, while the French numbered from 140 to 200, authorities differ. A parley followed, and a party of French officers crossed over in a small boat and told Menendez their story of recent shipwreck and present starvation, asking for treatment as prisoners of war. •' Are you Catholics ? " asked Menendez. " We are Lutherans," was the reply, given doubtless with sinking hearts. "Gentlemen," said Menendez, "your fort is taken, and all in it are put to the sword." And no assurance of clemency would he give, save that, if the French surrendered, he would, to quote his own report, " do with them as the Lord should order." After further consultation, the French de- cided that surrender was their only hope, and, having de- livered up their arms, they were brought over in small parties. * As they landed, each detachment was marched out of sight behind the sand dunes, where their hands were securely tied. It was late in the afternoon before the whole band, disarmed and helpless, stood before their relentless captor, ready for the march. At this point Mendoza, the priest, put in a plea for the lives of Catholics, and twelve Breton sailors professing that faith were released, with four artisans of whom the Spaniards were in great need. These were sent to St. Augustine by boat, while the rest, with gloomy premonitions of their fate, and guarded by the Span- ish men-at-arms, followed Menendez, who, with a cane in his hand, walked in advance. As the sun sank he halted in a se- cluded spot among the sand dunes, and drew a line on the ground with his cane. Darkness was falling when the l^risoners came up, and, again to cite the words of Menendez' Carta, " I had their hands tied behind their backs, and themselves put to the sword. It appeared to me that, by thus chastising them, God our Lord and your Majesty were served ; whereby in future this evil sect will leave us more free to plant the gospel in these parts." The precise locality of this savage deed has never been known, and only by accident can it be discovered. SAINT AUGUSTINE. 181 But Menendez had Dot yet finished his work. He sus- pected that other ships had been wrecked farther down the coast, and while their crews were at large he could not feel secure, since his own forces were scattered, some at sea, some at Fort Caroline, and only about one hundred and fifty men at hand for service. The next day Indians brought news of another detachment of Frenchmen at Matanzas, and midnight found the fierce Spaniards again awaiting their prey. At daybreak Eibaut and his men — for the commander-in- chief was with this detachment — were seen making prepara- tions to cross the river on a raft. On discovering the Span- iards the French drums beat and the trumpets sounded, but Menendez told his men to cook their breakfast uncon- cernedly. After some preliminaries Eibaut, with eight gentlemen, crossed over in a canoe and were courteously re- ceived by Menendez, who refreshed them with food and wine. Then he led the French commander to where the bodies of his late comrades lay among the sand hills. Nego- tiations followed, lasting until the next day, and Eibaut was led to believe that he had effected an arrangement whereby the lives of himself and his men should be spared. The French, however, some three hundred and fifty in number, were not all of a like mind, and in the end only one hundred and fifty surrendered. The remaining two hundred marched southward, preferring to face the wilderness rather than trust the Spaniard. In the morning Eibaut reported the result, and the canoe began its long task of ferrying over the prisoners. Before the first boat load arrived, however, Eibaut was led behind a sand hill and his hands were tied ! The act re- vealed the intention of the Spaniard. At length all were brought over — 70 says Menendez, 150 says Solis. Then came the crucial question, " Are you Catholics or Lutherans ? and is there anyone among you who will go to confession ? " "I and all here are of the Eeformed Faith," answered Eibaut, and then he recited a Psalm. "We are of earth," he continued, according to the Spanish narrator (Solis), 182 SAINT AUGUSTINE. •'and to earth we must return ; twenty years more or less can matter little." Then turning to Menendez he said he was ready, and the scene of two days before was repeated on a larger scale. " I saved the lives," says Menendez in his Carta, " of two young gentlemen about eighteen years of age, as well as of three others, the fifer (see p. 139), the drummer, and the tium- l^eter, and I caused Jean Eibaut with all the rest to be put to the sword, judging this to be expedient for the service of God our Lord and of your Majesty." The foregoing account of these massacres is from the SjDanish authorities, as cited by Parkman in his " Huguenots in Florida." The accounts of the few French survivors coincide in all essential particulars. For an account of the signal vengeance subsequently visited upon the Spaniards by Domenique de Gourgues, a French Huguenot, see p. 120. Matanzas Inlet has only about six feet of water at high tide and in easterly weather the sea often breaks entirely across the entrance. It is, however, practicable for sail- boats and sharpies. Matanzas River extends eight or ten miles south of the Inlet, finding its source in Graham's Swamp. Fellicer's Creek joins it near the Inlet. Sportsmen sometimes find good shooting along these streams, which may be ascended in canoes or very light boats far up toward their source. Care should be taken not to be left by the tide, as a night spent in the swamps is not an agreeable experience. 34. St. Augustine to Jacksonville (see p. 110). 35. St. Augustine to Palatka. By J., T. & K. W. Ey. Thirty miles (1 hour 40 minutes). The general course of the route is southwest. Crossing the prairies to the west of Matanzas River the Tocoi branch di- verges to the right and enters a long stretch of piney woods, gradually rising and interspersed with occasional hammocks. Between Holy Branch and Merrifield we cross Deep Creek and shortly afterward approach the richer lands bordering St. John's River. At East Palatka Junction change cars, if bound for Halifax River, otherwise the train crosses St. SAINT AUGUSTINE. 183 John's River to the principal station near the steamboat wharf in Palatka (p. 188). Consult local time table. About six hours can be spent in Palatka if it is desired to re- turn the same day to St. Augustine. Visit Hart's orange grove, drive through the suburbs north and south of Palatka. 40. Jacksonville to Palatka. By J., T, & K. W. Ey., 56 miles (2 hours 5 minutes), for stations and dis- tances, see pages 17, 25, 82. By St. John's Kiver steamboats, 75 miles (about 6 hours), for landings and distances, see page 186. By Rail to Palatka. The general course of the line is nearly north and south, following to some extent the curves of the St. John's Eiver, and never more than three or four miles from its western bank. The stream, however, is rarely in sight, owing to the almost continuous belt of pine forest (see map of Duval County, page 24). Shortly after leaving the station at Jacksonville the line curves to the southward, passing through a level country, with occasional villages and .orange groves. Three miles beyond Edgewood we cross McGirt's Creek on a trestle, and if the day be warm and the traveller in luck he may here catch his first glimpse of the Florida alligator. Two miles south of Reed's the train passes into Clay County (see page 14). Just beyond Black Creek Station is the stream from which it takes its name, navigable to Middleburg, six miles west, where it divides into two main branches, and these again into nu- merous small ones, draining nearly the whole of Clay County, and affording access by small boats to a wild and beautiful lake region in the southwestern part of the county. For Green Cove Springs see page 187. At Melrose Crossing, just south of Green Cove Springs, is the Western Railroad of Florida to Belmore, fifteen miles southwest. Shortly after leaving West Tocoi, the line passes into Put- nam County (see page 80 for map, stations, and distances). The large stream crossed two miles beyond Teasdale is Rice's Creek, which rises among the lakes of the north- western part of the county. This stream is navigable for 1S4 SAINT AUGUSTINE. launches and small boats, and is one of the favorite excur- sions for visitors at Palatka. 41. Jacksonville to Palatka by River. This part of the St. John's River is in effect almost a con- tinuous lake, often several miles wide, and again narrowing to less than a mile. As a rule, the banks are somewhat monotonous, though there is always more or less of interest in the changing vegetation along the shores and in the var- ied forms of life almost always to be seen in air or water. Shooting is very properly prohibited on all passenger steam- ers. Formerly it was carried to such excess that the river trip was often a continuous fusillade. Several accidents, one of which resulted fatally, at last compelled a reform of the abuse. Just above the railroad drawbridge at Jacksonville the river bends abruptly to the southward, between Grassy Point on the east and Lancaster Point on the west. The cluster of three piles, painted red, marks the lower end of Middle Ground Shoal. To the eastward are the wooded bluffs of Villa Alexandria, one of the finest private estates in the neighborhood of Jacksonville. A triangular red beacon bearing a red light at night marks the upper end of the Middle Ground Shoal. On the east bank, two miles above Grassy Point, is Phillip's Point, with a steamboat landing. Nearly opposite, on the west bank, is the mouth of McGirt's Creek, and just above it Sadler's Point. Three and a half miles farther south is Piney Point, marked by tall pines showing above the surrounding trees. Just above Piney Point, on the same side of the river, is the set- tlement and landing of Black Point, and nearly opposite is the mouth of Goodsby's Creek. The next landing and set- tlement south of Black Point is Mulberry Grove, and across the river, nearly opposite, is Beauclerc Bluff, a conspicuous, heavily wooded promontory, off which stands a black beacon (No. 21). Two miles above this is Mandarin Point, and on the same side are the town and landing of Mandarin, formerly the SAINT AUGUSTINE. 185 residence of Mrs. Harriet Beeclier Stowe. A little above Mandarin a black and red buoy marks the wreck of the steamer Maple Leaf, and nearly opposite, just north of the entrance to Doctor's Lake is Orange Park, with a long wharf reaching out to the channel. The next reach in the river is from Mandarin on the east to Magnolia Point on the west bank (six and one-half miles) aver- aging one and one-half to two miles in width, Julington and Cunningham's Creeks enter on the east bank. Four miles farther south on the same side is New Switzerland Point, heavily wooded and identified by a single tree standing out beyond the rest. Opposite, on the west bank, is Hibernia, above which, one mile and three-quarters, is the mouth of Black Creek (navigable to Middleburg, seme eight miles in the interior) and Magnolia Point a high bluff bank with heavy woods. On the east bank, nearly opposite, is Pope Point, with Eemington Park and a steamboat landing. Turning Magnolia Point a reach of six miles opens south- east to Six Mile Point. On the west bank, two and three- quarter miles distant, are the hotels and many buildings of Green Cove Springs (see page 187). Above this landing, one mile and three-quarters, is red beacon No. 38, marking Old Field Point on tha west and San Patricio Point on the east bank. South of the last named point a deep bight makes in, called Hogarth's Bay, into which empties Six Mile Creek. Beyond this the river narrows to a mile as far as Picolata Point, and the town of Picolata on the east bank. At this place, and at a point on the opposite side of the river, farts were maintained during the period of Spanish rule. They were successfully defended against the English under Oglethorpe in December, 1739, but were taken in January following as preliminary to the siege of St. Augus- tine (see page 142). The remains of the earthworks can still be traced, but they are not easily found by a stranger. From Picolata Point the river is nearly straight for ten miles to Federal Point on the east bank. It varies in width from three-quarters of a mile to two and one-half miles. Three miles south of Picolata are Orange Point, Tocoi Creek, and Tocoi, in the order named. The town is the terminus 186 SAINT AUGUSTINE. of the St. John's Eailway, 18 miles to St. Augustine. Ea- cey's Point is three miles above Tocoi, on the same side of the river. Nearly opposite, entering from the westward, is Cedar Creek, and above this on the west bank is Nine Mile Point, off which stands red beacon No. 44. One mile far- ther south is Palmetto Bluff. Federal Point on the east bank may be identified by black buoy 35, which is placed a little to the north of the landing. From Federal Point to Dancy's Point, south by west three and one-half miles, the river is about a mile wide. Opposite the town of Orange Mills is an extensive flat island, or marsh, with a channel on either side. On the west bank are Bo- dine's Point and Whetstone Point, in the order named. Off the latter is a cluster of three piles, with a red light set at night. Another stretch of three and three-quarter miles west southwest brings us up with Forrester's Point on the east bank and the mouth of Eice's Creek opposite, where, with a sharp sweep to south by east, Palatka comes in sight with its railroad bridge three miles distant. (For Palatka and vicinity, see p. 188.) This point is considered the head of navigation for sailing vessels, as the river becomes so narrow and crooked in its upper reaches that only steamboats can navigate it to advan- tage. It is, however, the most interesting to tourists, owing to the nearness of the banks and the increasingly tropical character of the vegetation. River landings and distances between Jacksonville and Palatka are as follows ; those on the east bank are marked E, those on the west W : Mtles. St. Nicholas, E 2 Riverside, W 3 Black Point, W 10 Mulberry Grove, W 12 Mandarin, E 15 Orange Park, W 15 Fruit Cove, E 19 Hibernia, W 23 New Switzerland, E 23 Remington Park, E 25 Magnolia, W . 28 Green Cove Springs, W 30 Miles. Orange Dale, E 34 Hogarth's Landing, E 38 Picolata, E 44 Tocoi, E 46 Federal Point, E 58 Orange Mills, E 63 Cook's Landing, E 65 Dancy's Wharf, E 66 Russell's Point, E 67 Whetstone, W 68 Russell's Landing, E 69 Palatka, W T5 For landings, etc., above Palatka, see Route 51. GREEN COVE SPRINGS. 187 42. Oreen Cove Springs, Clay County. Population, 1,200. Twenty-nine miles from Jacksonville, twenty-seven miles from Palatka. Hotels. — Clare, $3 to $4 a day. — Clarendon, $4 a day. — Morganza, $1.50 to $2 a day. — St. Clair, |3 to %i:.—The Pines, $3 a day. Also several smaller hotels and boarding-houses. Railroads and Steamboats. — Several trains north and south daily by J., T. & K. W. Ry. All the St. John's River steamboats touch at this landing. This town lias been for many years a place of considerable resort, owing to its fine sulphur springs, and the natural ad- vantages of its situation. Even as seen from the windows of a passing train its attractions are evident, for considerable labor has been expended in laying out streets, fencing off parks with massive pine logs, and removing evidences of recent clearings. A short walk or ride from the station brings the visitor to Magnolia Avenue, the business street of the place. A short distance farther is the great spring, which discharges three thousand gallons of water every minute, at a temperature of 78^ F., the year round. The wonderful purity of the water, its green, mysterious depths, reflections and colors are a source of never-ending pleasure. The water is slightly impregnated with sulphur, but loses it by evaporation after a short ex- posure to the air. Excellent bathing arrangements have been provided, and comfortable rustic seats are found at almost every turn. Borden Park, including about five acres, lies along the river on high ground with its native growth of magnolia, live oak, and palmetto, the rubbish only having been cleared away. It is private property, but open to the public, though a quaint inscription posted at the entrance may properly prove discouraging to vandals. Much ingenu- ity has been displayed in the adaptation of natural tree- trunks for fences, gate-posts, tree-seats, and the like. On the river bank, and projecting out over the water, is a tree said to have been used as a lookout by the Seminoles during their wars, for this was one of their permanent camps. Be- yond the park a fascinating foot-path extends far along the river side and across Governor's Creek to Magnolia, one of the pleasantest resorts on the St. John's. Green Cove Springs contains many charming winter resi- 188 GREEN COVE SPRINGS— PALATKA. dences, some of tliem surrounded with carefully tended gar- dens full of horticultural rarities, and most attractive to vis- itors from a colder climate. The town itself contains churches of all the leading de- nominations, schools, stores, livery stables, tramways. Ex- cursions may be made by boat up the river as far as Palatka, or down as far as Jacksonville, returning by boat or rail the same day, and on both sides of the river there are many points of interest easily within reach. (See Eoute 42.) 43. Palatka^ Putnam County (C.H.). Population, 6,000.— Lat. 29° 38^ N.— Long. 81° 38' W. Hotels. — Arlington, $2. — Canova, $1,50. — Winthrop, $3. — Kean Building, Rooms 50c. — Putnam House, $4. — Saratoga, $3. — West End. House, $2; $8 to $10 by week. Eailkoads, Steamboats, etc. — The J., T. & K. W. system (to Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Daytona, Gainesville, Tampa, Punta Gorda, etc.). Stations for points north and south, 1 mile west from river ; station for points on sea- coast, etc., near steamboat wharf and railroad bridge. Through cars are run around the city, making connections without change (see local time tables). Steatrihoat^. — All the St. John's River steamboats land at the wharf near the raUroad bridge. Oeklawaha steamboats land at the same wharf. Carriage fare from railways and steamboats, 25c. to any part of the city ; luggage, 25c. per piece. Livery. — Saddle-horses, $1.50 a day if reasonably used. Double teams, $2 an hour, $5 a day. Eowboats, 25c. an hour, $1.50 to $2 a day. Sail-boats 50c. an hour, $3 a day. Steam launches can be chartered for $15 to $25 a day, according to size of party and length of intended trip. Guidiis for hunting or fishing may be engaged at the hotels or boat landings at $2.50 to $3 a day. Tram-cars at 10 minute intervals run between the railroad stations, fare 5c. History. Palatka was settled in 1821, by James Marver and two companions named Hine and Woodruff. They secured a Spanish grant and established a trading x)ost for traffic with the Indians. Marver's store stood near the foot of Main Street, and no doubt the large live oaks on the bluff close at hand witnessed many a sharp bargain that brought gold into the white man's pocket. He was, however, a great favorite with his savage patrons, and had no difficulties with them during his stay. At some date not precisely fixed Dr. N. Brush, of New York, purchased MaiTer's lands and interests and continued PALATKA. ' 189 the business, his two nephews, Thomas and William Brush, being his agents. The post was sacked and burned promptly on the outbreak of the Seminole War in 1835, and the young men barely escaped with their lives. A military post was soon afterward established here, and in 184:0 it was constituted a regular ordnance depot, with the barracks and shops necessary for a considerable garrison and for the repair of their arms and equipments. Eight large log block-houses were constructed along the line of Water Street, one of them with a watch-tower eighty feet high. The commanding officer's head-quarters were where the late Colonel Devall's house now stands. Cavalry stables for four hundred horses occupied the site of the Putnam House and a large hospital was erected on the Hart property. Among the officers quartered here were Scott, Taylor, Worth, and Gaines, who won distinction and rank in the sec- ond war with Great Britain and in the early Indian war. Still younger were lieutenants W. T. Sherman, and Silas Casey, who saw their first field service in Florida and rose to the highest rank during the Civil War. After the subjugation of the Indians and the discontinuance of the military post, Palatka became the shipping point for the produce of the neighboring country. Prior to the com- pletion of the railroad in 1886 it was the most southerly landing of any importance on the river, and soon became a favorite resort for invalids who sought a warmer climate and dreaded the cold easterly winds of the coast. By 1850 it was a delightful place of residence, with many handsome houses, some of which are still the finest in town. It was fairly embosomed in orange trees, and, being an outpost of civilization on the borders of an almost unbroken wilderness, offered great attractions to sportsmen. Its commercial pros- perity did not begin until after the Civil War, when it be- came the distributing centre for a wide tract of rich country, and with the advent of the railroad in 1886 became the busy and prosperous place that now exists. It suffered the fate of nearly all Florida towns, and was nearly destroyed by fire. Like its sisters, however, it rallied pluckily from the disaster and was rebuilt on a more substantial basis. It may 190 PALATKA. now be reached in thirty-six hours from New York and will, no doubt, long maintain its position as the most impor- tant town on the river above Jacksonville. The visitor will find pleasant walks in either direction, north or south, along the river bank. The roads in the vi- cinity are rather sandy for driving, but equestrians may ride in almost any direction with the certainty of a pleasant ex- perience. The rivers and the neighboring lakes afford a great variety of delightful trips. (See Eoutes 42 to 54.) Hart's Orange Grove, one of the oldest and most famous groves in the State, is on the opposite side of the river, about three miles from the wharves. It is easily reached by boat from the foot of Main Street. This grove was budded on wild stock about 1832, was badly damaged by the severe frost of 1835, and began bearing about 1845. It covers some 70 acres of land, contains about 500 trees, and yields about 12,000 boxes of oranges annually. 44. Xiake George. This fine lake, about sixteen miles long and eight miles wide, lies at the junction of four of the most fertile and prosperous counties of Florida, namely, Putnam, Lake, Vo- lusia, and Marion. Its outlet is about thirty-eight miles south of Palatka, and it may be reached either by boat or rail, the excursion affording a pleasant all day trip. The regular St. John's Eiver steamboats may be taken to any of the Lake George landings, or the trip may be extended to Volusia, where the St. John's & Lake Eustis Eailway touches the river, and train may be taken for Eustis, Leesburg, and the Lake region. The time to Volusia by boat is about four hours. Steam launches may be hired at Palatka, with which the round of the lake may be comfortably made in a day at an expense of $15 to $25. The trip may be varied by stop- ping at Seville Landing, about half way up the lake. Con- veyances may be secured by telegraphing to the hotel at Seville. The distance from the landing to the railroad is about four miles. PALATKA. 191 45. The Pruitland Peninsula. This name is given to a tract of fine land lying between the St. John's Eiver and Lake George on the west, and Crescent Lake and its outlet, Dunn's Creek, on the east. It is about twenty miles long and from six to ten miles wide from lake to river. This territory was a favorite with the Ind- ian tribes of prehistoric times, whose agricultural instincts led them to select the best lands for their field crops. One of the oldest settlements on the St. John's Eiver was formed under English rule at Mount Koyal, in the latter part of the last century. Considerable progress was made in Eu- ropean methods of cultivation, but all lands were abandoned with the return of the Spaniards, and it was not until after the Seminole War that permanent white settlements were resumed. Now the whole peninsula is thickly dotted with farms and orange groves, and is one of the most thriving communities of Middle Florida. The peninsula consists of high pine land, interspersed with hammock, and admirably adapted for all kinds of agriculture. The large lakes to the eastward and westward, with the smaller bodies of water scattered through the interior, equalize the temperature to an unusual degree. Throughout the peninsula there are pleasant rides and drives, and conveyances or saddle-horses may be engaged at almost any of the principal river or lake landings. 46. Crescent Lake. Dunn's Creek, the outlet of Crescent Lake, falls into the St. John's about six miles south of Palatka. It is a deep, crooked, picturesque stream, eight miles long, and traversed daily by steamboats. The trip may be varied by passing through Murphy's Creek, a branch of the main outlet. The lake is sixteen miles long and three miles wide, fed at its upper end by Haw Creek, which forms the boundary be- tween St. John's and Volusia Counties, and sends its various 192 PALATKA— SEVILLE. brandies well over toward the sea -coast near tlie head of Halifax Eiver. Crescent City, the principal town on the lake, is hand- somely laid out on the western shore, on high land, and with Lake Stella immediately to the westward of the town. The level of this lake is said to be forty feet higher than that of Crescent Lake. There is a road and regular conveyance from Crescent City to the railroad, but the lake steamers from Palatka afford the easier and pleasanter means of access. 47. Seville, Volusia County. Population, 400. Hotels. — The Seville, $3.50 a day ; special rates by week or month. — The Grand View. — The Pavilion. Seville, with its tasteful and characteristic log- built sta- tion, and its palm- and orange-lined main street, at once at- tracts the eye of the Northern traveller, if only by a casual glance from the car window. The town is, in fact, one of the most attractive in Florida, owing to judicious and liberal outlay of money in providing a complete system of sewerage, and a water-supply drawn from a neighboring lake. The sewage is received in tanks, where the solids are precipitated by chemical action, and the liquids are carried off through subsoil pipes to the neighboring fields. The works were planned by Mr. J. J. Powers, late Sanitary Engineer of Brook- lyn, N. Y., and are identical in plan of construction with those that solved the very perplexing problem of sewerage at Coney Island, N. Y. The town site is at the southern end of the Fruitland Peninsula, in the midst of the high pine orange belt. Four miles west of the railroad station and hotels is Lake George, well known to hunters and fish- ermen. The town fronts on Lakes Louise and Beatrice, two sheltered lakes of pure water, whose shores afford most attractive sites for cottages and permanent residences. In the vicinity are nearly all the characteristic varieties of Flor- ida land. The hammock bordering the lake is very rich, and has for many years been known as especially favorable to the SEVlLLE.^ 193 growth of the wild or Seville orauge, the theory being that all the wild orange-trees of Florida are seedlings from fruit imported by the Spaniards. The name Seville Grove was originally given to a considei'able section of this region com- prised in the old Storrs grant, and p>urchased by William Kemble Lente, one of the earliest Northern settlers in this region. The wild trees were topped and budded, and came into bearing in a surprisingly short time. It has since been equalled and surpassed by many groves in the vicinity, but is still justly regarded as a type of what can be done with wild orange- trees in this part of the State. Saddle-horses and carriages can be engaged at the hotel for drives about this very interesting, prosperous, and well- cultivated region. 50. Palatka to Sanford by Rail. J., T, & K. W. Ry., sixty-nine miles (2 hours 50 minutes). For stations and distances see pp. 82, 9T. The general direction of the railway line is a little east of south. Leaving Palatka the train traverses the level sub- urbs and, after a few minutes, crosses the St. John's Eiver on a long trestle and drawbridge. Here occurs a good op- l^ortunity to observe the tangled growth of the low ham- mock bordering the river. A range of bluffs, remarkably bold and high for this region, will be noticed at this point, their sides often covered with orange groves. For twenty miles after crossing the river the railroad traverses the central ridge of the Fruitland Peninsula (see p. 191). Aj times tlie route seems lined with orange groYes for miles on both sides, and in the season of fruit and blossoms the pano- rama is one not to be forgotten. Many pretty lakes break the monotony of grove and forest, most of them deep and full of water at all seasons of the year. Between Denver and Hammond the boundary line of Putnam and Volusia Counties is crossed (see pp. 80, 94). At Seville notice the station, a genuine log-cabin adapted to the taste and requirements of civilization, the bark and 194: SEVILLE. knots smoothed away, the logs finished in oil, and all the rudeness of the frontier skilfullj eliminated. (See, also, account of Seville, p. 192.) On both sides of the track are al- most continuous orange groves, the trees thriving on soil that to all appearance is nothing better than sand. Those who are interested in such matters will do well to stop in this neighborhood and inspect methods of orange culture, and, if it be the proper season, of harvesting, packing, and the like. At Be Land Junctioii is the crossing of a branch road to the St. John's Eiver on the west and to De Land, the county seat, on the east (see Route 53). At Orange City Junction is the crossing of the Atlantic & Western Hailroad, extending to the St. John's Eiver on the west, and to New Smyrna on the east (see Eoute 63). At Enterprise Junction the train divides, part going eastward to Indian Eiver (see Eoute 70), and part continuing to the southward and presently crossing the St. John's Eiver just below the outlet of Lake Monroe. At this point is Monroe, the junction of the Orange Belt Eailway (see p. 49). The line now curves to the east, and soon stops in the handsome station at San ford. 51. Palatka to Sanford by River. One hundred and twenty miles (about 8 hours by daylight, 12 hours by nightj. Above the drawbridge at Palatka lies the most interesting part of the St. John's Eiver. Here the stream loses its lacustrine chanicter and becomes comparatively narrow and swift, and so crooked that the distance to Sanford is nearly double that by rail. Local time-tables should be con- sulted so as to secure a trip one way or the other by day- light. The night trip, however, is by no means devoid of interest, for the boats carry brilliant headlights which pro- duce striking and novel effects along the densely wooded shores. A good view of Hart's Orange Grove is obtained in passing (see p. 190). The vicinity of Eolleston was early SEVILLE. 195 settled by English jDioneers, but was abandoned when the Spaniards resumed control in 1784. A little above Westonia is the mouth of Dunns Creek, the navigable outlet of Crescent Lake (see p. 191), and at Buffalo Bluff is the railroad drawbridge. Nearly opposite Beecher is the mouth of the Ocklawalia River. Beyond Fort Gates, a military post during the Indian wars, is the outlet of Lake George. . The small island to the westward is Hog Island ; the larger one is Drayton Island, containing 1,870 acres of remarkably productive soil, under- }aid with beds of carbonate and phosphate marl. The island was settled by R. W. Towle, in 1875, and now has a well-to- do poj^ulation of about one hundred and fifty. Orange cult- ure is very successful on the island, owing to the protection afforded by the surrounding waters, and the inhabitants say that even the severe frost of 1886 passed over the island without doing any harm. On the west shore is the outlet of Lake Kerr, a beautiful, irregular body of water, with two towns on its shores. Lake George, eighteen miles long, affords an agreeable change from the narrow, winding stream, but in a short time the southern inlet is reached, and shortly afterward Volusia, the site of one of the early Spanish Missions. From De Land Landing is a short branch railroad to the county town (see p. 198). Blue Spring Landing takes its name from a fine spring that boils up from unknown depths a few rods from the river bank. To visit the spring it is necessary to pass through l^rivate grounds, for which permission should be asked. From this landing the Atlantic & Western Eailroad (see j). 97) extends eastward to New Smyrna on the sea-coast. A considerable stream joins the St. John's on the west side about six miles above Blue Spring. It is the Kissimmee River, but has no connection with the large river of that name farther south. Passing through the last drawbridge on the St. John's, Lake Monroe opens to the eastward with the distant buildings of Sanford and Enterprise visible among the tall palms on the opposite shores. (For Lake Monroe, see i?. 197.) 196 SEVILLE— SANFORD. River landings are as follows from Palatka to Sanford. Distances are given from Jacksonville. E. signifies east bank, W. west bank. Hart's Orange Grove, B 75 Eolleston. E 78 San Mateo. E 79 Edgewater, E 80 Bulfalo Bluff, W 87 Horse Landing, W 96 Nashua, E 95 Smith's Landing, E 96 Welaka, E 100 Beecher, E 101 Norwalk, W 103 Mount Royal, E 105 Fruitlands, E 105 Fort Gates, W 106 Pelham Park, E 112 Eacemo, E 112 Georgetown, E 113 Orange Point, E 113 Lake George, E 115 Drayton Island. W 116 Salt Springs, W 119 Benella, W 120 Seville, E 120 Yellow Blufe, W 121 Spring Garden, E 122 Spring Grove, E 126 Lake View, E . . . 132 Volusia, E 134 Astor, W 134 Manhattan, W 136 Fort Butler, W 138 Orange Bluff, E 140 Bluffton, E 140 St. Francis, "W 155 Old Town, W 153 Crow's Landing, W 159 Hawkinsville, W 160 Cabbage Bluff. E 162 De Land Landins, E 162 Lake Beresf ord, E 163 Blue Spring, E 168 Wekiva, E ... ...184 Shell Bank, E 163 Sanford, W 195 Mellonville, W 196 Enterprise, E 200 52. Sanford, Orange County. Population, 3,500.— Lat. 28° 50' N.— Long. 81° 17' W. Hotels.— iT/ie Sanford House, $3 to $4 a day.— (S'aw Leon Hotel, $2 to $2.50 a day. . Kaixroads, Steamboats, etc. Jacksonville, Tampa <& Key West Railway, north to Jacksonville (see pp. 69, 82, 97), and east to Indian Kiver (see p. 97). South Florida Railroad, south to Tampa, Punta Gorda, and the Gulf steam- ship lines (see pp. 70, 73, 79). Sanford <& Lake Eustis Railway, west to Tavares, Leesburg, etc. (see p. 48). Sanford <& Indian River Railway, southeast to Lake Charm (see p. 71). The Orange Belt Railway, southwest to Tarpon Springs and the Pinellas Peninsula (see pp. 38, 49, 70, 74, 87). All these roads use a station in common near the hotels and business streets. Restaurant in station. Steamboats. — The steamboat wharf is five minutes' walk east of the Sanford House. There are daily boats to and from Jacksonville and intermediate land- ings. Carriage rate from station or landing, 25c. ; luggage, 25c. per piece. Livery.— SadAle horses, 75c. to $1 an hour, $2 to $3 a day. Double teams, $5 a day. Guides for hunting and fishing, $5 a day with dogs and outfit. Sanford is pleasantly situated on the south shore of Lake Monroe, the land rising from the water level in a gentle slope sufficient for effectual drainage. The town is named after General H. S. Sanford, late United States Minister to Belgium. SANFORD. 197 The suiTonnding land was an old Spanish grant, and be- longed, in 1870, to General Joseph Finegan, an ex-officer of the Confederacy. From him General Sanford purchased the entire estate (known as the old Levy grant) of twenty-three square miles. At that time there was on the lake shore an insignificant hamlet called Mellon ville, after Captain Mellon, U.S.A., who was killed here in an engagement with the Seminoles. General Sanford's early attempts to introduce organized labor, whether white or black, were resisted by force of arms, but he soon became strong enough to defy the prejudices of the scattered population, and the result is apparent in the present prosperity of the place. A large number of Swedes were imported with their families, and they now form a prosperous part of the community. Belair, threje miles south of Sanford, and easily reached by rail or carriage road, is one of the largest and most famous plantations in the State. It is the property of General San- ford, who began operations on a large scale soon after his I)urchase of the Levy grant. The grove contains 95 acres of oranges and 50 acres of lemons, with a large experimental farm, where all kinds of exotics are tested under the best j)ossible conditions for ascertaining their adaptability to the Florida climate. Lake Monroe is nearly circular in shape, six miles long, a little more than five miles wide, and with an average depth of about twelve feet. Sanford and Enterprise are the only two towns on its shores. The fishing for bass and the other fresh-water varieties of fish is good in all parts of the lake, but of course the fish have their favorite feeding-grounds, and until these are ascertained there is little use in fishing. The shores of the lake are for the most part wild, and cov- ered with a heavy growth of forest and saw palmetto. Deer and turkies are found within a few miles of the lake, and even along its less frequented borders, but without a guide and trained dogs it is nearly impossible to shoot them. Above Lake Monroe the river is not regularly navigated, though it is practicable for good sized launches. It winds for the most part among vast stretches of savannah and saw grass, occasionally spreading into large lakes, as Harney, Jessup, 198 SANFORD— DE LAND. Poinsett, Winder, and Washington. It is often a very dif- ficult matter to decide which is the true river channel, but when found the stream is easily navigable and the upper lakes are so near the Indian River at Rockledge and Eau Gallie that carries are easily made across the intervening hammock. The upper St. John's should not be attempted save in a boat that will serve as a sleeping-place at a pinch, for there are often long stretches of morass where it is im- possible to camp comfortably on shore. 53. De Land. Volusia County. Population, 2,000.— Lat. 29° N.— Long. 81° 14' W. B.oTBijS.—Carrollton House, $2.50 to $S.—jParceland Hotel, $2.50 to $3.—Ptit- nam House, $2 to $3. Kailkoads.— Branch to De Land Junction and Landing on St. John's Kiver, five miles west, where connection is made with J., T. & K. W. Ry., and with river steamboats. Carriage rate from station, 25c. ; luggage, 25c. per piece. De Land has good hotels, electric lights, numerous stores, churches, schools, and a general air of business prosperity. As the seat of government of a large county in the heart of the orange region it is the centre of a considerable amount of business connected with the growing interests of the community. The situation is healthful in the high pine re- gion, and forest still surrounds it, save where it has been cleared away to make room for orange groves and other im- provenients. The town is named after its founder, Mr. H. A. De Land. In the immediate neighborhood are several interesting places, notably the residence and grounds of Mr. John B. Stetson, of Philadelphia, where horticulture in its various branches is carried to a high degree of perfection. The Irondequoit Dairy, within easy walking distance of the hotels, is interesting as one of the most successful attempts to introduce Jerseys, Holstein, and other high grade cattle into this region. Lake Helen, six miles southeast, may be reached from De Land either by road through the woods or by rail, changing at De Land Junction and Orange City. (See next page.) De Leon Spring, six miles north, is a pleasant resort for DE LAND— LAKE HELEN. 199 picnic parties. The Spring boils up in such volume that it was formerly used to drive a sugar-mill, the ruins of which are still to be seen near by. Spring Garden, three miles north of De Leon Spring, has entered successfully upon silk culture. There are several l^rosperous silk-farms in the vicinity, where may be seen the curious j)rocesses connected with this industry. Dexter Lake and the St. John's River are available for boating and fishing excursions. The best hunting grounds are to the eastward, in a wide belt of sparsely settled country, partly savanna, partly hammock, from five to fifteen miles from the railroad. Hunters and guides can be engaged at $b a day, or at a stated amount according to the success achieved ; so much for a shot at a deer, so much for a turkey, or so much for a wildcat, the hunter, of course, not being responsible for the marksmanship of the si)ortsman. De Land University stands on an elevation Just outside the town, commanding a good view of the vicinity. It is de- signed to afford facilities for students of both sexes who prefer a southern climate during the winter months. There are ample buildings, separate dormitories, and a full staff of instructors for the different departments. The school year of thirty weeks begins in October and ends in May. 54. Lake Helen. Volusia County. Lat. 28° 58' N.— Long. 81° 13' W. Hotels.— iTAe Harlan Hotel, $2 to $2.50 a day. — The Granville, $7 to $10 a week. Eailroads. — The Atlantic & Western Eailroad east to New Smyrna and coast- wise steamers, west to J., T. & K. W. Ry. and St. John's River steamers. Lake Helen is essentially a resort or sanitarium. Its in- habitants are mainly Northerners, who come for the winter, preferring the air of the piney woods to that of the sea- coast. For such persons the situation is very attractive. The land is high, the surface of the lake being about sixty feet above the sea level, and the bluff where the hotel stands some thirty feet higher. The place is named after the daughter of its founder, Mr. H. A. De Land. The lake is one of a chain of similar lakes of 200 LAKE HELEN— DAYTONA. small size, but filled with pure water and of great depth. Lake Helen, it is said on good authority, has been sounded to a depth of more than two hundred feet without finding bottom. The fishing is good and the hotel has a large fleet of rowboats at the disposal of its guests without extra charge. Along the west shore of the lake are a number of handsome cottages, v/ith luxuriant flower-gardens containing all kinds of tropical and semi-tropical plants that grow and blossom in the open air all the year round. The facilities for house- keej)ing are exceptionally good, as there is a large vegetable garden connected with the hotel, a local meat market, and stores that furnish the ordinary supplies required in this climate. 60. Daytoiia, Volusia County. - Population, 1,700.— Lat. 29'=' 10' N.— Long. 81° W. Hotels.— Ocean House, $2.50 to $3 a diO^Y.— Palmetto Hotel, $2 to $2.50 a day. Eailroads and Steamboats.— St. John and Halifax Eiver Railway, to Pa- latka. Steamboats to Lagoon landings, Titusville, and Kockledge. From Palatka to Daytona is 57 miles (3 hours 25 minutes). The general direction of the railroad is southeast, passing from Putnam to St. John's County at Yelvington, crossing the latter and entering Volusia County a mile south of Bulow (see pp. 80, 82, 94). After crossing the bridge at Palatka the famous Hart orange grove may be seen to the south of the track. Leaving the hammocks and rolling pine lands that border the St. John's Kiver, the country becomes low and the track runs for miles across the head of a great cy- press swamp that extends far down into Volusia County. Beyond this the country becomes flat and at length opens out into prairies, which give way again to wonderfully rich hammock ridges along the coast. The Tomoka River is crossed near a station of that name. The town of Daytona stretches for two miles along the west bank of Halifax Biver, a salt water lagoon about three- fourths of a mile wide. It has streets pleasantly shaded with live oaks and palmettos, including unusually fine speci- mens of both. The hammock ridge on which the town stands averages two miles wide and extends for 60 miles DAYTONA. 201 down the coast. It is covered with a dense growth of hard wood, inchiding wdld orange-trees, many of which have been grafted and brought under cultivation. Among the notable groves of the vicinity are the Higby, Blake, Wilder, and Handy groves, the last named being a young grove while the others are largely grafted on wild stock. To Holli/ Hill, three miles north of Daytona, is a good road bordered with palms, and, for the greater part of the distance, within sight of the water. Silver Beach. The peninsula that se^^arates Halifax Eiver from the ocean rises to a considerable height opposite Day- tona and for some m,iles to the northward. On the landward side of this ridge are some of the most charming places in Florida. Sheltered from the direct force of the ocean winds, the gardens and plantations are remarkably luxuriant and produce the more delicate varieties of troj)ical fruits and flowers in abundance. There are several jDrivate residences at Silver Beach, where a system of subirrigation has been introduced with remarkable results, notably in the grounds of Mr. Clark Marsh. Drives. Many of the roads about Daytona are exception- ally good, especially along the shore where shells have been available for mixing with the soil. By far the finest drive is along the ocean beach in either direction. At low tide an expanse of sand several hundred feet wide is laid bare. Level and hard as a floor, no finer driveway can be im- agined. Bridges cross Halifax Eiver at Daytona and Or- mond, so that the route can be conveniently varied. For beach drives the time of the tide should always be con- sidered, as the sand is very heavy above high water mark. Extended excursions up the beach, twenty -six miles to Ma- tanzas Inlet (see p. 178), or southward to Mosquito Inlet, twelve miles (see p. 207), are quite practicable. At Mosquito Inlet there are good hotels, but there is none within easy reach at Matanzas, so that a good store of provisions and a supply of freshwater should be taken if the longer excursion is attemjDted. On the main land there are exceptionally good roads southward to and beyond New Smyrna. 202 ORMOND. 61. Ormond, Volusia County. Six miles north of Daytona (see above). Population, 300. Hotel.— TAe Ormond, $4 a day. A fine bridge spans Halifax Eiver at this point, and a tram- way crosses it extending to the ocean beach at one end and to the St. J. & H. E. Eailway at the other. Cars run at half hour intervals, connecting with all passenger trains. The Ormond Hotel has a large and completely appointed annex on the ocean beach, so that guests can choose between the magnificent ocean view or the more sheltered outlook across the lagoon. The distance between the two houses is nearly a mile, but inter-communication is easy by tramway or car- riage road. Tomoka River is a tributary of the Halifax, following a northerly course nearly parallel to it, and navigable for ca- noes and small boats for about twelve miles. The Tomokas were a powerful Indian tribe during the early years of Span- ish occupation. A catechism in their language was prepared by the Jesuit missionaries and published about 1613. For other excursions in the vicinity of Ormond see Eoute 60. 62. Halifax River. This lagoon, or tidal river, has a total length of about twenty-five miles from its head to Mosquito Inlet. Its gen- eral course is parallel to the ocean, from which it is sepa- rated by a narrow strip of land, partly hammock and partly the ordinary beach growth of saw palmetto. For the first six miles north of the inlet the river is bordered by marshes, and is from two hundred to four hun- dred yards wide, with at least eight feet of water in the channel. Thence for fourteen miles it widens to about three- quarters of a mile, with a channel depth of three to eight feet. Above this it narrows again, and for a distance of four miles is known as Halifax Creek. The headwaters consist of two branches, Smith's Creek closely following the beach, and Bulow's Creek turning more to the westward and rising in Graham's Swamp. There are bridges at Daytona and ORMOND— NEW SMYRNA. 203 Ormond, respectively twelve and eighteen miles from the inlet. Just north of the inlet is a wide stretch of marsh, inter- sected by narrow creeks that connect to the westward with shallow bodies of water known as Eose, Strickland, and Turnbull Bays. Steamboats of light draught run regularly through Halifax Biver, leaving Daytona in the morning on alternate days, touching at Blake, Port Orange, Ponce Park, and other land- ings, and continuing down Hillsborough and Indian Eivers as far as Eockledge. Eailroad connections at Daytona, New Smyrna, and Titusville. 63. New Smyrna. Volusia County. Hotel. — Ocean House, $3 a day. Railroad. — The Atlantic and Western (see p. 97). Steamboats on Halifax and Hillsborough Eivers. New Smyrna is one of the oldest settlements in Florida. Shell-mounds and barbaric implements are found, proving its early occupation by Indians, and there are numerous ancient ruins, probably of Spanish construction, but concern- ing which nothing definite is known. Authentic history begins in 1767, when a certain Dr. Andrew Turnbull, an English gentleman of fortune, entered upon the gigantic task of draining the low hammocks back of New Smyrna, and making them fit for cultivation. He had satisfied himself of the wonderful richness of this tract, and preliminary surveys had proved the possibilities of drain- age. This was four years after the cession of Florida to Great Britain, and the English were fast learning that they need not depend on provision ships for the necessaries of life. ' Turnbull procured a grant of sixty thousand acres from the Governor on condition that certain improvements should be made within a specified time. He then sailed to the Mediterranean, and secured permission from the authorities to transport to Florida a large number of Greek families. For this permit he paid £400. Most of the Greeks were 20J: NEW SMYRNA. from the Peloponnesus. The number was further recruited from the Balearic Isles, and in the end some fifteen hundred persons, men, women, and children, emigrated under his leadership. On his part free transportation, with good pro- visions and clothing were guaranteed. If any were dis- satisfied at the end of six months they were to be sent home, but those who remained and worked for three years were to receive fifty acres of land for each family, and twenty-five acres for each child. The voyage proved long, and many died on the passage, but the survivors began work with good courage, built palmetto huts for the approaching winter, and planted crops that yielded full returns in early spring. As soon as it was certain that the colony was secure against hunger, Turnbull j)lauted indigo. In 1772, about three thousand acres were under cultivation, and the net value of the crop was £3,174. Success seemed assured, but for some reason the manage- ment of affairs was left to agents, who inaugurated a sys- tem of oppression that soon became absolute slavery with all its revolting features. By 1776 only six hundred of the colonists were left. In the summer of that year a j)arty of Englishmen from St. Augustine visited New Smyrna to see the improvements, and, while conversing among themselves, their comments on the state of affairs were overheard by a bright Minorcan boy, who immediately told his mother what he had heard. Secret meetings were held, and a plan was concocted whereby a party of three of the bolder spirits were granted leave of absence to catch turtle. Instead of going south, however, they started up the coast, swam Matanzas Inlet, and reaching St. Augustine appealed to Governor Tonyn for protection, which was promised. The envoys re- turned to New Smyrna with the tidings of release. A leader was chosen, Pallicier by name, and under his direction the able-bodied men provided themselves with wooden spears, rations were packed for three days, and with the women and children in the centre the six hundred began their march. So secretly was all this managed that they had proceeded several miles before their departure was discovered. No at- tempt at forcible restraint was made, though it is said that NEW SMYRNA. 205 Turnball liimself waylaid them before they reached St. Au- gustine, and endeavored to persuade them to return. They marched on, however, and reported to the Governor, who ordered provisions for them, and organized a court for the trial of their cause, the Attorney-General of the Province, Younge by name, appearing as their counsel. Turnbull failed to, establish any further claim upon their services, and they were assured of personal liberty. Lands were assigned them, and they soon became an influential element of the population in St. Augustine. Some of their descendants are still to be found in the neighborhood of New Smyrna, whither they returned after they became assured that there was no danger of re-enslavement. The canals, half -overgrown trenches, and crumbling ruins of stone buildings are all that now remain of Turnbull's en- terprise, but they are beginning to play their part in the new agricultural undertakings of the day. No doubt the whole elaborate system of drainage will sooner or later again be utilized. After the Minorcan revolt New Smyrna was abandoned for nearly a generation. In 1803, however, a few x^ioneers came back, and by 1835 some degree of prosj^erity had returned. Then came the Seminole War and the little settlement was nearly exterminated by successive raids. After peace was restored the survivors found their way back, rebuilt their houses, and for twenty years were undisturbed. With the outbreak of the Civil War Mosquito Inlet of- fered a tempting haven for blockade -runners, and it became necessary to break up the rendezvous. Two United States gunboats, the Penguin and the Henry Andrew, reached the inlet on March 20, 1862. The last named vessel, being of light draft, crossed the bar. On the 22d a boat expedition, with 43 men, was sent down to Mosquito Lagoon to recon- noitre. They went down eighteen miles, passing New Smyrna unmolested, but on their return the leading boat was fired into from an earthwork near the town, which from previous examination was supposed to be abandoned. Lieu- tenant Budd of the Penguin and Master Mather of the An- drew were killed, and in the engagement that followed thir- 206 NEW SMYRNA. teen others were killed or wounded. The survivors took to cover on shore and rejoined their ships after night had fallen. Of course summary vengeance was taken for this attack, and all buildings, wharves, and the like, that could be of service to blockade-runners were destroyed. New Smyrna is a favorite resort for sportsmen. The pro- prietor of the hotel, Captain Sams, is familiar with the whole region and is always ready either to accompany his guests himself on hunting expeditions or to furnish compe- tent guides, boats, and equipments. Large and small game of all kinds is to be found in the woods and savannahs of the mainland, and water-fowl frequent the marshy islands that border the lagoons. The best of salt-water fish are caught from the wharves or in the channel, especially in the vicinity of Mosquito Inlet, four miles distant (see p. 207). A few rods south of the hotel is one of the drainage canals cut by Turnbull's engineers. On the other side, north of the hotel, is a fine shell-mound, on which Turnbull built his " castle " which is said to have been a solid structure cap- able of good defence. The house that now occupies the mound is built over the old cellars. South of the railroad are other ruins, the remains of an old stone wharf, an old burial-ground, and other evidences of long-forgotten habi- tations. Farther back from the shore are ruined sugar-mills, indigo-vats, and a network of admirably planned and con- structed drainage works. In this direction an excellent road continues to Hawks Park (2 miles), a beautifully situ- ated town with pretty houses, a fine reach of river and easy access to an ocean beach that has not a break for 130 miles. Four miles north of the town, on a fine shell-mound, are the walls of an old coquina house, still in excellent preser- vation. It is called '' The Eock House," but nothing what- ever is known of its origin. It is said to have antedated the Turnbull period. Two or three times it has been re- paired and occupied, but as often has been destroyed by war or accident. It is a picturesque little ruin, commanding a fine outlook to seaward. The road lies through a magnifi- cent forest. Beyond the " Eock House " the road continues several miles to a point overlooking Turnbull Bay, where PONCE PARK AND MOSQUITO INLET. 207 luncheon can usually be procured at a house near by. It is not a public house, however, and such accommodation is by courtesy. 64. Ponce Park and Mosquito Inlet, Volusia County. Lat. 29° 4' 49'^ N.— Long. 80° 55^33" W. PacetWs Hotel, $2 a day. Steamboats, on alternate days, north to Daytona and south to New Smyrna and Titusville, at all which points are railroad connections. The coast from Matanzas Inlet (see p. 178) to Mosquito Inlet, forty-eight miles, is a repetition of that to the northward. A continuous beach of hard, white sand, with deep water half a mile to seaward. The general trend of the coast is south by east, curving slightly inward, and the woods from inlet to inlet on the mainland are seemingly unbroken. About three miles north of Mosquito Inlet there is a conspicuous green hill forty feet high, and there are numerous sand-hills in the vicinity twenty feet high. Conspicuous bluffs lie also to the southward of the inlet. The break in the beach is half a mile wide with a channel two hundred yards wide and five to ten feet of water at low tide. The main rise and fall of the tide is about two feet four inches. The sand-bars shift rap- idly according to wind and tide, and the entrance is dan- gerous without a local pilot. The lighthouse is a red brick tower surmounted by a black lantern 160 feet above the sea. It shows a white fixed light of the first order, visible eigh- teen miles at sea. This tower was finished in 1887 and will well repay a visit, for all its appointments are of the most approved type. A flight of 218 steps leads to the lantern. The walls are twelve feet thick at the base. From the gal- lery at the top a strange and impressive view may be ob- tained of the inlet and the surrounding wilderness of sea and shore. The lighthouse is open to visitors at all hours when the keepers are not on duty. The exact latitude and longitude of the tower are given at the head of this article. Ponce Park is the lawful name of the hamlet half a mile north of the light tower. It is a noted resort for fishermen, as the neighboring waters abound with sheepshead, bass, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and the other salt-water varie- 208 PONCE PARK AND MOSQUITO INLET. "* ties. The hotel is adequate for the needs of sportsmen. The walks in the vicinity are limited to the beaches and to a few trails cut through the scrub to the ocean. From the hotel south to the inlet (one mile) is an easy w^alk and the mag- nificent ocean beach may be followed thence as far as de- sired. Some of the trails leading from the beach to the lighthouse and hotel are vely difficult, and should not be at- tempted except by good walkers. The ocean beach is very fascinating with its rare and curious shells and its endless perspective of sand and surf. It is in perfect condition for driving during several hours between tides every day. For extended excursions boats are the only available ve- hicles, and of these there is a good supply at the hotel. The lagoons north and south, the beach beyond the Inlet, and the intricate channels leading into Turnbull Bay are all open to the boatman, and full of attractions for gunners, fishermen, and tourists. Hillsborough River extends southward from Mosquito Inlet tliirty-six miles, to the head of 'Indian River. The first few miles are bordered by bluffs on the south or sea- ward side and marshes on the north. The channel is quite deep, vessels drawing ten feet ascend to New Smyrna (see p. 203), but the shallows are intricate and shifting. Through this part of the river the tide runs swiftly. South of Smyrna the river is nearly parallel to the beach. The divid- ing strip of land is often high and wooded, with occasional settlements. The mid section of the river is much cut up and obstructed by mangrove islands, and the channels are intricate, but the main passage has been well marked by bea- cons maintained by the canal company. In some jplaces the water is ten feet deep, but only four feet can be carried through. Turtle Mound, ten miles south of Mosquito Inlet, is the only conspicuous natural landmark on this part of the coast. It is so called from its fancied resemblance to a sea-turtle, the central mound representing the shell, and two flanking mounds the flippers. Seen from the summit of the mound, the resemblance is quite apparent, but it is probably acci- dental. The mound is about fortv feet high. The north PONCE PARK AND MOSQUITO INLET. 209 side is quite precipitous, showing the shell strata with occa- sional evidences of fires, and, rarely, some rude Indian relic. An excavation was made by explorers in the summit of the inound many years ago, but nothing of especial interest was discovered. The lower or southern reach, Hillsborough River, is twenty miles long with an average width of about tw^o miles. A narrow strip of sand, often not more than two hundred yards wide, separates it from the beach. The depth is four and one-half to five feet. About twelve miles from its junction with Halifax River it overlaps the head of Indian River, being divided from it on the west by a ridge of limestone rock, generally about one thousand yards wide. A canal has been cut through the ridge seven hundred and fifty yards long and fifty feet wide, and through this the boats of the Indian River Steamboat Company now pass regularly to and from the Indian River. Below the Haulover Canal the land separating Halifax and Indian Rivers broadens into a large tract known as Merritt's Island, though it is in reality two islands separated by Banana River (see map of Brevard County, p. 9) . Towns and landings on Halifax River, Hillsborough River, and Mosquito Lagoon are as follows : Miles. | Miles. Tomoka ' New Smyrna 5 OrmoBd 6 i Hawks Park 3 Holly Hill 3 ! Oak Hill, ) .^.^ Daytona 3 Eldora (East bank)/ ■^"•^ Blake 3 I Shiloh 5 Port Orange 3 i Haulover 6 Ponce Park (Mosquito Inlet) 5 j Titusville 12 210 THE INDIAN RIVER. 70. The Indian River. See map of Brevard County, p. 9. The direct route from Jacksonville to the head of the river is by J„ T. & K. W. Ey., one hundred and fifty-nine miles, to Titusville (5 hom's 50 minutes). This may be varied by going to Daytona and thence by boat southward. Boats leave Daytona on alternate days, or by rail to New Smyrna, and thence by boat as above (see p. 209). Indian Kiver is in many respects the most remarkable and interesting watercourse in Florida. Connected through in- lets with the Atlantic Ocean, and more or less affected by its tides, it retains many of the characteristics of a freshwater stream, owing to the numerous tributaries that join it from the great natural reservoirs of the mainland. From its head, twelve miles north of Titusville, to its southern extremity at Jupiter Inlet, Indian Eiver is one hun- dred and forty-two miles long, and so straight that water and sky seem to meet, as at sea, when one looks north or south along the river. The width varies from one hundred feet in the Narrows, to three miles or more at the widest part. The head of the river is divided opposite Cape Canaveral by a broad tract called Merritt's Island. The eastern branch is Banana River, and this again has a branch called Banana Creek, dividing the Island opposite Titusville (see map of Brevard County). Banana Eiver has five to six feet of water ; Banana Creek two to three feet. Indian River com- municates with the sea through two inlets, namely, Indian River Inlet, sixty miles south of Cape Canaveral, and Jupiter Inlet at its southern end. The first named has about four and one-half feet at high water, and the other about five feet. Cape Canaveral (pronounced Can-av'-eral) is a peculiar sharp outstanding angle of the coast, j)rojecting about eight miles beyond the general trend of the beach. To the north and south the coast line is south-southeast. A glance at the map immediately suggests the idea that Merritt's Island was once the cape, and that slow geological upheaval raised it to its present altitude, while the present cape was thrown up by the sea to take its place as a breakwater. The general outlines are almost identical. The cape is a triangular tract of bare sea sand, partially covered with scrub, desolate be- THE INDIAN RIVER. 211 yond expression, but a fine ocean view and an outlook over the strange landward prospect may be obtained from the tower. The mainland is largely shut off by the compara- tively high ridges of Merritt's Island, but the whole course of Banana River can be followed. The lighthouse tower stands on the northeast pitch of the cape, in latitude 28" 27' 37" N., Long. 80° 31' 31" W. The tower is 139 feet high, and shows a white flash light of the first order every sixty seconds, visible 17f nautical miles. The tower is painted black and white in horizontal bands. A light was first established here in 1847, and the old tower still remains as a landmark. The present tower was built in 1868. An automatic whistling buoy is anchored 6f miles off the cape to warn vessels of dangerous outlying shoals when the light cannot be seen. In 1887 the sea encroached 129 feet on the tower, and Congress made an appropriation to construct a revetment for its protection. At the outbreak of the Civil War the lightkeeper, Captain Burnham, who had been long in the service of the Govern- ment, learned that a project was on foot to seize and destroy the costly Fresnel lantern and its machinery. Burnham was in sympathy with the cause of secession, but he was never- theless faithful to his trust, and baffled all attempts of the Confederates to capture the lantern and its belongings. Six miles north of the cape are the remains of an old re- doubt, evidently the work of Europeans. It is not improb- able that this may have been the fort erected by the sur- vivors of Eibaut's expedition who refused to surrender to the Spaniards at Matanzas (see p. 178). The sea-coast from Mosquito Inlet to False Cape is formed by the narrow strips of land that separate the inland la- goons from the ocean, everywhere is a stretch of beach backed by scrub and a forest of pines with an occasional hammock island or shell mound. The three-fathom line is in some places only a third of a mile from the beach. Between False Cape and Cape Canaveral there are dangerous outlying shoals, with a good depth near the beach. The boats of the Indian Biver Steamboat Company leave Titusville every morning for Jupiter and intermediate land- 212 THE INDIAN RIVER. ings. The conditions of navigation are such and the length of the trip so great that it cannot be accomplished wholly by daylight, but the boats are commodious and well equipped in all respects, with comfortable state-rooms and an excel- lent table. The whole trip is interesting to the tourist for its novelty. On the one hand is a narrow strip of beach across which, at intervals, one may see the masts of southward bound steam- ers, keeping close in shore to avoid the Gulf Stream ; on the other are occasional settlements with the unbroken forest between, and beyond them a wilderness that has never yet been thoroughly explored. On the broad reaches of the river are countless flocks of ducks and geese, and overhead are hundreds of unfamiliar birds. The navigation of the narrows is always entertaining. The boats are built with special reference to short turns, and as they push their way through the crooked channels, the mangroves brush along the guards, and some new surprise awaits the spectator at every turn. The water is usually highly phosphorescent at night, and wonderful displays of nature's fireworks may be seen as the boat passes through flocks of ducks or over schools of mullet and the other fish with which these waters abound. At times the surface, for a hundred feet or more on either side of the bow, is crossed and recrossed by an in- tricate embroidery pattern traced in lines of soft yet bril- liant light. The last part of the trip to the southward is necessarily jDerformed by night, but on the return trip this part of the journey is made by daylight, so that, going or returning, there is an opportunity to see the whole river. The western shore is the home of the famous Indian Biver orange, and in the vicinity of the settlements cul- tivated groves have replaced the dense natural growth. In most cases a screen of palmettos or other forest trees has been left to protect the oranges from the easterly winds, which, coming direct from the ocean, are often injurious. For this reason few groves are to be seen from passing steamers, but during the shipping season the boats are heav- ily freighted with crates of the finest fruit. THE INDIAN RIVER -TIT US VILLE. 213 Farther south pineapples become an important item of comnierce, and the bhiflfs near Eden are covered with acres of this curious plant. One of the most enjoyable features of the trip is the gradual change noted in the vegetation, which as- sumes more and more the subtropical characteristics until at Jupiter a fine specimen of the cocoa-palm is seen in full bearing. 71. Titusyille, Brevard County. Population, 1,000.— Lat. 28° 35' N.— Long. 80° 40' W. Hotels.— Jwdmw River Hotel, $1.50 to $2.50 a day, $6 to $10 a week.— Grand View Hotel, same rates. Eailroad.— Indian River Division J., T. & K. W. system to Enterprise Junction. For stations and distances see pp. 11 and 97. Steamboats. — The Indian Kiver Steamboat Companj^ Daily boats to Jupiter. Boats on alternate days to Daytona and intermediate landings. Saddle-horses, 25c. an hour, $2 a day. Rowhoats, 25c. an hour, $2 a day. Sailboats, $2 to $10 a day. Guides, $1 to $5 a day. Titusville is the county town, with a bank, stores, and con- siderable business interests. It affords a good head-quarters for tourists or sportsmen desiring to engage boats for long hunting and fishing expeditions. In the immediate vicin- ity are Cape Canaveral and the creeks, rivers, and ponds in- tersecting Merritt's Island, the beaches, the Haulover Canal, with the Dummitt orange grove, and the shores of Indian River in either direction. Titusville was formerly called Sand Point. It was founded by one Colonel Titus, a leader in the Kansas Crusade of 1855 -1856, and a pioneer in this region, who was for many years the autocrat of the settlement. 214 ROCKLEDGE. 72. Rockledge, Brevard County. Population, 300.— Lat. 28° 18' N.— Long. 80° 38' W. Hotels. — Indian River Hotel, $4 a day, — New Rockledge, $2.50 a day. — Tropi- cal House, $3 a day. Good board at $12 a week. Churches, Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian. Guide, C. E. Cook. Special terms must be made. Mo^vboats, $2.50 a day. Sailboats, $4 a day. The appropriateness of the name Rockledge is evident as soon as the steamer draws near the shore. For three or four miles an abrupt dyke of coralline rock rises along the water- side to a height of from six to twelve feet. Along the crest of the ridge, sheltered from the ocean winds by a fine growth of palms and live oaks, is the town of Rockledge, with nu- merous handsome houses, many of them designed for the winter residences of Northern visitors, several good hotels, and a general air of comfort and prosperity that cannot fail to prove attractive. An excellent roadway, suitable for pleasure driving, extends for several miles along the water- side. The river is here about a mile and a half wide, the oppo- site shore being the southern point of Merritt's Island. Be- yond this is the wide Banana River, separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of sandy beach. The river in both directions offers numerous attractions for hunters, fishermen, and picnic parties. Three miles west of Rockledge is Lake Poinsett, to the shores of which there is a practicable road. Boats are some- times hauled across. The fishing in the lake is said to be exceptionally good, and game of all kinds is to be found along the borders of the savannahs. MELBOURNE. 215 73. Melbourne, Brevard County. Population, 200.— Lat, 28° 5' N.— Long. 80° 30' W. Hotels.— Car ?e tow, Goode Home, Idlewild Cottage, Riverside, $1.50 to $2 a day, $7 and upward by the week. Steamboats.— Indian River Steamboat Co., daily, north to Titusville, south to Jupiter. C^wrc^«s.— Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian. At this point the Eiver is two miles across and the penin- sula half a mile wide, with a tramway to the ocean beach, where are facilities for bathing. The trip across the river is made by steam feriy or by small boats, and is the favorite short excursion for visitors. Not far distant is the Govern- ment House of Eefuge provided for the relief of shipwrecked mariners. There are no roads suitable for driving in this neighbor- hood. All locomotion must needs be effected on foot or by water. The mouth of Banana Eiver is about six miles north of Melbourne. The town of Tropic, with a hotel where meals or lodging may be had, is on the point between the two rivers. It is an all-day excursion by steam launch to Canaveral near the head of Banana Eiver. A difficult trail leads westward about seven miles through hammocks and swamps to Lake Washington, one of the sources of the St. John's Eiver. All kinds of game are to be found in the vicinity of Melbourne. There are no professional guides, but it is always possible to secure the services of a hunter familiar with the region. Special bargains are made accord- ing to services required. 216 JUPITER INLET. 74. Jupiter Inlet, Dade County. Lat. 26° 56' 54" N.— Long. 80° 4' 48" W. Hotel. — The Chattahoochee (a large river steamboat moored to the wharf and adapted to this use), $3 a day. Steamboats. — Indian River Steamboat Company, daily to Titusville. Railroad.— J \xpiter & Lake Worth Railroad, 8 miles south to Juno. Boats. — ^Naphtha launch and rowboats for hire at hotel at reasonable rates. Jupiter Inlet marks the southern extremity of the long series of rivers or lagoons that skirt the coast of Florida in an almost unbroken chain. The opening is about one-eighth of a mile wide with three feet depth at mean low water. The tide runs swiftly at the ebb and flow, fresh or salt water pre- ponderating according to the stage of the water in the ever- glades and the considerable streams that here make down from the interior. The inlet widens just within the beach, and there is good and secure anchorage for small vessels in- side the north point. The large steamboat that does excellent duty as a hotel is moored about a mile from the inlet, and nearly opposite the mouth of Jupiter Sound, as the lower reach of the river is called. From the upper deck there is a good view of the in- let and the neighboring waters. No one capable of mounting the stairs should fail to cross over to the lighthouse and enjoy the impressive view of ocean, river, forest, and prairie that spreads map-like to the horizon in all directions. The tower stands on a high blulBf west of the mouth of the sound, it is 94 feet high from base to centre of lantern. The total height above the sea-level is 146 feet. The light is of the first order, showing a fixed white light varied by a white flash every ninety seconds. It is visible 20 miles. Cape Canaveral, 147 miles nearly north, and the lighthouse on Fowey Kocks, 94 miles nearly south, are the nearest neigh- bors of this lonely tower, which was established here in 1860 and save during the four years of civil war has not failed. From the lantern gallery one may see, in clear weather, more than forty miles up and down the coast, and across the intervening forest nearly to the shores of Lake Okeecho- bee. To the northward may be traced the courses of Ju- piter Sound, North Fork, and Northwest Fork, while to the JUPITER INLET. 217 southward are Southwest Fork, and Lake Worth Creek. All these streams are easily navigable for many miles, are literally alive with fish, and receive numerous tributaries which can be ascended in canoes or small boats into the heart of the wilderness. Lake Worth Creek is navigable with a short carry to the lake, but it is almost impossible to find the right channel without a guide. As a rule all the streams in this region become very crooked near their sources, and the various channels are so often involved that the explorer should not forget to mark the different openings wherever the current fails to indicate the true course. Tliere is no better fishing on the coast than is found at Jupiter Inlet. Bluefish, bass, pompano, cavaille, runners, ladyfish, sheepshead, and other varieties are taken with the rod. Tarpon are found here, but will rarely take bait be- fore May or June. Sharks abound at the inlet and may be caught with suitable tackle in the channel or from the steamboat wharf. Panthers and wild cats still iDrowl about the settlement at night, and bears frequent the hammocks and islands along the water-courses. Deer and turkeys are pretty well hunted off by the Indians, who range as far north as this from their haunts in the everglades, but with the aid of guides good sport may be had hj hunters who are not afraid of hard work. The lighthouse settlement includes a signal station, with a complete outfit of instruments. It is the duty of the ser- geant in charge to transmit to Washington daily weather re- ports, and as this station is the most southerly on the Atlan- tic coast his warnings of cyclonic storms are often of great importance. He also signals passing vessels and reports them for the benefit of merchants. A Government telegraph line runs from this point to Titusville, so that there is easy communication with the North. Jupiter may be regarded as the northern limit of the cocoa palm. A fine large tree in full bearing stands at the foot of the bluff below the lighthouse. A few miles farther north, on the east side of Jupiter Sound, there is a thriving group of young trees, but north of this latitude their existence is somewhat precarious. 218 JUPITER INLET. Whence Jupiter derived its name is not certainly known. It was occupied as a military post during the Indian war, and two considerable engagements occurred, one on " Jupiter Creek," on January 15, 1838, and the other near the inlet, on January 24th of the same year. A large number of Ind- ians were captured at that time by the United States forces. Aside from the lightkeepers' families, the life-saving crew, and the employees about the hotel and wharf, few inhabi- tants are discoverable. There is, however, a sparse popula- tion in the vicinity, and now and then an Indian or a hunter finds his way to the landing with game or in search of sup- plies. The manatee or sea-cow is still found in this vicinity, though he must be regarded as nearly extinct. Inasmuch as this curious amphibian is perfectly harmless, and since his carcass is neither useful nor ornamental, it is hoped that persons with firearms will deny themselves the pleasure of shedding his blood. Pelicans, too, are far more interesting alive than dead. They readily become quite tame if not molested, and, since they cannot be regarded as game birds, all true sportsmen should oppose their indiscrimi- nate slaughter. An expedition in a small boat after dark is very enjoyable, and often exciting, from the multitudes of fish that dash against the boat, and sometimes leap over or into it in frantic efibrts to escape from their pursuers. A lantern shown at a favorable moment will sometimes bring mullet flying into the boat by dozens. It is interesting to stand on the upper deck of the Chatta- hoochee and watch the revolving rays of the lighthouse as they touch different points of sea and shore, here penetrat- ing a dark nook among the mangroves and there lighting up a stretch of beach, with white breakers on the bar. With a powerful field-glass one may see strange sights as the rays search out bird, beast, or fish, under the fancied security of darkness. Except in very calm weather small boats should not go outside the inlet. The tide sets outward furiously, and no one not perfectly familiar with the management of boats JUPITER INLET. 219 should venture near the narrow channel. The outer breakers are very deceptive. Often when tliey look quite harmless from the beach they will be found very formidable when near at hand. To be upset or swamped with the tide run- ning ebb is a perilous mishap. One mile south of the inlet is the United States Life Sav- ing Station. The walk to it is not difficult, either along the beach or across the point. In either case turn to the left after leaving the wharf and follow the road past the post- office. Thence a foot-path leads along the shore of the in- let, sometimes at the waterside, and sometimes among the trees, to the ocean beach, where the station will be seen about one mile to the right. If the old trail to Lake Worth be followed it will be found to lead southward through a low growth of scrub and cedars. A walk of twenty minutes will bring the station in sight to the eastward. A trail has been cleared to the road nearly opposite the station. There is no danger of losing one's bearings anywhere be- tween the railroad and the ocean, for the sound of the surf is a sure guide, and both beach and railroad track lead directly to the hotel. The Life Saving Station was estab- lished in 1885. Seven men are continually on duty, and, though no wrecks have occurred since the house was built, coasting craft often come to grief at the inlet and require as- sistance. There are weekly drills in all the operations of the wrecking service, launching the boat through the surf, gun- practice, signalling, etc. It is always interesting to witness these exercises, often involving skilled handling of the life- boat in heavy rollers. The beach on either side of the inlet is strewn with sun- cured sponges, sea-beans, cocoanuts, and a hundred strange forms of animal and vegetable life swept up from the coral reefs by the Gulf Stream, whose dark waters may often be seen a few miles off shore. Mangroves, aloes, gum alimbo, sea-grapes, and here and there a cocoa palm, are among the wild growths that are found along these beaches and wooded knolls. Here the mangrove assumes its subtropical vigor, and it may afford amusement to athletes to penetrate a man- grove swamp by walking and climbing from root to root for 220 JUPITER INLET. a few hiindred yards. Along the shore of the bight that makes in to the south of the inlet sand has drifted among the mangroves, and there is good walking in all directions. It is worth a visit to study close at hand the picturesque and uncanny shapes assumed by this strange tree that is con- stantly encroaching on the sea, filling up inlets and making islands that eventually become a part of the continent. The outer ocean beach, or peninsula, from Cape Canaveral southward, varies in width from a few hundred feet to a mile or more. Sometimes it is barren and sometimes covered with a fine forest growth of pine or hardwood. At intervals different inlets open or close according to some law depend- ent on shifting currents, and on the amount of rainfall in the interior. At different times within the present century inlets have existed at Indian River Inlet, St. Lucie Rocks, and Gilbert's Bar, but for several years they have all been closed. During the summer of 1889 Indian River Inlet re- opened and a channel formed with three feet of water at low tide. At intervals along the beach are houses of refuge, estab- lished by the United States Government for the relief of shipwrecked mariners. These differ from life-saving stations in that no full crew is permanently on duty. A keeper is always at hand, and an ample supply of provisions is kept in store. Each station has a lifeboat, which in case of need can be manned by a volunteer crew. On the Indian River beach there are such houses at Chester Shoal, one mile and a half north of False Cape ; at Cape Malabar ; at Bethel Creek, ten miles north of Indian River Inlet ; at a point Just south of Indian River Inlet, and at Gilbert's Bar. At intervals of a mile along the beach signboards are set up giving the distance and direction of the nearest house of re- fuge. Regular life-saving stations are hardly necessary along this beach, as vessels usually take the ground in such a way that with the exercise of ordinary seamanship no lives need be lost. Food and drink, however, are not readily to be found, and the houses of refuge often afford needed relief. The following is a list of landings and distances on the Indian River. The steamboats touch only on signal at JUPITER INLET. 221 many of the places named. W. indicates the west bank or mainland. Distances going south on the right, north on the left. 154 Titusville, W 142 Hardeeville, W 12 140 Courtney (Merritt's Island) 14 139 Faber's, W 15 137 Sharp's (Merritt's Island) 17 - 136 City Point, W 18 132 Merritt (Merritt's Island) 22 130 Cocoa, W 24 129 Hardee's, W 25 128 Eockledge, W 26 126 Paxton's, W 28 125 MagriTder's 29 123 Georgiana (Merritt's Island) 31 121 Whitfield (Merritt's Island) 83 117 Brantley (Merritt's Island) 37 112 Tropic (Merritt's Island) 42 104 Eau Gallie, W 50 103 Melbourne, W 51 96. .. Tillman, W 58 94 Malabar, W 60 86 Micco, W 68 81 Sebastian, W 73 74 Orchid (Peninsula) 80 71 Enos (Peninsula) 83 68 Narrows (Peninsula) 86 48 St. Lucie, W 106 45 Fort Pierce, W 109 38 Aukona, W 116 31 Eden, W 123 24 Waveland, W 130 Jupiter, W 154 75. Jupiter Inlet to Lake Worth. By Jupiter & Lake Worth Railway, 8 miles (30 minutes). By boat, 10 miles from inlet to inlet. The trip from Jupiter to Lake Worth is now accomplished in a few minutes. Until the season of 1889-90 it was a tedi- ous ride of three hours over a heavy road, where the horses could rarely move faster than a walk. The ocean beach in this vicinity is not available for driving. A good walker may cover the distance between the inlets in three hours, but the sand is too heavy for enjoyable walking. The little raih'oad, with its galaxy of mythological nameaf prudently takes shelter behind the beach ridge throughout its course. Here and there through gaps in the ridge glimpses are caught of an emerald sea and snowy breakers. On the landward side there is but little to break the monotony 222 JUPITER INLET— LAKE WORTH. of saw palmetto, and beach scrub. The intermediate sta- tions of Venus and Mars passed, Little Lake Worth is pres- ently seen on the left, a small, shallow pond, connected with the larger lake by a narrow channel. The headwaters of Lake Worth Creek are about one mile to the westward, navigable for canoes and opening here and there into small lakes, but largely filled with saw- grass and lily-pads, and with nothing to distinguish the main channel from count- less branches. The outside trip is highly enjoyable in fine weather. It should not, however, be undertaken save under favorable conditions of wind and tide, as the inlets are very treacher- ous by reason of shifting sand and swift currents. With a fair wind the round trip may easily be made in a day in a sailboat, but the chances of being becalmed must always be considered. 76. Lake Worth, Dade County. By boat and rail from Titusville, 162 miles. Hotels. — Cocoanut Grove House, Palm Beach, $2.50 a day, $10 a week. — Oak- lawn House, Oaklawn, $2 to $2.50 a day, $10 to $12 a week.— jSoteZ Lake Worth, $3 a day. Like the more extensive lagoons to the northward, Lake Worth is a long, narrow body of water, separated from the sea by a ridge of hammock, sand, and savannah, and with a shallow inlet through which the ocean tides ebb and flow. Beyond this lake to the southward there are no regular lines of travel. The next post-office in that direction is on Biscayne Bay, fifty miles distant, and the mail is carried once a week by a messenger, who walks the beach with the pouch on his back, and navigates the intervening inlets and creeks in canoes. Lake Worth, however, has proved very attractive to North- ern residents. The water side is lined for three miles or more with tasteful cottages and costly mansions, where Northerners who dread a severe winter may lead an almost ideal existence. The lake is twenty-two miles long, with an average width of about one mile, and a channel depth of from six to twelve LAKE WORTH. 223 feet. The inlet has about five feet of water at low tide. The temperature of Lake Worth is largely influenced by the Gulf Stream, which runs close in shore at this point, the most easterly of Florida, and here the influence of the trade winds makes itself felt in equalizing the climatic conditions. The. normal winter temperature is about 75°, falling to 50° or 60° under the influence of "northers." In its modern aspect Lake Worth dates back only to 1875, but the rich hammocks along the shores were evidently un- der civilized cultivation centuries ago. No record is known to exist of a European settlement, but the existence of canals and ruins jDoints unmistakably to a forgotten period, prob- ably of Spanish occupancy. The favored garden region of the lake is along its eastern shore, with the heavily wooded peninsula to serve as protec- tion from ocean gales, and a marvellously productive soil to foster the growth of fruits, flowers, and vegetables. All kinds of sea-fish abound in the lake ; bluefish, sea- trout, pompano, Spanish mackerel, barracuda, tarpon, and the multitudinous mullet are caught, or " grained," accord- ing to their size and habits. Government surveys have been pushed only about twelve miles to the westward. The wilderness, speedily merging into the everglades, begins al- most with the lake shore. Beyond the ridge that bounds the view to the westward is a chain of fresh- water lakes, some twelve feet higher than the sea level ; then comes the pine forest, and then the "glades." Large game is to be found throughout this region. Guides are almost indispensable for successful hunting. In January, 1879, the misfortune of the Spanish bark Providencia proved a god-send to Lake Worth. She was cast away on the coast, and her cargo of 20,000 cocoanuts distributed itself impartially for miles up and down the beach. Many thousands of the nuts were gathered and planted (laid on the ground, that is) in rows, in circles, singly, and in groups, with the result that now the cocoa palm lifts its graceful fronds above every roof, lines walks and avenues, and lends a tropical aspect to the whole settle- ment. 224 LAKE WORTH. A natnial sea-wall is formed along the sliore by the under- lying coralline rock, and some of the more wealthy residents, not satisfied with this, have added an artificial wall. No fences interru}3t the pedestrian along this charming water- side, A smooth walk, shaded and, for the most part, well- kept, tempts to extended excursions, and leads at intervals through private grounds that are marvels of beauty. Olean- ders and poncianas here are trees twenty or thirty feet high, gigantic cacti stand like sentinels on the lawns ; the hibis- cus, red, white, and yellow, lavishes its blossoms in every garden, and mangoes, guavas, limes, lemons, oranges, figs, dates, bananas, and pineapples grow wherever they are per- mitted to take root. The west shore is best adapted for pineapples, and already the shipments amount to a consid- erable item in the annual returns. From nearly every house a walk or trail leads across the peninsula to the ocean beach, where a magnificent surf comes rushing in warm from the Gulf Stream, and laden with shells and marine curiosities that tempt collectors to wander for miles along the sands in search of sea-fans, fragments of coral, Portuguese-men-of-war, sponges, sea-beans, echinse, and countless other waifs that one may often be at a loss to name. - South-bound steamers keep close along the beach to avoid the current that rushes northward at the rate of four or five miles an hour a little farther off shore. Earely a day passes that several of these fine vessels are not seen, while out in the stream northward-bound craft are speeding in the oppo- site direction with wind and tide in their favor. After an easterly gale the beach is sure to be particularly interesting, since the accumulation of curiosities and general wreckage is largely increased. The highest point on the peninsula is sixty-five feet above the sea level. The land rises somewhat near the lake, and again into a wide ridge near the ocean ; between these is a low and naturally marshy tract, which has been largely drained and utilized for the cultivation of vegetables. Strangers should not shoot alligators near the cultivated tracts, as some of them are half tame, and are preserved by LAKE WORTH. 225 the owners of the land. Elsewhere shooting is allowable. Deer are still found on the peninsula ; rabbits and various game birds abound, and there is a chance for a wildcat in the denser cover. There are five principal landings and nu- merous private landings, where the small steamers that ply on the lake stop on signal. At Juno, tlie terminus of the railroad, passengers board one of the steamers which presently starts down the lake. About one mile south, beyond a low point, is the liaulover or carry, where canoes may be hauled across one-half mile to a small pond, the source of Lake Worth Creek, navigable for small boats to Jupiter. Pelican Island is passed on the right. Formerly this was the resort of countless birds; "a roost," as it was locally called. Now it is a most attractive place, with fine live oaks, a handsome house, and well-cared-for grounds. It is, in fact, an exceptionally rich tract, guano deposits of former years adding greatly to its fertility. Oak Lawn (P.O.), six miles from Juno, with its hotel, is on the west side of the lake, a fine bluff crowned with trees rising from the waterside. It is nearly opposite the inlet, and the fishing here is probably as good as anywhere on the lake, while fine shooting is to be found within easy walking distance in any direction along shore, or among the savan- nahs and woods to the westward. Lake Worth (P.O.), eight miles from Juno, is pleasantly situated about one mile south of the inlet. Here begins the continuous line of houses that stretches along the eastern shore. Prominent among these are the residences of Charles I. Cragin, of Philadelphia, Mrs. F. Lane, of New York, and E. E. McCormick, of Denver, all of which are remarkable for the beauty of their surroundings. In general the pro- prietors are glad to have visitors enjoy their grounds, but permission should of course be asked if it is desired to in- si^ect the immediate vicinity of the houses. Palm Beach (P.O.), eight and one-half miles from Juno, is fairly embowered in cocoa palms. The hotel especially has around it a large number of fine specimens, with a large 226 LAKE WORTH. royal pionceana, "whistling trees," bung full of curious pods, and numerous other curiosities in plant life. There is a good country store a short distance north of the hotel, and charming walks, either to the beach, where there is a bath- house (key at the hotel), or along the lake shore in either direction. Figulus (P.O.), eleven miles from Juno, is on the east shore of the lake, and Hypoluxo (P.O.), sixteen miles from Juno, occupies an island, the southern end of which extends to within about one mile of the foot of the lake, where there is a " haulover " to the ocean beach, the small creek that reaches a short distance to the southward being impractica- ble even for canoes. 77. The Sea-coast South of Lake Worth. From Lake Worth Inlet south for thirty miles to Hillsboro Inlet the beach is unbroken. About half-way, however, is the Orange Grove house of refuge, where shelter, food, and water may be obtained. Five miles south of this the headwaters of Hillsboro Eiver unite a few hundred yards from the beach, forming a little lake about three feet deep. ^ One-half mile farther south is Lake Wyman, four to five feet deep, and with a connecting channel navigable for small boats to Lake Boca Eatone and the Hillsboro Eiver. - At the inlet is a branch stream from the southward that closely follows the beach for three miles, ending in a shallow lake. Eight miles south of Hillsboro Inlet is the Fort Lauderdale house of refuge, to the westward of which, about one-half mile, the headwaters of New Eiver and its tributaries offer inland passage for small boats. New Eiver Inlet is fifteen miles south of Hillsboro Inlet, the river so-called being a narrow lagoon, about five miles long, separated from the sea by a low ridge of sand and divid- ing at the head into an infinite number of tributaries and lakes with a depth of water varying from three to ten feet in the channels. The upper reaches of the river are very LAKE WORTH. 22 ^w i wild and beautiful. At this writing (1890) there are no per- manent settlers, save Indians whose camps can hardly be considered permanent. Two miles south of the house of refuge is a conspicuous group of cocoa palms on the beach. Eight miles south of New Eiver Inlet is a " haulover," where a lake known as Dumfounding Bay approaches within one-quarter of a mile of the beach. Thence to the head- waters of Biscayne Bay, about two miles, navigation is com- paratively easy for small boats, though the channel is very crooked. Biscayne Bay house of refuge is about sixteen miles south of New Eiver Inlet and eight miles north of Norris Cut the most northerly entrance to Biscayne Bay. From Lake Worth to Norris Cut the beach offers but tinsatisfactory foothold for man or beast. For near fifty miles it is uninhabited, drinkable water is very scarce, and there is little to attract the explorer except the perpetual beauty of the ocean and the navigable inland waters con- nected with Hillsboro and New River Inlets. A company of speculators a few years since planted an en- ormous number of cocoanuts along this beach with a view to the sale of building lots. The trees have been left to caro for themselves, but many of them have grown, and it is quite possible that in a few years they will materially change the aspect of the coast. 80. Sanford to Tampa Bay and Port Tampa. By South Florida Eailroad, 124 miles (5 hours 30 minutes). For stations and distances see pp. TO, 73, 79, and maps of Orange, Polk, and Hillsborough Counties. For the first forty miles, to Kissimmee, the line runs nearly south, bearing a little to the westward. Passing Win- ter Park, one of the prettiest places in Florida, and Orlando, the busy county town of one of the most prosperous coun- ties in the State, the train presently leaves the high rolling pine lands and enters upon a comparatively level tract ex- 228 LAKE WORTH. tending to the Kissimmee group of lakes. Thence curving to the westward it crosses Davenport Creek, a tributary of the Kissimmee and at Haines City enters the Polk County lake region, which drains into Charlotte Harbor. At Lake- land the train divides, part going southward to Punta Gorda (Route 81) and part westward to Tampa and Poit Tampa, there connecting with the Morgan Steamship Line, and the Plant Steamship Line to Key West, Havana, New Orleans, and Mobile, also with coastwise steamers to Mana- tee Eiver, the Pinellas Peninsula, Orange Belt Eailway, and the different Bay ports. 81. Sanford to Punta Gorda. By South Florida Eailroad and Florida Southern Kailway, 172 miles. See maps of Orange, Osceola, Polk, and De Soto Counties. To Lakeland, eighty-three miles, the course is the same as in Eoute 80. Thence the general direction is soutli, following Peace Eiver [Flumen Pads of the early map makers). Bartow, the county town (Polk County) is the most important place on the route. Fort Meade was estab- lished as a United States military post December 19, 1849, and maintained until September 20, 1857. It is now a thriving town of 400 inhabitants. Near Bowling Green is the line between Polk and De Soto Counties (see map, p. 22). A short distance south is the site of Fort Choconitka, established October 26, 1849, and abandoned July 18, 1850. Zolfo Springs is so called from the number of sulphur springs that exist in the vicinity, the prefix being presuma- bly a local phonetic abbreviation of the longer word. Charley ApopTca always attracts attention from its extraor- dinary name, which is, in fact, an unpardonable corruption from the Seminole Tsalopopkahatchee, meaning " catfish-eat- ing creek." The terminal hatchee (river or creek) was first dropped, and Tsalo-popka was finally Americanized into its present form.^ ' For this explanation the editor is indebted to Mr. E. A. Richards, of Or- lando. PUNTA GORDA. 229 The name Apopka, iDioperly Ahapopka, is found else- where in the State, often in combination with other Semi- nole terms. Arcadia became the seat of government of Polk County in November, 1889. It has a population of about two hun- dred, a new county court-house, a weekly newspaper, and a phosphate company. 82. Puilta Gorda, De Soto County. Lat. 36° 55' N.— Lonor. 82° 3' W. Hotel. — Punta Gorda., $4 a day. Railkoad.— North to Bartow, Sanford, Leesburg, etc. Ocean steamers to Key West, Havana, and New Orleans. Coastwise steamers to San Carlos Bay, Caloosahatchee River, Naples, and intermediate landings. Punta Gorda is the most southerly railroad terminus ou the Gulf coast ; a favorite stopping-place for sportsmen, tourists, and invalids, within easy reach of the most famous tarpon fishing-grounds on the coast. The Tarpon. It is only since 1885 that the tarpon [Megalops th-issoides or atlanticus) has been recognized as a game-fish. He had been known to take bait j^rior to that time, but had been landed only by accident. Otherwise he had been harpooned and occasionally taken in a seine, but his great size, strength, and agility enabled him to defy most devices for his capture. In the winter of 1880-81, Mr. S. H. Jones, of Philadelphia, killed a 170 lb. tarpon with bass tackle at Indian Eiver Inlet. Mr. W. H. Wood, of New York, was the first, however, to reduce the sport to a science by patiently studying the habits of the fish The familiar home of the tarpon is the Gulf of Mexico, and he is essentially a tropical fish. Nevertheless stray speci- mens have been found, in summer, as far north as Cape Cod, and they are certainly abundant in Biscayne Bay and, prob- ably, farther up the east coast of Florida. Tarpon may now 230 PUNTA GORDA. be accepted as the common name of the fish, though hereto- fore it has often been spelled *' tarpum," and is known along the remote coasts as "silver king," "silver fish," " grande ecaille " among French speaking Creoles, and " savanilla " on the coast of Texas. Adult specimens often exceed six feet in length, and weigh nearly or quite two hundred pounds. The tarpon is herring-like in general shape and appearance, has an enormous mouth, with shear-like sides to his jaws, large, fierce eyes, and is withal gifted with an exceptional degree of muscular energy. When alive, this great fish shades off from dark oxidized silver along the back to the most brilliant of metallic silver with gleams of gold along the sides and head. Even in death the big scales retain much of their beauty. The tarpon is only fairly good as a table fish. The coast residents, however, dry the flesh in the open air, and keep it as an article of food. Tarpon fishing is not all fun, since he does not readily take the bait. Persevering, but unlucky fishermen, have been known to sit in their boats several hours daily for weeks, and finally give up in despair, without having secured so much as a nibble. Special tackle is now made for this sport, to wit, rods of split-bamboo, seven to nine feet long, large multiplying click reels that will hold two hundred yards of (15 to 21 thread) linen line. The reel should be used with a thumb- stall or equivalent device, and a favorite hook is the 10/0 Dublin-bend Limerick, forged and ringed. How best to rig the snell is still in doubt. It must be twenty-four to twenty- eight inches long, because it will not hold unless gorged by the fish. No hook will hold in the armor-plated mouth. Wire and small chains are objectionable because sharks fre- quently take the bait, and it is desirable to have them bite the snell in two, and carry off the hook alone instead of more or less line. A solid snell is often cut by the shear-like action of the tarpon's jaw-plates. Such a snell passed through a small rubber-tube has its advocates, but many of the most successful fishermen have settled upon a snell mad& of rather loosely laid cotton cod-line, dyed some dark color, PUNTA GORDA. 231 so as to be nearly invisible wlien wet. It is difficult for the fisli to cut this with his shears, nor is he so apt to feel it be- fore fully swallowing the bait. A good tarpon rod may cost from $12 to $22 ; a reel from $5 to $35 ; two hundred yards braided linen line, say $3 ; snells, if shop made, $3 to $5 a dozen ; gaff, $4 to $10. Complete outfit, say $25 upward. The usual bait is mullet, half the fish being put upon the hook, thrown to a distance from the boat and allowed to sink to the bottom. Then there is nothing to do but wait, and put on fresh bait every hour. The tarpon feeds in shoal water, and may often be seen prowling about and stirring up the muddy bottom. When he takes the bait he must be allowed to carry off a dozen yards or so of line before strik- ing. This amount of line is usually unreeled and coiled on a thwart, so as to offer no resistance. When struck, tlie fish begins a series of leaps, striving to shake himself clear, and it is often two hours before he is so far exhausted that he can be brought alongside and gaffed. Experienced fishermen say that the protracted excitement of landing a tarpon far exceeds that afforded by the salmon, hitherto considered the king of game-fishes. The tarpon season begins in March and improves for sporting purposes as the weather grows warmer. Thus far, Charlotte Harbor, in the vicinity of Punta Kassa, has proved the best fishing-ground ; but this is probably because the habits of the game in that vicinity have been more thor- oughly studied than elsewhere. Tarpon certainly abound all along the Gulf coast, and in a lesser degree on the At- lantic coast, as far up as the St. John's Kiver. In February, 1889, the upper reaches of Biscayne Bay were alive with them, and the residents thereabout were spearing them at will. Four skilled fishermen, however, failed to induce them to bite, probably because it was too early in the sea- son. Etiquette among tarpon fishers prescribes that when a fish is hooked, boats near at hand shall up anchor and keep out of the way. 9?,9 PUNTA GORDA— WINTER PARK. The latest official tarpon record, as kept at Punta Eassa, is appended. 1839. 4:1 1 a 1— 1 4i be £ 11Q 1889. En CO 0! M 5 ! 1 Feby 28. C. A. Grymes W.W. Jacobus Thos. E. Tripler . . . Thos. J. Falls...;".; Geo. A. Frost Thos. E. Tripier-; ; ; G^o. A. Frost Franlc L. Anthony. Thos. J. Falls Thos. E. Tripler . . . Thos. J. Falls Geo. A. Frost E. Prime O. A. Mygatt Thos. B. Asten Wm. Thorne R. K. Mygatt Wm.E. Thorne.... il (.1, E. Prime 6 2 April 23. •• 23. '• 23.- " 23. •' 24. " 24. E. Prime 6 I 1 6 149 March 2. " 7. " 8. 9. 6 5 5 5 5 fi 5 6 6 .. 114 4 1 84i 10 n^\ 9 lOoi 1 76 3 77 11 132 1 U87 5^4. MU Thos. B. Asten Frank I^. Anthony, E. Prime ; 125 55 77 80 135 •• 16. " 18. " 21. " 21. " 21. iMoy 2. ! •■ 3. 6. 7. 8. 9. 9. " 10. " 11. '' 18. " 14. '• 14. " 14. '• 15. •' 15. " If). " 16. *• 16. " 16. " 16. " 17. " 17. " 17. •' 17. " 18. " 18. Thos. B. Asten E. Prime.. 6 , 5 145 5 9 i 98 6 3 115 4 i 8 i 53 " 22. " 23. " 26. " 27. • '' 29. " 30. 6 3 181 5 11 125 5 6 90 5 8 99 6 ..127 5 1 78 5 2 72 5:1 70 6 2 iWO ! 5 10il25J 6 2 139i 5 ' 5 : 93i 5 10 .109 5 ,11 108 6 ?,4'l9(i April 3. 1. 5' 6 5 6 5 5 4 5 6 6 6 5 6 6 6 5 ilOfi 9i 94 2 10.5* " 4. '* 5. " 8. 6 1 6 4 4 11 5 2 6|.. 5: 8 9 7 6 '. 4 144 141 69 85 116 93 95 147 6i 1 10^ 10^ 6i 6 92i 11<^ 9. 9. 94 •' 10. 101 •' 11. 'ifi " 12. 0. A. Mygatt R. K. Mygatt Wm. E. Thome..,. Thos. B. Asten Fi-ank L. Anthony. R. K. Mygatt E. Prime R.K. Mygatt Thos. B. Asten Frank L. Anthony. 79 •' 15. 4i 184i •' 17. 1 4 7 4 6 5 lU 120i 146+ • " 17. 5 9 105 i 5 8 95 : 5 2 61 1 6 4 134 6 1 3 116 I 6 1 130 1 " 17. 103 " 19. VrH '• 20. 158 " 20. 1?0# " 21. f|Sf '• i!2. 6 1 no 1 1 • 83. Winter Park, Orange County. Population, 600.— Lat, 28° 33' N.— Long. 81° 20' West.— Elevation, 92 feet above St. John's Eiver. Hotels.— I'^e Seminole, $4 a d.ay.— Rogers Hotel, $2 to $2.50 a day. Eailroad.— The South Florida Railroad, south to Tampa and Punta Gorda ; north to Sanford, Jacksonville, etc. Three trains daily. And to Orlando. 4 miles south. I'ramway from station to hotels. Churches. — Congregational and Episcopal. On leaving the train the traveller at once notes an air of neatness and thrift in streets, houses, and stores. The busi- ness blocks are mainly in the vicinity of the railroad station. Elsewhere are charming cottages, often overlooking one or another of the several lakes. Well-laid board walks are a pleasant relief from the deep sand often encountered, and convenient tramways and excellent livery stables afford fa- WINTER PARK. 233 cilities for those who would rather ride than walk. From the observatory of the Seminole hotel fourteen lakes are in sight, though some of them can hardly be detected by a stranger Without the aid of a local expert. The outlook, however, covers a most alluring lake region, set in a land of wooded hills often rising boldly from the waterside, here clothed with the native forest, and there showing the deep green and gold of orange groves. The largest lakes sur- rounding the town are Maitland to the north, Osceola and Virginia west and south, and Killarney east. Many of these, as well as the smaller intervening lakes, are connected by channels navigable often for launches and always for small boats, of which there is a good supply at the hotel landings. A steam launch makes two round trips daily through lakes Osceola and Virginia (fare 25c.), a very pleasant excursion. The railway to Oiiando, after passing between lakes Mizell and Virginia, skirts the north shore of the latter and turns southward, crossing a creek to Lake Sue. Then, in succession, are lakes Estelle, Rowena, Formosa, Ivanhoe, Highland, and Concord, which is within the borders of Or- lando. In the centre of the town is a public park of ten acres, surrounding the railroad station, and the general plan of streets and boulevards is excellent. Within easy driving distance is Clay Spring, across which strong swimmers strive in vain to pass, so powerful is the upward rush of water through a dark chasm in the rock. Lake ApopJca, one of the large lakes of Florida, is twelve miles to the westward, and to the eastward is a wide, un- settled region, where hunters may find the large and small game of the Florida woods. Rollins College, situated on a high bluff overlooking Lake Virginia, is open from October to May, inclusive. It has handsome and well-appointed buildings, and is designed to afford facilities for collegiate training to residents and to Northerners whose health demands a mild winter climate. Winter Park was a wilderness in 1881. It was founded and developed by Messrs. Loring A. Chase-, of Chicago, and Mr. Oliver E. Chapman, of Canton, Mass. 234 ORLANDO. 83. Orlando, Orange County (C.H.). Populatioii, 10,000. Hotels (rates by the day). — Charleston House, $3. — Magnolia House, $2.50 to $3.— Wilcox House, $8.— Windsor Hotel, $3. Kailboads. — South Florida, north to Sandford, Indian Kiver, Jacksonville, etc. ; south to Tampa and Punta Gorda. And the Tavares, Orlando & Atlantic Kailroad west to Tavares, Leesburg, etc. j^ Churches. — Eoman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal, Methodist. /JanA;s.— National Bank of Orlando. — Orlando Loan and Savings Bank. In location and topographical surroundings Orlando is identical with its more rural neighbor, Winter Park ; but as a business centre, with the county court-houses, stores, manu- factories, and the industrial activities of a rich and product- ive region, it has a distinctive and, commercially speaking, far more important life of its own. From Orlando to Winter Park is a short and pleasant ride by rail (4: miles, 25 minutes) or carriage road. To Tavares, Leesburg, and Lake Apopka, there is direct and easy com- munication by rail, and by the Orange Belt Railway to Tar- pon Springs and the Pinellas Peninsula. All kinds of sup- plies for hunting and fishing expeditions can be procured to good advantage in the city, and guides can be obtained for extended hunting expeditions toward the headwaters of the St. John's Eiver, thirty miles to the eastward. BISCAYNE BAY. 235 90. Biscayne Bay, Dade County. Lat. 25° 25' to 25" 56' N.— Long. 80° 10' W. Hotel. — Bay View, at Cocoanut Grove, $10 a week. ^oa^.— Good-sized sloop or yawl with two men, $50 a month. Sailboats $2 a day. Few good rowboats. Means of access. — Sailing vessels from Key West. If natural advantages of climate, location, and surround- ings are alone to be considered, Biscayne Bay may challenge comparison with any part of Florida. At present the only. stated means of access is by way of Key West, whence mail boats sail once a week. The trip (about one hundred and fifty miles) may be made in a day, or it may take a week. This is the only nominally " regular " passenger traffic. A; small steamer, the lola, has been advertised to run from Key West to Miami, but no details of its actual service are at hand. It is understood that the Key West and Havana steamers from New York will land freight and passengers at Cape Florida as soon as paying returns are assured. The present inaccessibility of the bay excludes it from- the list of popular resorts, and its beauties and attractions are known only to a few appreciative yachtsmen, hunters, fishermen, and winter residents. . Lying along the southeastern curve of the great peninsula, it is on the very edge of the Gulf Stream, and separated from it only by a slender line of coral reefs and islands. The trade wind blowing from the ocean keeps the day tem- perature in fair weather at an average of about 73° F. The habitable part of the mainland is a ridge of coralline rock, often not more than four or five miles wide, that separates the bay from the everglades. Through this ridge, at several different points, streams of wonderful beauty have cut channels through the rock, and all along shore there are boiling springs of greater or less energy, yielding pure, soft water in unfailing abundance. The bay itself is about forty miles long by six miles wide. It is separated from the ocean by a long peninsula that reaches southward from the mainland until the sea breaks through at Nqriis Cut Aiid Bear Cut,, forming Virginia Key and Key Biscayne. The ; southern extremity of the latter is- 236 BISCAYNE BAY. known as Cape Florida, and is marked by a fine old lighthouse tower, and the ruins of the keeper's house. The light was discontinued on the completion of the Fowey Rocks light, six miles southeast. The premises, with their picturesque ruins, are now leased from the Government by the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, whose headquarters are at Cocoanut Grove, just across the bay. South of this cape is the main oiDening be- tween the bay and the ocean, a broad passage five miles wide, full of shifting sand-bars, but with several good channels, through which vessels of ten feet draught may pass at low water. In the bay itself are, alternately, sand-bars and wide reaches of navigable water, rendering navigation difiicult for all save sharpies and boats of very light draught. There is, however, deep water and a good anchorage just inside the cape, and ten feet draught may be carried through the mid- channels of the bay. Cocoanut Grove (P.O.) is the most considerable settlement on the bay. Here is the only hotel south of Lake Worth, and here the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club has its head-quarters. Several Northern yachtsmen spend the winter months in this delightful haven, where as good hunting and fishing is to be found as anywhere in Florida, and where the northers are tempered by the everglades on the one]^hand and the ocean on the other. Miami (P. O.), lately the county seat, is at the mouth of Miami Eiver, the site of old Fort Dallas, a considerable military post during the Seminole War. It was established in January, 1838, and abandoned June 10, 1858. The ruins of the old fort, with some of the barracks, still standing and occupied as dwellings, are on the north side of the river. On the south side are several houses and a store, the latter being in effect an Indian trading station, where the Semi- noles barter alligator hides from the everglades, and dispose of such other trophies of their rifles as are not needed for home consumption. It is not uncommon to find two or three canoes moored at the wharf, with an indefinite number of squaws and papooses on board, and a supply of fresh meat in the shape of turtles, and a live pig or two. In the woods BISCAYNE BAY. 237 between Miami and Biscayne, specimens of the Boyal Palm {Oreodoxa Regia) are fonnd growing wild, and the curious " gumbo limbo," or West Indian birch [Biirsera gummifera), is of frequent occurrence. The Miami River. For about four miles from the bay the stream is from 150 to 200 feet wide, and may be ascended by sailboats. It divides into the north and south forks about three miles from the mouth, both of them swift, clear streams. The north fork has impassable rapids, but the south fork can be ascended in small boats to its outlet from the everglades, about six miles from the bay. The grasses and other aquatic plants that cover the bottom of the stream are wonderfully beautiful in their varied color and graceful movements as they are swayed to and fro by the clear, rush- ing water. Sailing about the bay in any direction with a suitable shallow-draft boat is the perfection of smooth- water cruising. Among the points of especial interest are the following ; distances are given from Cocoanut Grove. Biscayne Bay House of Refuge (12 miles). This station is situated on a lonely beach about seven miles north of Norris Cut. There is good shooting in the hammock and along the ridges of Bay Biscayne. Three miles south of the station is the Crocodile Pond, a small, land-locked pool midway be- tween the bay and the ocean, which, for some reason, is the fa- vorite resort of the crocodile ( Crocodilus Acutus, Floridiensis), as distinguished from the common alligator of the fresh- water swamps. The principal difference is in the sharper nose, more formidable teeth, and fiercer disposition of the crocodile, and in the different articulation of his jaws, both of them being hinged, whereas in the case of the alligator only the lower one is hinged. The alligator is rarely dangerous, but the crocodile, it is said, will attack a man if he thinks he has a reasonable chance of success. For this reason strangers are recommended to exercise some caution in visiting this pond. Arch GreeTi (15 miles). Near the head of the bay. A wonderfully beautiful stream, flowing in a strong, deep cur- rent through a wide tangle of mangroves near its mouth. Two miles up the stream divides. Follow north fork about 238 BISCAYNE BA"5f. one-lialf mile to cliffs. Here the stream has woru a passage through the coralline rock. Cliffs rise at times twenty feet or more above the water, draped with a luxuriant growth of vines, air-plants, mosses, wild figs, and a perplexing wealth of tropical vegetation. Three miles from its mouth the stream flows beneath a wide, low arch of rock, under which a boat may pass at ordinary stages of the water. Arch Creek may be ascended to the everglades, two miles above the arch. Bluff Rocks (3 miles). This range of cliffs has not its like in Florida. Rising abruptly from the water's edge, midway between Cocoanut Grove and Miami, it is the most conspic- uous natural landmark on the bay. The precipitous part of the bluff is a little more than one mile long, and at its high- est about thirty feet above the water. Of course, this height would be insignificant in a hilly country, but in Florida it is sufficiently remarkable to be famous. The water is shallow at the foot of the rocks, but a landing may be effected in a small boat, and the cliffs can be climbed almost anywhere. Along the top of the cliff is a dense hammock growth, with wild groves of orange and lime trees, in full bearing. Here and there are ruins, apparently of civilized abodes, and at the foot of the cliff near by is the Punch Bowl, to which stone-cut steps lead and which evidently furnished the water supi^ly for these forgotten first settlers. No record exists of Spanish occuj)ation, but it seems most reasonable to suppose that there was here either a missionary station or a piratical re- treat, and in either case Spaniards were probably responsible. Soldier Key, EllioU''s Key, and Fowey Rocks Light are all within easy sailing distance of Cocoanut Grove. On the first jiamed are buildings originally erected by the workmen en- gaged in constructing Fowey Rocks lighthouse. They have been transferred to the Fish Commission with a view to ex- perimenting in sponge-culture. On ElUoifs Key are fine plantations of pineapples, and inside this and the neighbor- ing keys men are at work gathering and curing the sponges that grow in abundance in the waters of the bay. In shel- tered positions at the different inlets or " cuts " where the tide runs strong are often seen square pens or " kraals," where the sponges are left for a time to be washed by the BISCAYNE BAY, 239 ebb and flow, and partially bleached by exposure to the sun. Fowey Rocks Light (Lafc. 25° 35' 25" N., Long. 80^ b' 41" W.) is a pyramidal iron structure standing in about five feet of water on the northern extremity of the dangerous Florida Eeefs. The lantern is 111 feet above the sea level and shows a fixed white light visible 16^ nautical miles. The lighthouse was completed in 1878 and takes the place of the old tower on Cape Florida, the location being better for the purposes of navigation. Formerly these rocks were called the " Looe," probably a corruption of " Les Loups," the wolves, and tradition has it that a frigate was lost here in the early days. It is even said that under favor- able conditions her submerged guns and some of her tim- bers can still be seen. Walks, etc. There are no roads in the vicinity of Bis- cayne Bay save a few very rough cart-paths in the immediate vicinity of the settlements. The walking on the ridge separa- ting the sea and the everglades is indescribably difficult and even dangerous, owing to the disintegrated rock that covers the surface. The stoutest of boots are needed for pedestrian excursions, and not even these will last long. The walk across the ridge to the everglades and back is a hard day's work and should be undertaken only by the strong and sure- footed. The beaches of Key Biscayne, Virginia Key, and of the peninsula to the northward afford good walking and are always interesting. So too are occasional stretches of beach on the mainland to the southward. On one of these, about six miles south of Oocoanut Grove, and about one-half mile north of Shoal Point, is a bed of singing sand that emits a musical note under foot. Tarpon abound in Biscayne Bay, but have not at this writing been taken with the rod. The kingfish is taken by trolling or even with the rod just outside the reefs, Spanish mackerel, sea-trout, pompano, and the more common kinds of salt-water fish abound in the bay, while bass, bream, and the usual fresh water varieties are caught in the various streams. Waterfowl are for the most part very shy, as they are shot at all the way down the coast on their long journey from 240 BISCAYNE BAY. Labrador. They are abundant, however, and may be shot with due exercise of skill and patience. There are plenty of quail in the woods and prairies, but without dogs it is wellnigh impossible to find birds that fall in the scrub. Deer in considerable numbers find pasturage along the border of the prairies and everglades, but they are very shy and are persistently hunted by the Indians. Yachtsmen intending to winter in these waters should not be misled by any preconceived ideas in favor of keel boats ; such craft are worse than useless. The sharpie with not more than three feet draught of water is the only boat suit- able for pleasure cruising about the Florida Reefs and adja- cent inland waters. End of Part I. The Florida Eeef s proper, the Keys, Cape Sable, and the Gulf Coast will be included in forthcoming additions to the present Handbook. The Seville, Seville, Volusia Co. FLORIDA. Twenty-eight miles south of Palatka; forty- two miles south of St. Augustine. On the ridge between the Atlantic Ocean and the St. Johns. In the piney woods, surrounded by orange groves and limpid lakes. Supplied w^ith water, sweet {not sulphurous), from a lake fed by living springs. In salubrious country, w^ith most approved sewerage. BOATING. SHOOTING. DRIVING. Bath rooms. Fresh vegetables from hotel gardens. All express trains stop ; through Pullman car on train leaving New York at 9 P.M. daily. Rates, $3.50 per Day. HENRY L. HUNTRESS, Of (New) Senter House, Centre Harbor, N. H., Abbey & Imbrie, 18 Vesey Street, NEW YORK CITY, MANUFACTURERS OF EVKRY DKSCRIPTION OK TRA FISHING TACKLE Send. S5 Cents Kor 136 Page Catalogne. HOTEL PUNTA GORDA, rVNTA GORBA, FLORIDA. Every Room is a Front Room, Facing the Bay. Opens January ist, i890. We take pleasure in announcing to our friends and the pub- lic that Hotel Punta Gorda will be open about January first, with a full corps of New England service. This new and beautiful Hotel is located on Charlotte Harbor at the terminus of the Florida Southern Railway (now leased and controlled by the Jacksonville, Tampa, and Key West Railway, which is a guarnntee of first-class train service). All trains arrive at and depart from the Hotel steps. Ticket, Pullman Car, Express and Telegraph offices in the Hotel. The Punta Gorda is elegantly furnished, has gas, electric bells, and open fireplaces ; is three stories high, 150 front rooms with a superb out- look over the beautiful Bay, which is about one mile across to Hickory Bluffs. The Hotel has a veranda over 400 feet in length, so arranged that one can find sunshine or shade at any hour of the day. It has the finest lawn in Florida, containing over two acres, with beautiful shell walks, hedges, flower plats, shade and fruit trees. It is supplied with plenty of soft water and has perfect drainage. The climate at Punta Gorda is as nearly perfect as any in the world ; free from cold waves, and tempered by the salt water breezes from the Gulf of Mexico, which invigorate but do not chill. A billiard room is connected with the Hotel, and Sail-boats and Row-boats can always be had. The fine pier directly in front of the Hotel gives a beautiful promenade. No expense will be spared in the endeavor to contribute in everyway to the comfort and pleasure of the guests. The celebrated Summit Springs mineral water from Harrison, Maine, will be served free to guests in the dining room. The only Hotel in the state giving every guest a front room facing the Gulf waters. It is also surrounded by the best hunting grounds in Florida. Charlotte Harbor is acknowledged by all to be the finest fishing ground in the United States. The tarpon fishing with rod and reel takes the lead, while for the hunter there is an inexhaustible supply of ducks, wild turkeys, deer and other game. The Morgan Line ot steamers arrive and leave twice a week for Key West, Havana, Cedar Keys, and New Orleans. For terms, etc., address D. H. Swan, 40 Water St., Room 10, Boston, Mass. After December 20, Punta Gorda, Florida. D. H. SWAN, Hotel Punta Gorda, Florida. D. H. SWAN, HARRY B. WARDEN, Proprietor. Manager. Also Summit Springs Hotel, Also of United States Hotel, Harrison, Maine. Atlantic City, N.J. THE TROPICAL TRUNK LINE JACKSONVILLE, TAMPA, AND KEY WEST SYSTEM. A system of rail and steamer lines, equipped with all the modern improved appliances for the comfort of tourists, insuring safe, speedy, and reliable transportation without unpleasant trans- fers ; covers something more than one thousand miles of tropical territory, and reaches direct ALL WINTER PLEASURE RESORTS of southern Florida. All through passenger trains on this line carry Pullman Buffet, Sleeping, and Parlor Cars. ROUTE OF THE WEST INDIA FAST MAIL Between NEW YORK and HAVANA, The only line extending to the FAMOUS INDIAN RIVER. Direct route to the Orange, Sugar, Tobacco, and Fruit producing sections of Florida. For maps, souvenirs, schedules, etc., apply to any ticket agent, or address the General Passenger Agent, Jacksonville. Save yourselves annoyance, and economize in the matter of expenditures on your tours, by securing tickets via the Jacksonville, Tampa, and Key West System. D. F. JACK, G. D. ACKERLY, General Manager, General Passenger Agent, JACKSONVILLE, FLA. THE S T. AUGUS TINE ROU TE, JACKSONVILLE, ST. AUGUSTINE & HALIFAX RIVER RAILWAY. The new Iron Bridge across the St. Johns River, at Jacksonville, was completed Christmas Day, 1889. Through Pullman Parlor and Sleeping Cars now run between New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Cin- cinnati, Louisville, other cities, and St. Augustine, without change. The New York and Florida Special, Pullman Vestibule, Limited, RUNS DIRECT TO AND FROM ST. AUGUSTINE. A new route open via St. Augustine and Daytona to the Famous Indian River Country, Steamers connecting at Daytona with Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax River Railway, running via the Halifax and Hillsboro and the Indian River and Lake Worth. For information as to routes, rates, maps, etc., call on Ticket Agents, or address the General Passenger Agent. D. F. JACK, G. D. ACKERLY, General Manager, General Passenger Agent, JACKSONVILLE, FLA. THE INDIAN RIVER, FLORIDA. Famous for its fish, and great variety of tropical fruits ; a winter resortj where one may enjoy to the fullest extent Florida's varied winter sports, HUNTING, BOATING, FISHING, BATHING, and all within sight of most comfortable winter hotels. Among the latter are Hotel Indian River, Hotel Carlton, Hotel Chattahoochee, {A T ROCKLEDGE. ) [A T MELBOURNE. ) M T JUPITER. ) Hotel Lake Worth, Cocoanut Grove Hotel, {AT LAKE WORTH P. 0.) {AT PALM BEACH.) The climate of the lower Indian River and of Lake Worth is really tropical, being entirely under the influence and controlled by that FAMOUS RIVER OF THE SEA, the Gulf Stream, flowing northward from the Caribbean Sea, and washing the shores of the United States at this point only. THE INDIAN RIVER STEAMBOAT COMPANY operate a large fleet of steamers between Daytona, Titusville, Rocldedge, Melbourne, Eden, Jupiter, and intermediate landings. The following passenger steamers in the line, the "St. Lucie," the "St. Sebastian," the "St. Augustine," the "S. White," and the "Georgiana," affording a daily line for the tourist season be- tween points mentioned. For schedules, maps, rates, etc., call on agents of the Jackson- ville, Tampa, and Key West System, or address the General Passenger Agent at Jacksonville. D. F. JACK, G. D. ACKERLY, General Manager. General Passenger Agent. jsTE'w BOOJ<:s OF tiia.'v:el, THE SKIPPER IN ARCTIC SEAS. By W. J. CLUTTERBUCK, one of the Authors of " Three in Norway,'' " B. C. 1887," etc. With Map and Thirty-nine Illus- trations (19 Full-page). Crown 8vo, 277 pages, $2.25. TRAVELS IN THE ATLAS AND SOUTHERN MOROCCO : A Narrative of Exploration, By JOSEPH THOMSON, F. R. G. S. , Author of " Through Masai- land. '' With 68 Illustrations of Life and Scenery in Morocco, together with Six Maps. Crown Bvo, cloth, 504 pages, $3.00. " To recommend it is a duty as well as a pleasure." — ^N~. Y. Times. " Mr. Thomson, a wilful as well as a dauntless explorer, justified the risks he ran by success; and his narrative of adventure gives us an exciting peep at the mighty Atlas, a very good idea of Southern Morocco, a stirring picture of the city itself, and graphic sketches of the Moorish, Jewish, and Berber races with whom he came in contact." — Spectator. THE LONG WHITE MOUNTAIN ; or, A Journey in Manchuria, with an Account of the History, Admin- istration, and Religion of that Province. By H. E. JAMES, of Her Majesty's Bombay Civil Service. With a Map, 10 Full-page Illustrations, and 28 Illustrations in the Text. Bvo, cloth, $6.oo.- "A volume which will rank high among the most interesting books of travel produced in recent years. . . . The book is a most modest record of manly travel, and is of permanent value for its careful and accurate account of the little- known country which now alone separates China from Russia." — Times. B. C. 1887 : A RAMBLE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. By J. A. LEES and W. J. CLUTTERBUCK, Authors of " Three in Norway." With Map and 75 Illustrations from Sketches and Photographs by the Authors. Crown 8vo, $2.25. "From the account of the rambles themselves, the reader cannot fail to be charmed. They are almost entirely on foot or by canoe, and make us familiar in a very real and delightful measure with the beauty and vastness of the Pacific Province." — The Week, Toronto. "Full of fun, abounding in keen observations concerning men and things, and affording a very substantial and trustworthy impression of a little known land." — Boston Literary World. EAST AFRICA AND ITS BIG GAME : The Narrative of a Sporting Trip from Zanzibar to the Borders of the Masai. By CAPTAIN SIR JOHN C. WILLOUGHBY, Bart.. Royal Horse Guards. With Postscript by Sir Robert G. Harvey, Bart. With 14 Full-page Illustrations in Monotone by G. D. Giles and Mrs. Gordon Hake — those of the latter from Photo- graphs taken by the Author ; Four Plates containing 22 Litho- graphic Illustrations of Game, and a Colored Map of the Game Country. Pages xii. -303. Royal 8vo, cloth, ornamental cover, $7.00. For sale by all booksellers. Sent on receipt of price by the publishers. LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO., 15 East 16th Street, - NEW YORK. - a.97\ JEtBC:EIsrT FICTION. A FAMILY TREE : And Other Stories. By BRANDER MATTHEWS. i2mo, ornamental cloth cover $1.25. "Apart from the originality of his conceptions, his style is in itself a charm, recalling the masters of French prose in its conscisness, grace, and crisp epi- gram." — Boston Evening Transcript, GERALD FFRENCH'S FRIENDS. By GEORGE H. JESSOP. i2mo, ornamental cloth cover, $1.25. *'The book as a whole is delightfully entertaining, and many of its char- acter studies are faithful enough to deserve long life." — Boston Times. MICAH CLARKE : His Statement. ByA. CONAN DOYLE. Crown 8vo, 421 pp. Extra cloth, $1.50. " Easily the best example of the class of fiction to which it belongs of the year." — Christian Union. THE SON OF A STAR: A Romance of the Second Century. By BENJAMIN WARD RICHARDSON, M.D., F.R.S. Crown 8vo, $1.50. *• In more aspects than one a remarkable production, and will be read with interest from the first chapter to the last." — N. Y. Mail and Express. GOBI OR SHAMO : A Story of Three Songs. (" The Great Desert of Gobi or Shamoy — Cornwell's Geography.) By G. G. A. MURRAY. Crown 8vo, cloth, 376 pages, $1.25.' " It is certainly weird, exciting, and original, and I have but just been able to lay it down after perusing page after page of a deliciously thrilling episode." — L. B. Walford in '"The Criiic." ••SUCH IS LIFE." A Novel. By MAY KENDALL, Author of "From a Garret," " That Very Mab," " Dreams to Sell," etc. i2mo, cloth, $1.25. " It is unusual; it has the constant charm of the unexpected, and has in it both pathos and humor. The style is so choice, so refined, so full of all-per- vading beauty, that it is a special delight to fall upon such a book." — Boston Traveller. A NINE MEN'S MORRICE : Stories Collected and Re- collected. By WALTER HERRIES POLLOCK. Crown 8vo, $1.25. " Will thoroughly please the superstitious, amuse the skeptical, set the inquiring to thinking, and fascinate all." — Boston Times. A DANGEROUS CATSPAW : A Story. By DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY and HENRY MURRAY. Crown 8vo, $1.00. "Written in a most fascinating style, and furnished with a plot teeming with genuine surprises." — Boston Beacon. For sale by all booksellers. Sent on receipt of price by the publishers. LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO., 15 East 16th Street, - NEW YORK.