Contents.
| [Chapter I] | [17] |
| Adieu to Atlanta and arrival in Macon—Early settlement of Savannahby General Oglethorpe—Met by the Yamacraw Indians with presents—Deathof Count Pulaski—Bonaventure Cemetery—The inlandroute to Florida—Pass St. Simon’s Island—Wesley visits Fredericato establish his faith—Cumberland Island, the home of NathanaelGreene—Olives—The scuppernong vine—Dungenness, the burial-placeof Light-Horse Harry Lee—General Robert E. Lee visitsthe grave of his father—Amelia Island—Taken by filibusters—Theirsurrender—Fine beach and light-house—The turtle—Sea-shells—God’streasures—A resting-place for the weary. | |
| [Chapter II] | [28] |
| Fate of the Spanish galleons—St. John’s Bar and River—General remarkson Florida—Lumber-mills—Jacksonville—Grumblers—The invalid—Churches—Dr.Stowe preaches in the Methodist church—Mrs.Harriet Stowe goes to sleep—Sermon by a colored brudder—Journalism—MoncriefSprings—The invincibility of boarding-housekeepers—Thecemetery—Too much delay with invalids before coming to Florida. | |
| [Chapter III] | [46] |
| Jacksonville Agricultural Association, and its advantages—Exhibitsof wine, perfume, and fruits—Industries of the ladies—Yachts—GeneralSpinner—Steamer Dictator—Nimbus on the river—Mandarin—Employmentof its inhabitants—Murder of Mr. Hartley by Indians—Wearinessof war by the settlers—Fanciful names given to towns—Hiberniaand Magnolia—Green Cove Springs—Fort at Picolata—Pilatka—PutnamHouse—The Herald, edited by Alligator Pratt—ColonelHarte’s orange-grove—The Catholic Bishop as sexton—OcklawahaRiver. | |
| [Chapter IV] | [55] |
| No fossilized Spaniards on the Ocklawaha—Scenery on its banks—Thickgrowth of timber—Passengers amuse themselves killing alligators—Climbingasters—Air-plants—Water-lily—An affectionate meetingat Orange Springs—The deaf lady—Pleasure-riding in a cracker-cart—Northernand Southern crackers—March of improvement—Makefast!—Wooding up—Passengers take a walk—Night on the water—Surroundedby thickets—Our flame-lit craft moves on with its pillarof fire—Who!—Plutonic regions—Pyrotechnic displays. | |
| [Chapter V] | [69] |
| Incident as we enter Silver Springs—A gentleman loses his grinders—TheMirror of Diana—Sunset—A beautiful legend of the PrincessWeenonah—A scientific description by Prof. J. Le Conte—Vicinityof the springs—Improvements—Description of Ocala—Impressions ofDeSoto—Public Square—Contented, hospitable people—Marion countythe back-bone of the State—Matt. Driggers and his neighbors go on amastodon hunt—Lakes and long prairie-grass above Silver Springs—Theman who wanted a sheriff to marry him—Leesburg and its improvements—Adredging-boat mistaken for a cook-stove—Indian trails—Historicrelics—Lake Dunham—Okahumkee—The Ocklawaha historicground. | |
| [Chapter VI] | [90] |
| Florida during the Indian war—Cumbersome movements of the troops—Causeof the war—Treaty of Payne’s Landing—Birthplace of Osceola—Liveswith his mother in Okefinokee Swamp—Afterward in theBig Swamp—Osceola expresses opposition to the “treaty”—Jumperunwilling to go West—Charlie Emaltha—Plea for remaining—Indianpoetry—Appearance of Osceola—Hostility toward the survey force—Doesnot favor immigrating—Decision of Micanopy—Osceola in ironsat Fort King—Sullen, then penitent—First hostile demonstrationfrom the Indians—Murder of Private Dalton—Killing of CharlieEmaltha—Osceola seeks revenge in the assassination of GeneralThompson—Dade Massacre—Micanopy fires the first gun—More thanone hundred whites killed—Depredations of daily occurrence—Battleof Withlacoochee—Captain Ellis, of Gainesville—Capture of Osceolaby General Jessup—Imprisoned first in Fort Marion, afterward sentto Fort Moultrie—His death—Chechotar, his wife—Poetry by a friend—Sistersof Osceola now living in the West. | |
| [Chapter VII] | [105] |
| Shores of the upper St. John’s, where various kinds of timber grow,and bony stock range—Mounds and their contents—Their obscureorigin—The chasm not yet bridged—Belief in the immortality of thesoul—The mounds a shrine—Conduct of the Spanish invaders—Ancestralveneration—Articles for use deposited with the body—Unansweredquestions—History of mound-building in its infancy—Foundin Europe—Uses of mounds—Monumental mounds—The mysteryshrouding their structure—Intrusive burial—The growth on Floridamounds, and the distinguishable feature of mound-builders—Moundnear New Smyrna—Mounds in South Florida—The large one atCedar Keys—Mounds for sacrifice—Description of a victim—Pyramidof Cholula—Mexican teocalli—Pyramids for kings—Mounts of ordinance—Sacredfires—Indians worshiped “high places”—The templeat Espiritu Santo—Residence of King Philip—Lake Jessup mound—Copperweapons—Indians worship the sun and moon—Burial urns—Pearlsa heavenly product—The Indian empress a prisoner—Manufactureof beads from conch-shells—Pearls of no value found on thecoast of Florida—Who were these architects?—A veil obscures ourvision in trying to discover the engineers of these mounds—The keynever found—Tumuli, mounds, and plateaus, all objects of interest. | |
| [Chapter VIII] | [121] |
| A description of the animals and birds seen on the St. John’s a centurysince—Lovely landscape—The happy family—Lake George—Enterprise—Mellouville—SulphurSprings—Lake Harney and Salt Lake—IndianRiver—Settlers discouraged on account of the Indians—Anorder for blood-hounds—Battle of Caloosahatchee—Famished soldiers,and fidelity of the dog—Big Cypress Swamp—Locality of the chiefs—Whatthe Indians cultivate—Their babies never cry—The Prophet,and his influence as a medicine man—Wild Cat in command of FortMellon—Speech of Sam Jones—Hanging of Chekika—Major Belknaptakes his command into the Big Cypress—Country developed by war—IndianRiver after the war the sportsman’s heaven—Game, oysters,and fish—Scientific theory on the formation of coquina—Fine productsof the Indian River country—A resort for consumptives—Camp-cooking—Soothinginfluences from the surroundings—Coming down theSt. John’s—The sick man—Stewardess and “’gaitors”—Curious peoplewith curious things—The chameleon—The fawn—The crane—Thebug-hunter and his treasures—The many old people in Florida—Thesportsman. | |
| [Chapter IX] | [139] |
| Stop at Tocoi for St. Augustine—Scenery along the route—Stage-contractor’snotice—Murder of Dr. Weedman—Cloth houses—Two mail-carriersmurdered—The blood-hounds—Mr. Francis Medicis and fourothers shot—Remarks by a resident on witnessing the scene—WildCat the leader of this atrocity—The theatricals fill their engagement—Coacoocheeadmires himself in the glass, also one of General Hernandez’sbeautiful daughters—His capture and escape—His twin sisterand her pearls—Returns, dressed in theatricals, for a parley with thewhites—Starts West, and dies on the way. | |
| [Chapter X] | [154] |
| St. Augustine described in rhyme—The old Spaniards—A place forstimulus of thought—Treachery of legends—Early settlers lured bytales of wealth—Historical antiquity—Astonished Seloes—Capture bySir Francis Drake—St. Augustine, 1764—French privateers—RoryMcIntosh the Don Quixote of the times—American flag raised in1821—Freedom to worship God—St. Augustine archives—Dr. McWhirthe founder of Presbyterianism in Florida—Appearance in 1834—Thefrost—Every thing shrouded in a kind of tradition—Fromajardis, orGarden Feast—Matanzas River—Nuns—Escribanio, or St. Mary’sConvent—The ancient city sleeps all summer—The dear old folksfrom their Northern homes, and the young ones too—Curiosities—Craftsof all kinds—Gayety of the winter—Remarkable memory ofthe natives—Peaceful days—No welcome for adventurers—St. Augustinesupposed to have been the residence of the Peri—Expressing anunfavorable opinion about Florida not popular here. | |
| [Chapter XI] | [173] |
| The cathedral—Regular attendance of its worshipers—Harsh tonesof the church chime—Early mass—Cathedral finished in 1793—Materialemployed—Moorish belfry—Irreverent visitors—Religion of thenatives a part of their existence—The bishop regarded as a vicegerent—Mistakenconclusions of outsiders—Peculiar frescoes representingdeath—Christmas Eve—Ceremonial conducted by Bishop Verot—Administrationof the sacrament—Tolemato Cemetery—Its custodian—Murderof Father Corpa by the Indians—Chapel dedicated to FatherVarela—Tablet-inscriptions erased by time—A medallion supposed tohave been worn by Father Corpa, which was brought from Rome. | |
| [Chapter XII] | [183] |
| Castle San Marco—Indestructibility of the material employed—Commencedin 1565—Completed by Montiano, 1756, with the aid of Mexicanconvicts—Attacked by Oglethorpe—Appearance in 1740—Improperchange of names—Description of Fort Marion—Its resemblanceto Scott’s Garde Douloreuse—The chapel and its holy mysteries—Ironcages—Caving in of the bastion—No cages sent to the SmithsonianInstitute—The wooden machine—The old sergeant—Human bones notunusual in other ruins—Spaniards branded with the cruelties of theInquisition—True version of the iron cages from Señor B. Oliveros—Nonation exempt from cruelties during some period of their history—TheWestern Indians retained as hostages in the fort. | |
| [Chapter XIII] | [198] |
| The sea-wall—when commenced—Material employed—Boulevard ofthe city—City gates and vandal visitors—Tapoquoi village—Murderof Father Rodriguez—La Sylphide rose—Fine pulpit talent—Sabbathin January—The Presbyterian Church—Flowers from the gardens ofMessrs. Alexander and Atwood—Gushing young men—Dr. Daniel F.March and his words of comfort—A description of the Episcopalchurch—A curious question about disputed grounds—Dr. Root, theclergyman—A peculiar man and his dog, that walked into the churchfrom habit—St. Augustine a restorer to both health and reason—Publicreading-room—Circulating library—What shall we eat?—Shipsconstantly coming in with supplies—Fresh vegetables—Oranges—Hotelsand fine boarding-houses—Growlers—Gratuitous hospitalitynow obsolete—The most eligible houses—Summer resort—Pleasantpeople found by the sea. | |
| [Chapter XIV] | [214] |
| How they spend their time in the ancient city—A slight departureinto history—Different kinds of visitors—Grand opening of the Lunch-basketon the North Beach—Music and moonlight on the water—TheIndian buffalo-hunt near the old fort—Dancing inside by the Indianprisoners—Preparation for a gala day, March, 1877—Post-band—Yacht-race—Ajockey-race—The hurdle—A foot-race by the Indians—Wheelbarrowcontest—Victor and greenbacks—Ham and money—Thecat a musical animal—St. Augustine Hotel, where music is madefrom their sinews. | |
| [Chapter XV] | [224] |
| Longevity in St. Augustine—Manufacture of orange marmalade andwine—“El Pavo Real”—Genovar & Brother, wine-makers—Visitorsleaving—A page from unwritten history—Tolling the bells for thepope—Grand illumination by the Yacht Club—The ignes-fatui boats—String-bandand dancing—Capricious weather a comfort to growlers—Achange to balmy air and waving palms—The Indians leave—Theyhave no use for Government clothes on the plains—Mrs. Black Horseand Mochi dressed in hats and plumes—The Indians leave theirMoody & Sankey song-books—A picture written letter from the squawof Minimic—These Indians differ from novel-writer characters—Thestrain of civilization during their stay being too great they mutiny,headed by White Horse—A squad of soldiers from the barracks searchand iron four of them—Fort closed to visitors—They pine for home,the aristocracy of their nature scorning restraint—Money made bypolishing sea-beans, etc.—Description of St. Anastasia Island—Poniesfeeding on marsh-grass—Attack of General Oglethorpe in 1740—Theold light-house built by the Spanish, and used as a fortress—Freshwater in mid-ocean caused from lime-sinks—Treaty of Fort Moultrie—Originof the Seminoies. | |
| [Chapter XVI] | [235] |
| Burning of the Spanish Governor’s son by the Indians over a centurysince—The Great Spirit as arbiter—Fort Matanzas—Its age, use, presentappearance—Entered by an escalade—New Smyrna settled by Dr.Turnbull with his Greek colony—They at first engage in the cultureof indigo, which soon fails—Great dissatisfaction among the colonists,who are finally released, and retire to St. Augustine—The DouglassDummit Plantation—Indian Key Massacre, August 15, 1840—Murmuringsof the citizens. | |
| [Chapter XVII] | [245] |
| The Everglades Expedition, under Colonel Harney, 1841—Preparations—SpanishIndians—Leave Fort Dallas, arriving at Chitto’s Island—Thebird flown—Sam Jones’s Island, containing villages and pleasure-grounds—Thesoldiers greatly annoyed by roaches and musquitoes—Prophet’sIsland—Discovery by Indians—Sergeant Searles mortallywounded—Arrival at New River—Fort Dallas—General appearanceand extent of the Everglades—Manilla hemp and the cotton-plantindigenous—Return of Colonel Harney—Grand ovation in St. Augustine—Sorrowfulreflection on the situation—Present inhabitants ofthe Everglades—Old Tiger Tail—Intrenches himself in Mexico asbrigand, afterward makes his way to Florida, and becomes chief ofthe Seminoles—Father Dufau goes to the Everglades as a missionary—“Twosquaws no good”—Dress of the Indians—Everglade alligatorsand moccasins no respecters of persons—Primeval condition of thecountry, with its trees, birds, and native growth. | |
| [Chapter XVIII] | [260] |
| From Jacksonville to Cedar Keys—The Florida Central—Baldwin—Alligatorsand moccasins—West India Transfer Railroad—Piney Woods—TrailRidge—Lawtey—Starke—Turpentine distillery—Serenades—Waldo—Alachuacounty—Hummock-lands and phosphates—The indignantBoston lady—Alachua settled in 1750 by an Indian namedSecoffe—Juggs or sinks—Approach to Gainesville—This town namedfor General E. P. Gaines—Accommodations for visitors—Tillandsiaand its uses—Orange Lake the natural home of the orange—Buddedtrees—Eucalyptus-tree for malarial districts—Information on the subjectof lands—Orange City, Arredondo, Albion, and other prospectivecities—Bronson—Its good settlers—Otter Creek—“Great Gulf Hummock”—Itstropical growth. | |
| [Chapter XIX] | [270] |
| Cedar Keys, the terminus of the West India Transit Railway—Extortion—Dr.McIlvaine’s Hotel—Fourth of July toasts, 1843—Steamersfrom Cedar Keys to Manatee—Early settlement of Clear Water Harbor—Theunfortunate Narvaez—Inaccessibility of South Florida—Manatee—Itsdwellings embowered among orange trees—Tenacity ofcontesting Indians—Their independence subdued by association—Thecactus pear eaten by Indians—Present population—Church privilegesfor worship—Schools—Good physicians—Sowing before reaping—Boarding-Houseskept as sanitariums—Pantry supplies—Fine fish—AnElysium for rheumatics—No starving—The grape-culture suggested—Alsowine-making—A variety of crops—Sugar-cane ratooning forsix years—Old-fashioned bees in gums—This locality a fine resort forthose who wish to avoid cold—The sunny-side of nature turned outin February—Oleander and orange-buds bursting their pink andwhite petals—The banana—Spring flowers, etc.—Zephyr breezes—Therose—“A child of summer”—Historic records—Hon. Judah P. Benjamin—Remainsof the mastodon and megatherium. | |
| [Chapter XX] | [285] |
| Tampa—Undisturbed slumbers—First settlement by Narvaez—PoorJuan Ortiz!—His vigils among the dead—Espiritu Santo Bay—De Sotoand his festive soldiers—Billy Bowlegs—Cedar and pine lumber-millsin Tampa—A school and its teacher—Old Tampa—Uses of the cabbagepalm—Fort Brooke—Appeal of General Worth to the vanity of Coacoochee,which finally results in his band being sent West—An invocationto the Great Spirit during a storm. | |
| [Chapter XXI] | [296] |
| Marooning from Tampa to Key West—Drum-fish—Loons—Acrobatfleas—Roaches—Bilge-water—The Methodist preacher and his children—Sailor’sfare—Landing lady-passengers—Terrasilla Island andits products—Madam Joe—The romantic young couple—Sarasota Bay—Stock-raising—Health—Mangrovethickets—Perpetual verdure—Palmettahouses—Striking for fish—Varied amusements for visitors—Huntingdeer—Bugs and butterflies—Egmont Key—Rare shells and ararer Spiritualist, with his toothless wife—Professor Agassiz—Buccaneers—JeanLafitte—Sunset at sea—Isles of the sea—Boca Grande—Felippethe Spaniard, and his Indian concubines—Polly goes West formoney—Punta Rassa, the terminus of the International Telegraph. | |
| [Chapter XXII] | [313] |
| Alone with God and the stars—Phosphorescent waves—Reefs and coralformation—Key West—Cocoa-trees—Chief of the Everglades—Dwellings—Inhabitants—Earlysettlers—Conchs—Their origin and occupation—Courtof Admiralty—Wrecking—The International TelegraphSurvey—Public schools—The sisters—Cigar-makers—Reading whileworking—Monkey-jugs and their use—Cochineal—Sponge and spongers—FortTaylor and other fortifications—Curiosity-shop—CaptainDixon its Greek keeper. | |
| [Chapter XXIII] | [327] |
| Middle Florida and South Georgia—Jealousy between Middle, and EastFlorida—Good landed titles in Middle Florida—Disappointment theresult of overestimation—No spot with every thing desirable—Diseasedpeople tinctured with a sullen melancholy—Lake City—Derivationof the name—The citizens—Style of architecture adapted to theclimate—Products—Atmosphere for asthmatics—Monticello—Its people—Formerwealth evidenced by the numerous freedmen—Good hotelhere—The festive frogs: great variety, some with loud-sounding voices—The“pretty frog” that went to England—The singing-wasp—Tallahassee,where De Soto spends his first winter, 1539—The Spanishsoldiers and their armor—Town incorporated, 1825—Corner-stone ofthe capitol laid, 1826—Situation of Tallahassee—Governor Reed’s message,1840—Blood-hounds and leash-men from Cuba—Two Indianscaught by them—Bounties on heads—Indian scare—Only a goat—Indiansattack wagons, relieving negroes of their clothing—Formerwealth and culture in Tallahassee—Colonel Murat and his mothercome to America—Visit the Catholic Bishop, but not in regal style—Theneighbors are disappointed in a king’s son—Birthplace, home,and early associations of the gifted authoress, Mrs. Mary E. Bryan—WakullaSpring, with a beautiful description by Bartram—Chattahoochee—Statepenitentiary—Montgomery and Eufaula route to Florida—Townof Quincy—Mountain-streams with a musical cadence—Cubantobacco and scuppernong grapes grown here—Stage communicationbetween Quincy and Bainbridge—Cherokee rose-hedges—Bainbridge—Itsdecline on account of railway communication—Thomasville—MitchellHouse—Gulf House—Embowered dwellings—Brisk trade—Newspapers—Femalecollege—Churches—Former wealth of Thomascounty—Colored politicians prefer speaking by proxy—No water communicationfrom Thomasville—Wire grass country—Quitman—Home-likehotels—Cotton factory—Valdosta—Pine-trees—Plenty to eat—Valdostaeditor—Crowds on public days—Trip on the Gulf road—Thelight-wood fires an epitome of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment. | |
| [Chapter XXIV] | [355] |
| Pensacola musings—Its early settlement and capacious harbor—Originof the name—The soil contains clay for brick and pottery—Casa Blanca—Thecity conquered by the Spaniards—Causes for its not competingwith other Gulf cities—Description of Fort Barrancas—It is supposedto contain a dungeon—Fort Pickens—Fort St. Michael and Fort St.Bernard—Ten dollars offered for the scalps of colonists—General movementsof General Andrew Jackson—Governor Callavea in the calaboose—Descriptionof the old plaza—Present appearance of Pensacola—Itcontains no fabled fountains—A plank walk on which sailors reellike drunken elephants—Prosperity of the place dependent on thedemand for lumber—Commotion on the arrival of a ship—Resinouswood and its light accompaniments—The Indians hated to leaveit—Ferdinand Park and its rural scenery—The market-house—Thesinging fishermen—The proud fishermen with their big fish—An ox-hornannounces the sales—Fresh-water wells—Drawers of water losetheir vocation—Porpoises—Tropical fruit-culture not very successfulhere—The washing bayou and its water-nymphs—Florida hunters—Thefleet-footed fawn a past record—The yellow-fever visitor—Perdido,or Lost Bay—Escambia Bay—The alligator: her nest, and heryoung—Churches—Free schools—Catholic schools—Episcopal school,and its founder, Mrs. Dr. Scott. | |
| [Chapter XXV] | [378] |
| Leaving Pensacola—Contentment in our moving habitation—A calm—Physaliautriculus—A genuine nor’-wester and its accompaniments—Amoment of terror—Morning at last—Isle of Pines and itsproducts—Pirates—Water-spouts—Early history of Cuba—The Spaniards burnan Indian—Cienfuegos—The fort on the bay—Cuban houses—Clothingof the children—Cruelty to northern seamen—Mother Carey and herunlucky chickens—The fate of the insurgents, and their numericalstrength—“La Purisima Conception”—Neglect of ceremonial duties—Thechurch inside—Its lady-attendants furnish their seats—The slavereceives a gentle admonition—The largest plaza on the island—Thebeautiful señoritas and the band-music. | |
| [Chapter XXVI] | [399] |
| Distances from Cienfuegos to Havana—Railroads—Three classes ofpassenger-cars—Smoking—Rain-drops—Harvest—Lo! the poor ox—Goads—Sugar-canein bloom—Cattle-herders—The war—Arabianstock of horses—Devastations by the insurgents—Vegetation and variety—Depotsand drinking—Flowers—Fences from vegetation—Royalpalm and its uses—Slaves gathering palm-fruit—Great variety ofgrowth—Cactus family—Sugar and sugar-makers—Negro slaves andcoolies—Their miserable quarters—Chicken-fighting—Inhuman treatmentof the poor fowls—Matanzas—A Pentecostal illustration—“Englishand French spoken”—Dinner and its condiments—MatanzasBay at night—The tough old tars—Their families on shore—The phosphorescentlights on the water—The plaza and hotel—Our Frenchvalet de chambre—Siesta—My café—El volante—Up the mountain-side—ElCueva de Bellamar, being a remarkable subterranean temple—Stalactitesand stalagmites—Names given to the different formationsinside the cave—Return to Matanzas. | |
| [Chapter XXVII] | [424] |
| From Matanzas to Havana—Buzzards—Description of El Moro Castle,A.D. 1519—Captured, 1619, by Sir George Pocock—El Moro like theVenetian “Bridge of Sighs”—Havana a century since—Its harborand fleet of ships—Architecture of the houses—Narrow streets—Aview from El San Carlos Hotel—Beautiful moonlight on the bay—ElPaseo—French coaches—Residence of the Captain-general—Ladiesshopping in volantes—Market-house—Mules, panniers, etc.—Working-classreceive an early supply of grace—No Sabbath here—“Lottera”—Beggars—Descriptionof the cathedral—Bishop—Acolytes—Organ—Tombof Columbus—Santo Christobal—His life and missionas Christ-bearer—Cemetario de Espeda—Its walls, vaults, tablets, inscriptions—Threebodies for sepulture—The poor without coffins—TheProtestant dead not admitted in Catholic grounds—Fragility ofpromises in Cuba. | |
| [A Ramble into the Early History of Florida] | [439] |
| [Florida Gazetteer, etc] | [481] |
Petals Plucked from Sunny Climes.
CHAPTER I.
A TRIP to Florida during the winter season is now the popular move for everybody, whether invalid or not, which those living in so close proximity as Atlanta find difficult to resist.
Atlanta is a delightful summer resort, situated a thousand feet above sea-level, visited by healthful mountain breezes in summer, besides being blessed with the purest of freestone and chalybeate water in the world. The night passenger train leaves at 10 P.M. for Macon, one hundred and five miles distant.
We arrive in Macon about 7 A.M., where, after being fortified with a good breakfast at the Brown House, the train departs for Savannah—Macon being the commencement of the mountain-slope which continues to the sea-shore. Many pleasant little towns are passed through on the route, most of which have never recovered from the devastating effects of the war.