The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1821-06-12
FLORIDA.

4 FLORIDA.
| The follo ging description of part offlcrida 10
the vicinity Of Fort Gadsdeu, will be found IN
teresting. Ii IS contained in a letter from a
friend, TO the Editor OF the Providence Adyer-
tiser, dated
| $ For, Gadsdsn, .4prl u, 1921"
My personal observation OF tins couo'ry
has been hitherto confined 10 the vicinity OF
this place, which Is, at present, periect vii
derness. There are no white inhabitants,
except few Indian traders, nearer than The
Georgia line, seventy miles distant, and all
our communications with the world, lead
! through deep and extensive swamPs, except
/ that by the Guiph. The messenger who IS
sent 10 convey letters, &c. between this place
and Fort Scott,is obliged to swim across cseeks
and lsgoons Oh his way. The route 10 Fen
sacola, on the west, Is very cIrcnilous and
more than three bundled miles IOng.-Ne
have had no intercourse with that place since
| came here, aud but little with 81. Marks,
which lies 10 or 80 miles TO the East, aud Is
F, divided from Us by an almost entire tract OF
swamp, T:.ersected by large rivers. The
general tace OF The country tor sI,ty miles from
/ the coast, IS made up Of swamps covered VIM
! heavy timber, and generally eveTaowed, and
| low pine lands which sometimes rise lntO binds
| 5 anG 10 feet ABOVE the level ut tbs wdteI.
/ Fort Gadsden Is on one " these latter, and
Pensacola on another very extensive aud hi5h,
which lying open 10 the sea, accounts tor the
healtbmess cfiaat place. Immediately Oh the
shore OF tue Gulph, all along, as tar as have
observed IT, the storms have piled Up lhe sand
IN ridges, parallel with the shore, and IN some
places TO the height of twenty or thirty feet.
These ridges generally extend halt mile or
more from the Gull, yng parallel 10 each 9TH
er and equidistant, 10 the same form as sue
cesslon Q; heavy seas. The river ApilaChco
la IS about $50 miles long. lis banks are
overlooked, nearly all The way in some places
for several miles back.-Thls oyeihDwed part
Is covered with very thick growth Of almost
Il every kind OF tree common at the North, as
well as great variety peculiar TO the South,
particularly cyprus, from which tue swaups
dervelhe name OF cyprus swanps. All these
trees grow remarkably laIse and bear - great
abundance, singular kind Of moss, whlca IS
! thought 10 subsIst entirely upon he masmata
10 the air. Ii has 90 roots, nor any radical
cOnnexion with he Tree, but only hangs " er
the limbs I'D The same manner as Il II bad been
placed there by he hand. Ii has grey col
our, and ~ win Ter wiIrn tie leaves have fallen
il gives the sunktn forest most dismal appear-
ance. "A traveller from he North wouiJ sup
pose that the trees were all dead, and that lie
whole country was gradually sinking into one
walery grave. But the spring changed the
prospect entirely. The hoary moss is now
concealed by most luxurIant foliage, which
from the great variety OF trees, presents almost
every shade Of green, and furnishes delicious
least 10 the eye. The whole bark OF The ris-
er is lined with rich barrier formed OF canes
and bushes lnerwoyen and matted with all
SORTS Oh vines, bearing great variety OF How
els, aId Ire scene is nov beginning 10 be still
more enrchedt 10y The blooming Of lie anagno-
la, which is indeed The king lor at least pres
idenl) OF all flowers. This Tree (uf which you
have seen descriptions enough occupies avery
considerable share Of the forest and i always
conspicuous for he great size aDI deep green
colour Of its leaves. bot when in bloom lis
beauty IS beyond comparison with any thing
OF tree kind. II IS then covered milk white
| with blossoms, the Hest o. which exceeds in
circumference the Clown OF my hat, "a COM
! parison more tue than poetical )--These
emit a sweet odour which hls the whole at
mospbere. Bot al this elysian scene is but
g'lded sepulchre. Within is contained all
manner OF deadly vapours, and the abodes of
poisonous insects and huge snakes"
| The following singular advertisement is
copied from the Republican Press, published
; at Danville, Pa 90 The 23I uI'iuo.
Colonel JOHN SNYDER is q. candidate
Tor The Office Of Brigade Inspector and If
elected, not tor the purpose Of obtaining votes
but out Of pure generosity, Wi open the
bead Of a barrel Of the essence Of rye. to each
regiment he may have the honour 10 inspect
for his performance
1fIFf[2 @.AMTBEFzPTE :
mr.