The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-05-27


full high bluff, and evinces great taste in
him who planned, and who inhabits,
that beautiful spot. There are several
bluffs on this part Of the river yet unset
tied, and several others already settled,
but without much taste.
Mandarin, on the east bank of the St.
Johns, contains six or seven houses, and
those in dilapidated condition. l once
thought that Mandarin would be my fu-
ture home; but it has no attractions
now. 1t is situated IN a deep bay of the
river, with northern exposure, and it's
back ground is made up Of sandy pine
barren, with but little hammock on Ell
thcr side. Its orange groves, once the
source of easily accumulated wealth,
are almost entirely destroyed by the in
sect, and Mandarin, poor old Mandarin,
must go down.
From Mandarin, we passed up the
river TO the mouth of Black Creek, lG
miles to Garey's Ferry, an important
station in the Indian war. The water
of the St. Johns is of brownish tinge,
and that Of Black Creek of much
darker hue. Black Creek is from so
to 100 yards wide, running very nearly
east, from Garey's Ferry, to its junction
with the ST. Johns. On either shore,
at but short intervals, through our whole
route, up and down this creek, we could
see aligators of every length, intermcdi-
ate, between and 10 feet
1t has been recently discovered, that
the oil of the alligator is equal TO sperm
oil for burning in lamps, or for greasing
machinery; and a company is now
forming on The St. Johns, for killing
them and procuring their oil. The oil
sells at Sl.O0 per gallon.
After leaving the Black Creek, we
sailed up the ST. Johns to Picolata. when
al 8 O'Clock, P. NJ, I took the stage for
St. Augustine, where we arrived at half
past l2. Distance, by stage, / 8 miles.
St. Augustine is evidently but the
shade ofits former self Through every
part Of the town, are to be seen the ruins
Of what were expensive buildings; some
of them were elegant in their day. But
few buildings can be seen here of mo-
dern origin. Here stands the oldest
church in North America 1t is built of
shell limestone, not compact, but every
she'll retaining its particular shape and
location, and so ccmented, by nature, as
to remain strongly coherent, thus form
ing coherent rock. All the buildings
in the city, except those of wood, are
built of this material. The walls of the
| very strong fort, at the entrance of the
town, on the water side, are built of the
same rock, as also the walls on each side
of the north gate of the city.
This was once a strongly fortified city,
having an cmbanlnent nearly surroun-
ding the town, and Il mart, outside of
the embankment, filled with water.
Our government is now building sea
wall. at a great expense; and we have
one company of infantry stationed at ST..
Augustine their barracks are not out
ranked, in elegance, by any other
buildings in the city.
The orange groves of the city are all
destroyed by the insect. They have,
however, a rich profusion of ornamental
shrubs and plants.
While in st. Augustine, citizen Kill
led bear, six miles from town, weigh
ing 404 lbs. And on the morning that
| arrived in St. Augustine, l saw fish
cut up which was feet long, feet and
a halfin circumference, and weighing
upwards of 400 lbs The flesh, OF
which I partook at dinner, was very
good, but as coarse in the grain as rapid
growth Of white oak.
expect to write you next from Fort
King, or Micanopy, when will give
you an account of my travelling in the
"people's line," east Of the St. Johns.
:. Yours truly, B.
P. S.-Capt. DUvALL has just furnish.
ed me with roasting ear from .his corn
field