The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-11-08
Silver Spring.
The following interesting letter appears III
the Apalachicola Commercial AdreItl<

| the Apaachicola Commercial Advertiser:
OcALA (FLA) Sept, 1888.
In Marion county, East Florida, there is
very extraordinary spring, called by the Pe".
pie, and not ilappropriatcly, 'thr Silver Spring
1t is not only one of the greatest curnSltlrS III
nature but as source of profound, sublime,
and pleasing impressions, has probably II"
equal 1t is approached through what Is
called hammock, which | may here hastily
| describe The hammock, sn termed in fiorl
,la, is thick dense forest in which the branch
/ cs and vines are matted and interviewer, that
YOU are able to see ou y Il few PAGES in any
direction. The trees usually found in them
arc, the ash, bay, gum, wahon, palmetto, mag
nolia. live and white oaks. Over the trunks
and limbs Of these trees crecpand twinc thous
au,ls Of vines, among which may cnumerate
the sarsaparilla, the Crane and jc>>amiue, weav-
ing kind OF sylvan and tlt"al fabric, thrt ugh
| which a passage is almost impracticable.-
Through such wood Il road has been opened,
about halfa mile in length, by which, and
without any perceptble descent, you reach
the spring. At first appearance it seems al.
rrost circle, and is about seventy yards in
diameter. When first stood upon its banks
aud took the first glance into the deep blue,
calm, gcn,.ke thing before me, felt as though
Was looking into the bright eye of some
great angel, and in truth it is not unlike the
noble, fearful eye, which Imagination might
give to Il powerful benevolent divinity. found
small boat, cmbarking in which padded to
the centre. do not cXaggerate the tranSpar
enrv of the water when call it as clear as the
sunny air
The depth Of the spring is yariously estima.
t,d, from one to two hundred feet at one
place do not fear to hazard the statement
that the depth cannot be less than one hundred,
yet such is the transparency Of tic water, that
YOU might discern Il pin upon the bottom. |
cndra4nrcd to ascertain accurately It's depth,
and threw IN ounce ball into the water for that
purp"sr bat II large fish swallowed it before
it rcarhcd the bottom, which thwartcd my
purpose; he did not gain much pleasure for
! himself, however, us he seemed not to cnjny
his leatlsn breakfast. On the bottom is mi.
carious deposit, which has considerable re-
Elective power When the sun shines the
spring is filed with rainbow colorS. and makes
one of the most bewitchng and tairy-like
scenes which natural combinations can pro-
dHcc 6r create. [ observed the mouth of Il
large ii>sure, or cave in the rocks below. From
this chasm this limpid river seems vonited
forth. THIS iis~urc, or cave is between two
LAYERS of rocks that run from the north in horI
zputal lines; the strata seems t" have tcrnina-
tel abruptly at the point where this river bursts
forth: or il they originally extended beyond
| this point, in some convul>inn, the portion ".
ing south must have been broken down. do
no; attempt accurately to give the dimensions
of this Sub-aqucous cave, but these are my es-
ti:natcS; the vertical distance is 23 feet; Its
widt! is feet; from this cave the water
rushcs up with great rapidity. / observed sev-
cral large fish attempt to enter it, and they suc-
crelcd only after vigorous exertions; small
! pebbles, too, were thrown up some disi?ncr,
yet snci is the depth of the water above the
cave, that the surface has scarcely y pervrpt
! be motion. Nearly week has elapsed since
my excursion to this curiosity, yet the mpres.
sive panorama is frequently before my mind -
and i'll my dreams again grow gidJy as my
ilail bark seems to hang over deep chasm,
where rainbows intertwine, writhc and break
into thousands of pieces.