Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-04-16

creasing disposition respond to sundy queries as to
the boats whereabouts and the prospects of quick
voyage. And the second day had not entirely closed
in before he was actually seen laugh outright at
passing jest Matters grew brighter and brighter on
our Captains visage, until, upon passing the ST. Juhn's
bar and entering that wonderful river, he became as
palpaby gond hnmored as any member of his living
cargo So much for The deception Of first Impressions
Had We formrd our estimate Of Captain FREEDnRN,
of the ST. Jnhn's Steamboat, by frs. days know
ledge of him, WE should have set him down M sury
old Bruin of Bnatman. But, finding him nu' more
fully afterwards we are clearly satisfied that he Is,
with much apparent gruflness, faithful commander
and kind. hearted nun. We We're with him RETURN
ing as we'll as gning ont, and testify to lie general
satisfaction afforded byhis care for the safety and
comfort of his passengers In coming out of st. Johns
river on our reurn We were compelled ny stress OF
weather To put bIck and anchor for a part oil day
and night in Till water. Sumo grumbled and Us.
serted that we ought to have gone to sea- that the de-
law was provoking &c: But the Captain quietly as
sursd Them That he would do no such thing until his
Judgment satisfied him That his passengers would not
he endangered by the step. So hs stopped Tor Twelve
hours or more At his suggestion, dnncIng party
was gotten up on board and the evening passed merrlly
enough Next morning we weighed anchor and went
over the bar when the grumbers Of the preceding day
were speed y convined Of the correctness OF our Cap
tans course for even !nen, although the effects of
the blow had been passing off for many hours, the
waves dashed over guards and The boats situation
was any thing hut comfortable until we got on smooth
water again.-In steamboat navigation, more than
almost anyw here else, do We hold discretion TO be the
better part of vaor-We have written thus much in
compliment Of Capt. FREEDoRN, because we believe
him 10 be reliable and trustworthy in his sPh"re OF
action and in this reckless age, We hold that all Such
instances merit commendalion
The inland route to Florida is certainly yer, plea
SAINT une, all things considered True, there is chance
that you may occasionally, atlow tide, stick in the
mud at one or two shallow points. But this seldom
proyes 10 be matter of greater Inconvenience than
the delay Of an hour TWO. On the other hand, You
,void s. a.sicknrss almost eniire YOU run but little
risk of old Oceans dangers-yuu glide along smoothly
and securely over CLASSY Of the sea- with sound
here, the outlet of river there and again bay.
These are all connected by creeks of greater or less
n,arnitule some Of them widening 10 the proportions
of rivers others 80 narrow that the bOat seems almost
10 soureze through them Besides, you in this way
80, something of the cnast of Georgia and Florida
which though not remarkable is yet something to vary
the mnnotony of voyage. There are Brunswick
Darien ST. Mary's and Frrnandina on The ronIe Some
rice plantations pass under review in the earlier part
of The Journey A fine island now and then Appeals
10 yonr curiosity. Upon onr OF these, AMI IN iu'l
view from several points on this inland navigation, Is
Dunpinness the large and rather picturesque looking
residence presented to GrreraGREENE, of the Revo-
utnn, by the State Of Georgia. Other residences aP'
near in view from lime to time. At the little iowns
aonr the coast new passengers are continually drop.
ming in, all tending tn give some variety and zest to
The company aboard. And, what IS perphaps better
STILL yuu are sometimes happily ridden OF disagree
able compagaon du uoyage at these landings ("i'ness
rho "recprocity man. on our outward trip, yon that
remember himl Again. upon .smooth surface yon
c,n amuse Yourself more easily and more rsllshahy
Yo, ire no, tossed from ons side of the cabin 10 The
other by srrging waves You have no quam' at the
stomach. Yon can play whist apd euchre u to your
satisfaction. You can tune yosf light guitar, or mo-
dulas your soft flute to inspirations whispered by the
vrurry, ,vrtrn,urt ,t'usr Of tynrrNe n
feast fur ugly monsters of The deep You can sleep OF
wake sit or stand mediate Converse, sing or SIGH
play or work, read or wriIe according 10 fancy, will
no rmp.sts roar TO put all other IDEAS to flight. Give
us travelling upnn water, in snug boat, before all
o,ler mmles of jnnrneying; hut, III The name OF AL
that's pleasant, let it be smnuh water Those wlu
have made their sshon. on the rolling deep" would
uub,lrss think very poorly of such andlubbe rsm as
this we profess Bu, why shuud'n every man speak
! his hunest sentiments
Well, we are now up,n the ST. Johns, the great
river of Forila Onward spseils the bm, with new
yi.or The sea.gull-, TINT had a'cked around us al
the rivers month"; drop back one after another The
pelicans can 90 no further up. The uncnuth porpus
gambuIs no longer for the amusement Of sharing pas.
sengers The marsh lands al length recele lrnm sight,
and The banks Of the great stream begin 10 define
themselves. group of gentlemen are seated in the
frun ofthe bnat, eager TO lake the first fair observa.
,ion Of the Furidian terra frn1, some of them alas
the disappointment they are snon to encouaer e1-
pcctng To see brnad oranga.grpves lining the shores
On we gn and still The river seems not yet river.
! ForrI seems not yet Florida. The wide expanse of
the ST. Joh IS is not Yet realized as stream The
low cnast that skirts either side is not appreciated as
tile soil Of the magnolia. After while sort OF bluff
! is painted out. "There!" eyclaims one" There's
some higher land" All turn to look, and are evil
denty refreshed BY the prospect. There indeed was
bluff with little genuine red-clay exhibited on its
Perpendicular surface and few hona-fde, dry-land
trees surmounled its lop. i" Now that place" said
knowing uld St. johns traveller, about the high
est spot Of land you'll this river for near TWO
hundred miles," Wa,!'' thought all the rest Of us,
for nobody spoke word in RESPONSE" nothing but
this ha receding country for all the balance Of our
trip! And then We began to wonder when we should
see the orange trees But every man kept his wonder
10 HIMSELF determined moi 10 exhibit his ignoranpre.
conceptions Of the country by any unnecessary in
quiry. And sat and sat, and looked at The
wide smooth wafer, and glanced donbtlnlly at Inc
shnre, the old visions Of orange groves and green
gardens gradually g, ing place to rather crusly re.
aIizatiun nf the truth it 1t was then that one
gentleman ofthe party rose up and stretching him.
self fully ubereby manileling that he was resolved 10
ponder The matter no lunger) excuimed-" Well, now,
I'll he I'D if believe this is n river" Where
upun sharp discussion ens,ird-lhe Florldlans and
others maintaining that it was river while the gem
lernan just mentioned and several hackers (ourself
among Ihen) argued in the negative One said 1t was
an arm of the another held that the word We
idka sgnifying string or chain Of lnkes suggested
the TRUE view and this the old Indian name OF
this non.descript sheet of water. The controversy
served one admirable purpose at least. 1t Kept ns
employed, and diverted attention from The subject
matter itself, until We gradually became quite recon-
ciIed 10 The realities around Us, and wound up by
agreeing That, river, lake, m of ths sea, or what
nut glorousy beautiful phase Of the liquid ele'