Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-09-03
LETTERS FROM THE SOUTH.
ST. MARKS AND IT'S OUTLYINGS.

An opportunity to exchange, for few days,
the drifting sands and the sitting atmosphere
| Of Southern city, with the wearisomo mo-
notony of its stagnant life, for a short cruise
in the Gulf, with fair promise of an unintor-
rupted series of refreshing breezcs and invig-
Grating baths was more than cared to resist
The railroad from Tallahassee to st. Marks
runs over a dead level Of country, as dry and
sterile as any portion of the Great Sahara
With the exception Of the little village of
Bel Air, there is scarcely an object which in
! dcates the habtation of man, nor yostige Of
creation adequate for the maintenance of life
/ even in its lowest developments Upon either
side was thin scattered growth Of stunted
pines. scrapcd and gathered for tar The
white glaring soil is here and there sparsely
covered by patches of the cactus plants and
the bristing Spanish bayonets Occasionally
one might pass clump Of palmettos, but
their shrivclled leaves and decaying trunks
/ ovinced their distressed condition. Ours was
the express train, and We accomplished the
Journey at the rate of ten miles an hour -
One would prefer a dash on the Eric. with the
moral certainty Of death or dislocaton. to the
slow torture which VIC experienced. Saint
Marks, the terminus of the road is a little
struggling town Of half dozen buildings
importance, forming the chief port of entry
for the commerce Of this entire district Of the
State. A few years since fearful hurricane
from the Gulf drove in upon it a perfect del
uge Of water, and but few totterng ware
houses remained to mark the locality of the
town The port is on the Saint Marks river.
about nine miles from the Gulf \ small
brig and . few fishing smaks comprised the
entire shipping list at the time of our visit.
boat was the chief burden of our anxious
enquiries. Fortunately We succeeded in char
tcring rather rakish looking affair, properly
provisloned, and manned by brace of Span
ish sailors We were soon adrin The tide
was IN our favor, although a spanking breeze
was dead ahead The river was quite mar
row, but of sufficient depth to float ships Of
considerable tonnage. The country around,
as far as the eye could extend, was vast
plain, elevated but few feet above the river,
and in periods of high food must be entirely
flooded by the waters. We soon reached the
confluence of the Wahulla with the Saint
Marks, and the broader and deeper channel
at once indicated the greater accession of wa
ter. Just at the iuncture Of the two rivers,
embraced within the angle, were to be seen
4 the scattered ruins of what hundred years
ago was one of the strongest Spanish forts
on the North American Continent. 1t was
/ constructed Of limestone. and with great
architectural science and strength. With its
bastons and escarpmcnts, its iosses, and its
huge drawbridge, it was quite a formidable
fortress. BY it's position IL commanded this
entire region Of the country defending the
/ passage Of the two principal rivers. II also
was used as an important magazine for the
collection of provisions and ammunitions to
] gUpplV the parrisnna IN, ha init r..
! American eyes it was thing almost Of an
/ tiquity. 1t was associated in memory with
/ SPANS better days, when she still retained a
reflection at least Of her proud grandeur and
magnihcence. Tho Old Fort was entitled TO
respect But many of its strongest and most
substantial arches have been pulled down.
and their stones constitute the ioudation walls
/ of Governmental Hospital whchis situated
/ but few rods from the ruins of the Old
/ Fort. Such vandalism is charactcristically
American.
All along the banks alligators of all sizes
/ were stretched, like huge rough logs. basking
in the hot sun. Now and then one would
show his ugly visage Just in advance of our
bows, and would gaze at rs with a dull. I'M
pleasant stare. Sometimes we were able to
approach sufficiently near TO sec his teeth.
when we would pour into his rough head a
heavy charge OF nuck-shot, which glanced off
from his lmponetrable armor in every drcc
ton One old fellow, however. was lightly
scratched and he worked the wbuliug waters
/ INTO perfect foam, shaking his powerful tail
towards us IN rather too dangerous proximity
70 sult our fancy Further on we passed Old
Joe Island rendered memorable as the resi-
/ 4enee OF the great KING OF alligators, who was
honored by the sailors with the sohrqna of
va joe inns champion OF his tribe had for
man! years escaped unscathed the numerous
assaults Whlch haa been made upon his mag
eSt oy inc alligator hunter. Although a
lp !,H INC Dail had knocked one eye out,
sun GA Onoculns defended successfully his
msular DOMINION ana beloved away ter
riIc aehance to all his foes lie was, how
ever hnaily klled' when ms huge body was
iouhu 10 measure more than twenty-five feet
lGngtn' 10 commemorate his wonderful
'AP'o''s ana inc iane oil ms ieroelons d'spo-
siHoH' anu 10 perpetuate ms name, his de-
s,tp1Yers chtlstehea the island ga Joe. Five
Mne Iolht luttea lar out from the shore as if
~ oar our iur,her progress 1t was covered
"'er with feeus ana canes ana wiry grass. 1t