Brookville American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1858-1861, 1858-04-30
Fragment from an Unfinished Letter
from the South

Among the many ODJccts oi lhlcrcS'
that excite the attention OF those who
visit Florida, there is none more attiac-
tive or more frequently visited, than the
rcnoyn "Silyer Spring" situated q
few miles from Ocala, small town OF
Central Florida. No one, who can do
50, thinks of leaving the State without
paying ut least one visit to this Spring,
and it is said that when person once
drinks of its placid waters, he will GER
tainly return again. 1t will hardly be
believed, that many persons are super
stitious enough to place implicit cont
dcnce i'm this statement, and rtsusc TO
partakc of its waters, yet sach is the
fact. The Spring is some TWENTY-FIVE or
thirty yards in diameter, and the huge
volume of water that flows from 1t,
forms a branch of the Ocklwaha, a
which stream is tributor Of tho mighty
st. Johns. The great attraction OF the
Spring is its indescribablc beauty. Its
grassy banks are covered at all seasons
of the year with wild flowers of every
description, and in its clear and crystal
like waters, fish can be seen, darting
and sporting at the depth of one hun
drcd apd twenty Ave feet. SmN, beau
tiful Shells arc continually thrown up
by the action of the waters, and can be
caught in handfulls. The sirlcs and bot.
tom Of the Spring are covered with q
species OF grass, having very long
and wide leaf, and these leaves are com
pletey incrusted with the small shells,
presenting most singular and beauti-
iul appearance. But when the sun rises
in the heavens, then the Spring is seen
in It's grandeur. Its waters CLEAN with
all the hucs OF the rainbow. and the
silver sided fish, the shells, the flowers
and the grass, all combine to render the
scene one long to be treasured up in the
memory of the visitor. This Spring is
the pride of Floridians, and they take
great pleasure, not only in showing it to
strangers. but in repeating an Indian
legend concerning it, which runs as fol-
lows
When Fernando dcSoto and his band
of Spanish adventurous landed ut Fam
pa Bay, Florida, in 1889, they slowly
advanced through the country in a
Northcrly direction, stopping for time
with each ofthe Indian tribes they came
across. About one hundred miles from
Tampa Bay, they entered the territory
of Ocala, one of the most powerful
chieflains of Florida, and here they
met with friendly welcome, and glad
~ rested from their toilsome march,
The chief Ocala, had an only daughter
Lillewalla, whose face was as lovely a.
the full moon, whose eyes were rs
bright as the evening star, whose form
and every movement was MS light and
graceful as the bounding deer, and
whose heart was as pure as the crystal
waters Of the spring, by which she was
born and nurturcd. Lilcwalla saw the
bold and manly De Soto, and loved him
nor was the Spaniard Indifferent to the
charms of the simple and trustful Indi.
an maiden. Their tales OF love were
told, and he promised to,ooD rstil,ll4 pom
his search for gold, and takeNcf 20 his
own country, which he described IN
glowing terms. He departed, and c'ei
many moons had passed, Lillcwala was
eagerly watching for his return, but
she watched in vain. She more eager.
Is wished his return, as neighborina
chiefs aud braves were striving for hcl
hand. Her father thought the offer,
tempting, and bade her select from
these importHnatc rivals husband
but Lillawalla, true to her fiji st love, re
fused. AT last, driven to despair by th,
commands OF her father aud the long
continued absence Of DE Soto, sh,
throw herself into the bosom of th'
Spring, by which she was raised, anc
thus released herself from al hel
troubles. AS soon rs the waters closct
over her, according TO the legend, th'
various hucs of the rainbow began L
play upon their surface, and the Sprinl
assumed tho bright and beautiful ap
pearance IL bears TO this day.--N, i
Tribune.