The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-01-08
Letter from ,TraveIer--Ai1 OF 1,
txSss Abcut Florida.


Letter from . sTraveIer-Ala OF ii
RS Abcut Florida.
~ Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.
3 s.sf .2sA. e HAVANA, January /, 1869.
~ Having est out in company with another
!. Richmond gentlemen on q somewhat extern
sive tour, which will embrace Cuba, and
probably, o portion Of Europe, ! propose,
with your permission, to give you from
tine 10 time some account Of the places We
.may visit. Ny companion travels for the
beneft OF his health, ] for information and
- 20 for fun n--and between US hope to be
able to furnish your readers with something
10 Interest them.
We left Richmond ON the LIST Of Decem-
Der, and journeyed by way Of Whining
ton. Augusta, and Savannah, to Jsckson-
Ss,les yY saa., which place we msde our head,
Quarters. This town is much larger THANH
was prepared to find Il, having grown rapid
iy sinoe the war. II is built upon the SAND
which 10 ankle-deep in the streets, ana lts
citizens are more or less afflicted VITA q
wheaziness Of respiration, caused by con-
atant Srnduips through this impeding me-
S;um. There are numerous very neat resi-
dancas here. many Of them surrounded by
beautiful orange groves, which are bow
loaded with fruit; and there are number
Of stores noticeable for the heterogeneous
character Of the commodities they sell, it
being no unusual sight to see pocket-hand.
kerchiefs. black tea, crookeryware, and
correctness, adorning the same window.
It's briskest trade is perhaps with the inya-
lids" the winter crop" as they are aPtiy
termed by the Floridians-who resort here
in droves, and its people ere waxing fat on
the whiskey and cod liver oil disposed OF
IA tbat class Of our fellow-citizens. This is,
however, not one Of the points at which
invalids generally prefer to winter,
the sandiness of the streets preciuolng
wholesome exercise, and the precarlons
state of the wooden pavements rendering
fracture Of the neck, or the leg at least,
almost inevitable to q feeble person, whlle
the weather appears to be materially colder
here than In the interior. Nevertheless,
many of them make this their stopping
place because Of the facilities afforded Tor
communicating with the outer woria-an
advantage rather limited in this portion OF
the Un;on--and because OF the superior ac-
commodations it offers. That great Virginia
luxury the oyster, so grateful and nourlsh,
ing to the sick, can be procured here-oi
the blue and muso-serolent variety, IL ls
true, and bearing startling resemblance
to parboiled young mice, but capable OF
conversion into very toothsome soup.
I Judge the freedmen hereabouts 10 De
the happiest and most contented OF any 10
the South. A large proportion OF 'nem
build fires in the streets, around which they
sit most composedly very large proper.
ton get vociferously drunk, hurrah, and
sink upon the sand, which is admirably
adapted for their soft reception while the
united brotherhood Of them steal. The hogs
throughout the State have been worse than
decimated by their prowess in this direc-
ton. As the same calamity has oVersha-
lowed the pig-pens of our own Common
wealth. it may be we'll to mention an e1-
pedient adopted here to counterfeit it. The
hogs are fed on arsenic till within o fort
night or 80 of the day appointed for their
slaughter-the poison, it is said, being in
nocuous to the animals, but working " hor-
rible outrages on the freedmen" who est
them.
Steamers leave Jacksonville once week
for St. Augustine, on the coast, and up the
St. Johns river twice week for Green Cove
Springs, Pilstka, and Enterprise places
in great favor with invalids. We CON
cluded to try Enterprise, which is some 2OO
miles from Jacksonville, requiring Two
days journey to reach it. We were much
struck with the beauty Of the st. Johns,
which is noble river, four or five times
wider than the James at Richmond, which
width it maintains for some distance above
Pilatka, where, after expanding into
broad and long lake, it suddenly contracts
into very narrow and remarkably crooked
stream, whose banks are lined with cypress,
water oaks, palmettos, and alligators.
Shooting at these last named productions
constitutes one Of the principal incidents OF
the trip. Both up and down the river our
boat was pretty well supplied with passen-
gers equipped with pistols, shot-guns, and
rifles, and we kept up an incessant firing
upon the public enemy. Nobody ever
shows any mercy to an alligator. he is
notorious for his unsparing consumption OF
dogs, young freedmen, pigs, and lightwood
knots-his prediction for these dietary
articles rating in the order stated-and for
this reason he is esteemed hosts hatnGnt
generiS," and treated accordingly.
After pursuing this tortuous course for a
great many miles, the river suddenly
widens again into another beautiful lake,
called Lake Monroe, on the north side OF
which Enterprise is situated. This town
consists Of hotel, surprisingly we'll kept
considering its out-of-the-way situation
store containing much Of what you do not
want and a good deal Of what you do; a
courthouse with no window-glass in it;
Doc I'll oh nPS 70 P,r1p no
and desecrated into dwelling-house. A
lovely orange grove is attached to the hotel,
and about mile from it is fine sulphur
spring, which, however, unfortunately has
the reputation Of being haunted-and by an
alligator. 1t is about thirty feet wide and
is said to be ninety feet deep, and is
favorite bathing place, though persons when
they reach the middle of it are prone to
collapse with sudden feeling of "gone-
ness /" in apprehension Of the alligator,
and to paddle out with terrible earnestness.
We found excellent company here-most
Of them from the northern States, and
generally more or less afflicted with those.
maladies for which q southern climate is
recommended. They were worry sociable
and happy, spending their time in hunting,
fishing, and riding by day, and playing
cards and checkers by night. They had
furthermore captured baby alligator about
three feet and half long, which, contrary
to the custom Of the country, they had gene
+ fsosnsly spared, and had tied up in the yard
far their entertainment. Our society was
dignihed by the presence Of real lord, who
had come hither to hunt, bringing with him
an immense armament of patent shooting
Jackets, improved game-bags, pocket rifles,
and other appliances Indispensable to an