The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-03-30
Letter from Florida.

FLORIDA, March l, 1871

widening into q broad lake. On the shore
stand the oaks, their branches with the
drapery of moss, yards in length, flowing
gracefully to the waters edge The
stately pine and palmetto, magnolias with
their dark green dress, the bay and olive
with their peculiar shades, and the maple
with its bright leaves, give Il cheerful
thought of home.
About fifteen miles from jacksonville is
Mandarin, where Mrs Stoves cottage lies
nestled among the orange trees,-the air
perfumed with the sweet flowers of the
grove, and the place made gay by the
passing and repassing of steamers filled
with pleasure seekers. Hotels are erect
ed at many points on the river. vielng
with each other in objects Of interest to
hunting and fishing parties. Hibernia is
very attractive island, and gives one
the true idea Of the Land of Flowers.
Large grape vines, the honey suckle and
peach are very abundant. One oleander,
said to be the second largest in the world
is here-twenty- five feet high, aud with a
circumference of thirty feet Myrtle trees
with beautiful flowers, like pink Grape,
rose trees in full flower, and other shrubs
in profuson. Green Cove is where we
find warm spring, spoken of very high
ly as drink, and for bathing uses. Pass
incr No ralal, Eaain yVbnVp w
take the horse car for St. Augustine.
Truly, one might worship these cars, for
they are curiously and wonderfully made;
the frame of q horse, and the rope, leather
and chain harness are II wonder to behold.
AS the car contained twenty passengers.
with huge trunks, and innumeTible bund-
les it was fortunate TO have Doctor with
US who had been educated by the hard
roads of Maine, to tie knots and ndimproyise
shafts. Part of the road is a sandy plain.
Not blade of grass delights the eye, and
tall pine occasionally relieves the mono
tany. The other half Of the way IS
through jungle of tropical plants, the
home of the allgators and rattlesnakc.
One snake with thirteen rattles was on cx-
libition, having Just been taken Land
valued at ten cents per acre, and high ut
that, one would say to see it,
We find St. Augustine to be most
quaint and peculiar place. Long before
the landing of the Pilgrims this was
fortified town, and being built bya people
So different in manners and customs from
our own, is full OF interest. In l565, the
first settlement was made at this place. The
buildings are all Of the coquina, Il mixture
Of fine shells and sand making Il hard
substance, and very durable. The streets
are very narrow, some mile IN length.
and only twelve feet wide; they look
almost like . tlue, for, most of the houses
have high roofs, and hanging balconies
from the second story, and seem almost
| to touch each other. The families can
have confidential chats with their neigh
| bors without going from home. High
walls are round most of the houses, ana
| only i latticed gate or chnk in the wall
| gives YOU Il view of the gardens, full OF
| flowers and early vegetables. Here we
| find the orange, lemon, date, fig, banana,
| guava ana olive, while grapes and peach
es are very abundant. The plaza is u
fine square, on which is the ancient mark
| ct, the cathedral, convent and other old
| buildings. In the center of the square -
! monument is erected in honor OF the
| Spanish Liberal Constitution The Cathe-
| dral is over two hundred years Old, and u
singularly constructed building. The
beltry, in the form of a bell shaped pyr-
inches, and its clock forming Il cross.
| The oldest of these bells is marked 1862
| The United States Barracks, recently inn
| proved, Were built years ago for Il mon-
astry The sea wall of coquina, with its
Gaping of granite, protects the sea front
and furnishes delightful promenade OF i
walled, and part of the wall remains.
The gateway is very imposing ruin,
with towers and sentry boxes. The ditch
before the old wall is distinctly marked,
and often ut high tides filled with water.
The old Fort st. Marco, is a great curiosi-
ty. Its material, like every other old
building. is coquina. 1t stands on the
sea front, and was one hundred years in
building. Its lofty and imposing en-
trance, surrounded by the Royal Spanish
arms, its battlcmcnts, lofty towers, and
moss grown and massive walls, impress
you with wonder, while walk through
its dark cascmates, its Romanish chapel
with inner altar, and holy water inches
its dark vaults, and recently discovered
dungeons, where your guide takes You
by creeping very carefully into Il dark
entrance, and by the light of u iiickcring
candle, shows you the rusty ring bolts
where two skeletons We're found chained
in iron cages These same cages, he
tells you, are to be seen in Washington
You are filled with awe, when told of the
underground passages, and shown where
the Seminole chiefs We're imprisoned and
caped-Osceola to be retaken after leap
ing down from the tower, and his prouC
spirit broken by long imprisonment. A.
| had recently visited his grave at For
Moultree, IN Charleston Harbor, | wa
deeply interested in the story.
From the Fort we visit the beautiful
grounds of some of the residents here
There arc few elegant houses recently
erected A sail to Anastasia Island, tc
see the quarry of coquina, the only
one in the United States, and Il visit t,
the light house built some hundred years
: ago, occupy q day for us-also Il call Il
the convent to see the making of lace, an,
the manufactures of palmetto hats, whicl
| is a. SDecialty here and are both interostin cr