The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-02-20
Glimpses at the South.

1t contains about eleven hundred acres of
arabic land The title 70 it Is traced
tack to a grant made by the Spanish
Crown. After the union of Florida to the
| nited States that grant was confirmed
lbs Congress: tirmer suhstratum Of title
cannot well be found
The present proprietor of the island
John F. Rollins, Esq. is 4 native of New
HAMPSHIRE About four years ago he
came south in search of health, and de
irving essential benefit from the change
~ climate he decided to establish his resi-
dcncr in this state. A fortunate combina-
lion OF circumstances attracted his atten.
'ion to this island and he became its
owner. He was not, like Ponce he Leon
seeking the tabled Fountain OF Youth, hut
hr has found on his beautiful island what
Is practically far better. the source OF
health That il may prove a never failing
one to him, his charming lady and inter
astins children, is the ardent wish of All
who have the good fortune to be the re-
ipients Of his generous hospitality.
The dwelling house occupied by him is
Hra'ed about zen rods from Fort George
irIot broad Sheet Of water, navgabe
I'v steamers at light draught. Steamers
an the inside passage, As It is called. 20
savannah, formerly went by this route
A bathing house on the bank furnishes all
ABILITIES for salt water bathing The
tresl in which the dwelling house i,
emhosomed shields it IRON the heat of
mnmcr and the cold Of winter; there is
winter il Florida a. well as elsewhere.
hH it remembered. The mouth of the
Inlet is about two miles norherlv from
Int NJ the st. John. and like that river il
furnishes 4 highway for the salt breezes
from the Atlantic. which come, in the in
tense heat Of summer. with retreshment if
not healing on their wings have seen
No place yet in Florida which is SO well
ad p'c9 fsr a throuoh-the-vear residence,
No one has 4 right TO find fault with Mr..
4 for appropriating to his own exclusive
use this very desirable spot hut he would
Justly he entitled to the appcllation Of
public heneiaetor would he convert it into
place Of resort for invalidS. A plunge
into the salt water bath--a sail OF row on
The rivera ride or stroll through the
avenues which interSect each other in
every dirnction-what a blessing would
each and all be to the poor invalid, pant
ing even while nhaling this deIicious!v
soft and balmy ain
IN the enumeration of the privileges at
tached to the Island must not omit the
extensive oyster beds near at hand the
fish that SWIM in its waters, nor the birds
qnirrcl~ of various kinds, 'coons and
poSsums that swarm in It's groves The
hmd!N disposition of the proprietor pro
hibits the destruction of the birds and
squrrcls; the coons and possums are
turned over to the tender mercies of dogs
darkcys and Sportsmen.
The aggregate length of the drives on
the island IS fifteen miles The approach
10 the house in one direction is through
Palmetto avenue, hordered by paimettos
planted twenty feet apart There is a
story of this avenue to the effect that some
forty years ago the oversper Of the panta-
ton, in the absence Of the proprietor. find
ING that the slaves were ont of work
found employment for them in plantin 9
these palmettos, The proprietor. who
was devHee OF mammon rather than OF
nature, finding on his return what had
been done in his absence, discharged hi
oyerseer forthwith. Poor planter all
the works OF his hands have long since
passed from the face OF the earth, but this
work of his humble subordinate still lives
10 adon and beautfy it.
Another approach, in another direction,
il through Cedar avenue, lined on both
-des by stately red cedars, the Spanish
moss dropping Ike gray locks from their
long, gnared branches ThH there is
Magnolia avenue, with its long stretches
Of those beautiful trees, some of them two
tcrt III diameter; lIolley avenue with its
clusters of blood-red berries Moss avenue.
with is ichens fine in texture as the finest
lace-work Briar wood avenue, redolent
Of pipes. But have not time or space to
20 through on paper the avenues through
which | strolled or drove | must not
forget "Gerty's Glen''-sweet little Gery
with its tangled, luxariant masses of
sem-trOpical ve9ctation--nor the Jungle
out OF which the tiger did not leap, n
thought it seemed as if he might at INV
moment
Under a former proprietor cotton was
extensively cultivated on The and, said
to have been OF the same character and
quality as the famed sea-sahd cotton
He was the owner of hundred and fifty
Iaves-the greater portion imported by
himself, one of whom was an African
princess. and who became the sharer of
his bed and board She is reputed to have
been a woman of remarkable energy of
character. In the absence of her husband
~he rsigned supreme. 1t was her daily
custom to have the slaves marshaled be-
fore her, and their daily tasks assigned to
them. Tradition goes so tar as to report
that she knew well how TO punish rs well
rs to reward, and that she never failed to
make 4 forcibly practical use of that
knowledge. | saw the old stocks which
were occasionally called into requisition
by her Imperial African Highness.
The houses, or quarters rs they are
called, occupied by the slaves, still! re-
main some of them now occupied by
employees of the present proprietor
others dilapidated more or less There
are thrtysix of them built of concrete
manufactured coquna-sand, lime and
oyster shells; the walls are thick, stand
the weather. and are in every particular