The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-19
up THE OKALAWAHA.
A SaifIntO Falry-Innd.

III Mis- H. he bAONhs
We have done III Whether in the
body or out, We lave been 10 dream
lnui, TO the lands OF the faYs and elves,
the land where EealitycGasCs and romance
begins. In the measurement oil earth, and
in the geographic language OF reality this
was accomplished in six days journey, on
the little steamer .Okalawaha. We lett
Mandarin at eleven o'clock on Thursday,
March 81, and returned ID i again the
next Tuesday afternoon. We had often
noticed, passing by on the river, the little
steamer, Okal6wabaS booking for all the
world like a gray, square cotton bale, and
We confess that we shuddored at the idea
Of going on bush. whacking tour through
the native swamp Of the alligator in such
Suspicious looking craft as that.
But the experience OF some venture
some friends, who dared and did-went
up and came back with songs pl Joy upon
theif 'heGds-persusdGd US, Our tourist
friends, persons Of renowned good sense,
came back from their trip fairly inebriat-
Cd with enthusiasm, wild with incohcrent
raptures. They had seen Europe and Italy,
Npales and the blue grotto, but never,
never had they in their lives seen aught
10 enhancing as this. It was spectacle,
wIerd, wOndrous, magical-to DO remem.
hered as one Of the things Of lifetime.
We'll, really, after this who would not
expect TO be disappointed? Who, going
with such a lAnlaronade of expectation,
would not come back little tho worse
for experienceY Nevertheless GOe have
been, and come back, and are not dlsap-
pointed, but prepared 10 chorus the most
axtraVagant lAudations Of our friends.
Row II Is VIC know not: You know 10 Is
n wide-attested fact that there are places
aud regions on Garth where the lays and
the dryads and other wood spirits still
live, who enchRnt the eyes of the conner
and bear him off into magical regions,
and bewilder him till he don't know
whether he has been on earth or under II,
We have almost forgotten our classical
literature, but We dimly remember the
cave Of Trophonius and the shades OF the
Delphic Oracle, and, Lake AYernus,
whence Virgil descended into tho Elysian
Fields. The fountain OF immortal youth,
which Ponce do Leon supposed was TO-
he found In the heart Of Florida, could
have been no other than the SILVER
Spring, whose magical waters, like q
great CHANGING Chrysollte, lie inthe heart
Of these unknown forests.
So, while you, my poor, dear virtuous
friends were fighting with roaring March
winds up. in the "still ,ycXed" North, be-
hold US stepping on board the little steam!
cr OCklawha on bright day, with gay
and festive party 1t young people. To
begin with our boat was an agreeable dis.
appointment We had always dreaded
the boat Is the abatement Of the pleasure :;
tor what, We said, could be done with
twenty passengers on such a little craft 7
We found, however, d neat, well'VenLi-
lated cabin, with berths for eight ladies,
rs comfortable Is could be desired. Then
there were six more state'rOoms, opening
from the central cabin, Of two berths each.
The captain was oil accommodation;
every hand on board, cook, steward
walter were as good.nstured and o6liglng
as could be desired, and the passengers, 10
return, were goOd.natured; polite TO each
other and unexacting in their require
ments; and so the little bark came TO be
looked on as quite a nice little home, AS
TO our table, 1t WaS crowded To- b sure,
both with dishes and with guests; and as
the whole cookery had TO be done In a
place no bigger than a good.siZed pocket
handkerchief, the result was certainly not
TO be severely criticised. II the proof Of
the pudding beIn the eating, certainly the