Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-08-20
che family Circle.
Lake 'OkeeChObtc.


in the southern part of the peninsula of
Florida, distant As miles inland from
Jupiter Inlet on the Atlantic coast, and
200 miles south of St. Augustine. The
lake is IS miles long and 80 miles wide,
surrounded by extensive marshes which
render it difficult of approach, and hence
but little is known of its precise character.
1t contains several large islands, which
we believe have never been carefully ex-
plored.
A recent number of the Ne,c York Her.
aid contains an account of visit to this
great lake by .. K. Allen, of San Marie,
Florida, and four companions. 1t was
with extreme difficulty that they made
their way through the swamps and over
quick sands, but they finally gained the
edge of bayou which foated them to the
lake; and once upon its bosom, no further
obstacles to progress were encountered.
From the first two or three miles out
from the shore. they were terribly annoyed
by mosquitoes and flies Of various kinds,
from which they could only in part protect
themselves by thick wells over face and
hands But at eight miles distance, the
insects were no longer troublesome. Three
miles from the shore they found shallow
water-fve feet-and sundry low islands
inhabited by alligators. At distance of
eighteen miles from the shore, the water
became clear and bottom was found at 10
feet. Here they discovered group of
three islands; the largest about six miles
long, and four miles wide. The northern
portion of this island was barren, rock y
waste, which extended back from the shore
nearly mile and half, to the base of a
line of rocky cliffs, about one hundred and
fifty feet high, which extended across the
whole width of the island. To the south
of these cliffs is magnificent forest, com
posed chiefly OF large mahogany, palmetto
and laurel magnolia. Many of the latter
trees, being in full bloom, presented an
enchanting scene. This forest extends
over the whole of the southern portion oil
the island, except to within few hundred
yards of the shore, which at every point il
sandy and covered with rocks.
The island next in size is about one
fourth of mile west of this large island
it is about four miles long and mile and
half wide, and is covered by fores1 like
that on the large island. The third is
quite small, being only about one mile
long and from half to three quarters o.
mile wide. Very few animals of any
kind, and none Of savage nature, were
found upon these islands.
In the forests spiders of gigantic spe
cies were found. One was seen which was
fully two feet long. L. had long and very
strong looking limbs, and would have
weighed three or four pounds. ln its head
which was jet black. we're several eyes
each surrounded by a bright yellow ane
scarlet circle. The body was encircled BY
bands of scarlet, yellow and black. Alto
gether the spider presented very bril-
liant appearance.
Upon the largest island, north of tn,
cliffs, the explorers were surprised to fnc
heaps of stones, lying in such position a
to resemble ruins of some kind of struc
lures. None of the ruins were extensive
and the structures must, therefore, hav'
been of small dimensions. Similar ruins
if such they were, were found in grea
numbers upon the small island, north o
this one. Upon the summit Of a cliff whicl
stands upon the eastern shore of the larg
island, the party found large heap 0
stones lying in semicircular form, ant
facing to the east.
The length of these ruins was nearl
two hundred feet. In front Of this semi
circle, and about fifty feet from it, was
large heap of stones, nearly twenty fee
square. The ruins found on the plain be
low, and upon the small island, wer
much smaller than those found upon th
cliff, being only from five to ten fee
square.