Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-02-19
NiMTkR CHARMS oF FLoRlbA,

/ The ancient city OF st. Augustine is really 1aV-
hng q resurrection of new hie It's genial wiHter
climate yearly attracts wealthy people from the
North, and some OF them. like Mr.. Aspinwah and
Mr.. Howard, two New York nabobs, are building
elegant mansions here. The Sisters OF Mercy are
about to build q convent and Hospital, aud ehse9l-
ored people are to have an asylum erected for
their benefit The city fathers are also RwakiDg
from their Rip Van WInkla sleep, and are filing
up the bog-holes in the streets, and even contem-
plate the making of sheli-road one mile long, To
be the grand boulevard Of the future.
wish it we're possible for me to describe the
LONELINESS OF this climate, and its healing effects
upon invalids. Saying the Thermometer htands
at 500, and that the soft air is made invigorRtng
by contact with the ocean, does not convey an ad-
eQuate impression of its virtues. Recent letters
from friends in the South Of France, who spent
the last winter here say the climate there Is not
to be compared with that OF ST. Augustine. The
city is now quite tuA of strangers, aud soon every
place will be crowded. The band plays every af-
eTnoon in the plaza, calling out the crowd in hap
piest mood, and at sunset the siagea dTiSO an
trom the depot, blowing their bugles, announcing
the arrival of northern mail', as well as the pas
senReTs. The orange trees are nov budded, and
will soon be in full blood. A few peach trees
have also opened their del;tate fOwer buds, but
they are q little in advance OF the seassu.
Sailing parties are now in fashion, and / will
describe one We recently enjoyed, Our first land
ing was az the lighthouse, upon Allastasa island
where from the outlook VIC obtained fine view
of the Florida coast, and could also look far OFF
upon the ocean, beyond the breakers while i'm
agination carried us back three hundred and fifly
year,, to the DAYS of those early adventures who
landed here when this continent was an unbroken
Wilderness. Yes, this is the beautiful Florida,
where they spent their Easter Sunday, and fan
cied could trace their path ON the water, and re-
alize their excitement as they landed From the
lighthouse we walked TO the coquina quarTicS, |
where most of the building material ofSt. Angus
tine is obtained. The cOquina is shell formation,
which, believe, is found in no Other part of the
world. 1t is composed of fne and broken shells,
by some action OF the water here. Prof.
Dala speaks of il in his recent work on corals, |
but gives no geological explanation of its forma-
lion. 1t is cut In blocks suitable for building, |
and is little soft when first taken out but har.
dens on exposure to the air. The houses built of
il are in the old Spanish style, withlarge balco- !
lies hanging from the second stories over the |
narrow streets. From the island we sailed to the |
north beach, where the dashing OF the waves has
'endercd the accumulation of shells very firm,
md where we took long walk scarching for sea /
Deans, that are often washed up from distant |
hores. We returned with voracous appetites TO
line of the finest of venison and wild duck, with
vegetables fresh from the garden, and oranges
nst gathered srom the trees, At dinner, while
We were holding an animated discussion ON the
nestion Of uniting all the different religious de-
nominations, dove flew in through an open door
uttered a few moments over our heads, and then
ook its departure, leaving us 10 accept and profit
y the omen if VIC would. Afler dinuerWe walked
D the post cemetery, near tn barracks, where
lng lines OF our soldiers are sleeping under the
range trees, and where three cOquina pyramids
over the rcmains Of Major Dade and hundred Il
bis command who were massacred by OsceOIa
nd his tribe during the Seminole war. There Is
ow a small force stationed at the barracks, under
ommand Of Major COrcoran, to protect us from
u enemies, and oul beautiful flag ie always float
lg there Correspondence Springfield Republican