Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-10-13
LAFITTE'S LEGACY.
BY FRANK 81. NORTON.

Two years before the war I was en-
ployed by large lumber-house in New
York, where was engaged as salesman,
to proceed to Florida and superintend
the cutting of cedar. The firm pur-
chased fine schooner yacht, fitted to
run up the rivers and 1nlets from the
coast; she was manned by a captain,
three hands, and a cook, and with my
self as passenger, was sent down to the
st. Mary's River On board ship bound
for New Orleans. This schooner was
small and compact, and easily slowed
on the ships deck, and on our arrival
at the mouth of the st. Mary's she was
safely launched. / broke a bottle of
wine over her bows as she plunged into
the brine, christened her the "Elma.''
The wife of the head of the firm,
and couple of days 'o1 90" 10 ooiy
fitted and provisioned.
NY duty consisted in sailing my
yacht up the rivers to points where [
heard of good cedar being offered;
striking O bargain with the owner, and
seeing it cut and properly measured,
Pr1r->- l.>.A@- 1a-s 49,
first chance that offered. Much Of the
time nv life was an idle one, and l en-
ployed it in shooting alligators-of
which there were plenty, and whatever
other game, large or small, edible ornot,
might come in my way. At times, too,
we would cruise in various directions
along the coast, shooting, fishing and
bathing, always sleeping on board the
Yacht, and looking out, as far as might
be. to protect ourselves from that
scourge of southern waters, the "chills
and fever
Look out as We might, however, [
finally fell victim, and after dosing
myself with enough quinine to set up a
good-sized wholesale drug establish
ment, determined to cut the miasmatic
shores of the rivers altogether for G
time, and take shy at blue water to
see if that would not brighten me up q
little, and invigorate my played-ou!
system.
So one fire morning we hauled up the
anchor, set all sell the yacht was 6
"fore and AFTER and left the St
Mary's for two or three weeks cruise
The month was September, the weather
beautiful, and the wind fair for ou1
course, so we skirted along the coas
for several days, running free before
the wind, and having plenty of p-ovi
sions on board, did not anchor until We
came to Cape Florida, and the com
mencement of the curious line OF shoals
Like outworks- known as the Flori
da Keys" had long possessed de
sire to inspect for myself the curious
formation of the work of the coral In
sect, and as coral reefs abounded here
I had ample opportunity. Here were
all the varieties of this wonderful crea
ton: the fan-coral, feather-coral, brain
coral. By dredging with small crap
mel, was enabled to obtain specimen
OF, each. We passed several days IL
skirting the coasts of these shoals, on
light draft of water permitting us t.
float almost anywhere.
At length, however, We got out O.
fresh water, and thinking might OBJ
tain some by the simple means otter
successful en- sandy coast, I accom-
panied the men ashore on one Of thu
Keys, with barrel, to dig in the Sane
FOR il. About thirty yards from high
water mark we commenced to dig, an(
had got down about four feet in thu
yielding sand, when the spade strucl
something solid, which, on examine
ton, proved to be rock. I was great,
SURPRISED to find solid formation s.
near the surface, but would have pro
ceeded to dig elsewhere, as there wa
considerable moisture sign
fresh water-had not the men dlggln
discovered that the rock only extende
short distance in any direction, a
they could dig around its edge III eac
way, leaving its dimensions about tw
feet square. Twas more surprised
this, as I could not conceive how
boulder could have been buried there
here being no rocks near it on tn
Aoal. So concluded to investigate
and, jumping into the shallow pit, dif
covered that the rock was perfect
smooth aud fat on the surface-appa
emily znathematically square, and Dor
marks of having been manipulated b
tools OF some sort.
Mr. >uriorifv Was nau fh0rauohl