Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-09-10

gallant zephyr, watch lifted 1t from |
her head and flung it up III tue Wa
ter. But the steamship stepped; the |
small toat was lowered, by the oiite |
captain aud hat and veil were rescued |
with but lite damage to either
and so another Saturday vent by us
into The past.
We reached Volu-iu about twilight |
on Satu day evening. Learning that
there were several families resident DIT
that point, We decided to spend Sun
day there and hold service.
The next morning, some of our party |
went ont npon tour of exploration !;
which rrsr ted in the discovery of a
family of churchmen residing not far
from the landing. The lady of the
household, lately become a widow,
moved into this wilderness ten years
ago, with her husband, a physician.
They settled upOI the spot still
occupied by her, attracted TO it by "a
grove of noble forest trees, under
which they pitched their tents. Here
we found her, an Intelligent, cultlva-
ted woman, with her .'our young chil-
dren), creating a home of LONELINESS
for them surrounded by evidences of
taste and iudustry-tine orange trees,
banana G ,o7e, some of whose stalks
were nearly, if not quite twenty-five
feet high, with peaches, figs. pome-
granates, and many beautiful flowers
tastefully grouped. The dwelling,
which could boast of no special archi-
tecturai merit, yet betrayed much re-
| fnement of taste ia it's interior, as
| well as in it's surroundings. On in
viting her to attend the service On the
| boat, she suggested her own house as
a more suitable place, offering to no.
tify her neighbors this arrangement
we accepted, and at the appointed
| hour found house full gathered for
worship. The Rev. Messrs. W., of
Florida, and W.. of North Carolina,
officiated their robes of ''fne linen
cleans and white" contributing to the
dignity of service made refreshing
aud acceptable to us all by earnest re-
sponses and hearty music The preach
er, In a short sermon, applicable to
the time, place and people, addressed
the chance assembled congregation,
who manifested their interest by COM
ing in still larger numbers to the even
ing prayer on board the steamer, when
the prayers were read by the Rev. MIR.
| W., of Jacksonville, aud an address
made by Rev. Mr. NJ of ST. Angus
tine.
And SO the day passed both protita-
bly, and pleasantly. The kind lady, at
whose house we had gathered in the
morning, added to our already bountI-
full stock of daintieS, bananas freshly
picked from her own trees, delicious
milk and for perfume and beauty
sweet flowers. A few blackberries also
made their appearance, with the in
formation that they had been in season
for some time-a fact which surprised
us, as it was was but the 18th OF April.
At this place We met q gentleman,
whose summer home is in Iowa; who
comes each year l, 700 miles 10 spend
the winter IN his orange grove. Thus
far, he told us, the climate of Volusia
had proved for HIM specific against
rheumatism. Around the settlement,
we found heavy timber, growing in a
rich black soil. Though SO early il
April, the Indian corn WAS as high as
ones head, heavy, and of vigorous
green.
1t was here that some of our party
had their most serious experience of
tn It evil being, resident IN Florida
and known as the mosqulto-a sort of
elephant III miniature, drinking with
his proboscis blood Instead OF arrach.
1t was tronble of which we had but
little on our trip, and SO We count it
ont Ill estimating our SUN of enj JOY
ment.
With the morning came relief and
refreshmeut. Upon the commence
mcnt of our voyage ut daylight.
the ene-ny withdrew his forces.
Soft Southern breezes came to
fan the wounds of our ex-
hausted companions, while on
every side the tllickly spring
ing fish diverted them from the sad
J memories of the night. Rods, lines,
hooks. spinners came upon the scene;
and the people of the deep found to
: their cost that they had to deaf with
veteran invaders. ExceIlent-(so cal
led trout; one weighing 81 pounds
} made an agreeable addition to our bill
of faro that day. The angling contin-
ued, With intervals, ali day. The
Captain too Kept up a constant war
far, upon the alligators and wild fowl
J on the shores. At length hapless
wild turkey hen came within the range
) Of his rifle. 1t WAS n large bird and
furnished feast for an epicure; one
!; too, which, shame to say, We all
heartily enjoyed, Notwithstanding the
picture which Imagination painted, of
the young brood clamoring for food
for themselves, perhaps at the very
; moment when We were devouring the
mother. But If We ate her, We at least
, prepared for her a requiem.
REQUIEM penned upon the spot, aud
read over a slice of the remains:
Faiu would wake my sleeping Tyre,
70 .Ing In piautivr strains OF woe,
! The fate of one We much admire,
!. But gone the way good birds must GO.
Alas poor hen, though, from tiny throat
No tune warbled, yet thy young
Found music in thy cheerful call
And III thy nots heard sweetest song.
| Now, VAIN their infant or cs for food;
All unappcased their hunger now;
And one by one thy orphaned brood,
| Down to the!r graves i'll sorrow go,
W hilst thou poor hen thy life resigned,
| To fc .st few.
Old gourm~nds, who
Heartless, thy chicks to death consigned.
Chorus by unsentmcntal captain and passengers
Peace to thy bones. old turkey-hsn,
| Tender and sweet,
| We found thy meat,
Would we could eat thee up again,
Not the least of our pleasures was
that enjoyed in the contemplation of
the fine sunsets, one of which, seen while
in great Lake George, was especially
magnificent, gorgeously brilliant above,
and giving it's sOftened duplicate be-
low, from the tranquil water. But
the charm wac all around US. The
weather was fine, the ten perature de-
llghtful, the scenery peep into fairy
land. growing more and more lovely as
we assembled the river. Finally we were
an appreciative party and for the time,
in highly appreciafive mood.
AS we passed into the re-
cesses of the upper river the
palm trees Cabbage palm) be-
came more numerous; sometimes in
clumps, sometimes stretching in long
lines and groves for considerable
distance upon the banks, or back into
the wilderness; and attaining height
of 10 to 80 feet, at least, if not much
more. W. ere We landed elders, gourd
| xlinoS coral Niror;.,.o