Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-05-12
LETTER FROM FLORIDA.


We are permitted to make the following
extract from private letter from "EDD1E"
AvERnL to his father, written at "Pratt's
Home" Florida, under date Of April 20.
Our young adventurers are having fore
taste Of army life, without, however, being
Suject to marching orders, drill and disci-
pline:
We are all enjoying ourselves here; Joe
has been a little sick, but is coming out all
right. / went into Sanford with "Will"
Parks, the dpy he started for home; had a
pleasant walk of forty miles before reach
ing our camp. While at s. We got our
weekly supplies, consisting of sack Of
-four, 50 70; % lbs of salt pork, l6 cents a
pound; also, meal, hominy, syrup, beans,
coffee, brown sugar, &c. Had a darkey
bring them out in his small dump cart.
When night overlook us we stopped on the
side of the road, built campfire, had
small piece of pork fried on a stick, which
we had for supper, with crackers and syr-
up, after which we spread our rubber blank
cts, and with one blanket over us, our feet
to the fire, and boots for a pillow, slept un-
til morning, and bright and early started
for home. find my rubber coat one OF
the most useful things brought from
home. Stopped at grove and got dozen
oranges at three cents each. After fording
the Wekiva river, and going about three
miles west, ,wecame to Egypt Grove. Here we
stopped, and at the invitation of the owner,
we walked through his grove. He claims
he has no tree on his place over six years
old, and last year had quite a crop; this
year his trees are loaded. lie also has a
large lot of bananas, all yielding fruit,
You can see by this what can be done by
work. HIS small place, without any ex-
pense, will yield him large income, and
the older the trees get the better.
Yesterday we went over to the saw mill,
about four miles north, situated on the
Blackwater river, stream about like the
Wekiva, of which wrote. Here we saw
grove of Magnolia trees, NIL in full bloom,
which were beautiful. We filled basket
~
thing like the northern pond lilies, but
much more fragrant. You can smell them
sor miles before reaching the trees
We are getting 50 we can cook better now,
and have little better feed than we had
at first. Yesterday we had squirrel soup
with onion, and thickened with -four. We
can make good bread and wheat cakes, OF
"hitters," as we call them, and have made
n number of improvements on cur first
weeks cooking. The only way of cooking
at present, is by an open fire or dutch oven
When get my house built, | expect tc
put in stove and live more like
white man should. By the time you
get ready to come here | will be able to gel
you up rs good n meal as the country will
allow. l hope to make enough here to pm
improvements on my place at once, anC
hope that by the time you see it to have
clearing, a good house, and grove of some
kind planted, either great or small. IIopt
to get house under way soon. Lumber
will cost $25 per thousand, delivered;
can get rough-edged lumber for $40, deliv
cred, and will be obliged to work it ali VI
myself in shape tor building. Have no
yet made up my mind which l shall get.
have not yet got my papers, but hops
to have them this week, and then I'm go
ing to try my hand at work. The lane
here is high, rolling, dark sandy soil, (par
Of it light and white,) and | think this Il
the healthiest part Of Florida. On tn,
homestead have applied for, there is
lake and a running stream of water fed b,
spring, and there is good place to bull
on high knoll near the spring. ii onl,
get this one shall be pleased, but no tell
ing what they will do at the land Office.
have only to wait and see. Will sool
write again.