The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-09
life ON THE FLORIDA COAST.
.uy SIR tNDED SCHOONER WfT DOC
,nR ufIIITLD DTSCOIERED.
,,r,unc for his Family AFTER thcir Misfor-
anne. what Became "f u Whhr h's
Ant was In Jacksonville Capt. hr"wn's'
schooner. and what Hecnne Of Her.

,r.r.f N,rri,t- Island. Fla. Tho island |
Ith,t,y,cu Banana and Indian rivers. wl'hn |
.f Cnnavornl Light. II is about thirty |
n-t.p- and from one yard to twelve miles |
.a ror.-'- Of G"orga pines. shading car
f ,.ln,,io scrub and hammocks choked |
,,h ir.riaal ihi'k'iS arc being cleared M nN /
..,,lr- Great cari Spanish bayoncis. |
NJ century plants dot it, shores, ana tan
,.thnen palmctoc- nod their heads in
Il, ,J brcc3.-. Ten years ago II was
,,...f th, b.et hunting grounds in the state
~ ti..nr cats and door nllnd its forests. clouds
n 'lnoks and ENGLISH snipc hung over its
n..r-h, S. and rogm, nt- ~ rosoatc curlows ana
snowy hrrons paradcl its sands II was the
home Of the otter and the noisy parro1lct.
kwthc Government land is all taken up and
Lunired families are budding orange groves
rr PLANTING sugar cane. They have all come
" him the pas, four years
The Doctor settled the highest point Of the
island twelve miles north ~ Eau Gallo AMI
Eighteen miles in direct line from O"l'
rsnnvcral. His house crowns II signify NM
overlooking the broad Banana river on tn" east.
md the nliun river on tn west. The roar ~
~, ocean is heard hut its wave are hidden 10y
4 min rim of vegetation lining the opposite
y ,r... tour mil away The maS'- of vessels
mi smoke a'ks of steamers. however. mr.
,tHui, seen from the Doctors breezy hnhita-
lcn.
Nne years ago he took his wife and children
4 this lovely and lonely spot H. wovr hut
from palmetto palms. hung his mos quito bars
ir.aiisroof. enlarged his clearing. and planted
,.arcnnc and garden vegetables. An orange
grove was ais, started The family. of course.
,sN,rel untold annoyunccS. They were over
run 10y naas and reaches. driven to
cover hy mosquitoes huzzoi 10y horse
unl door ilire and stung hv scorpions. Il was
t.rf, miles hy water to the nearest post Office.
nal twelve ditto to the next nei-hhor. Should
OIL. 20 ih'm die. there were not enough
loaul- Un thr place to patch up q coffin All
Tie PLANTING was done hy hand. Deer browscd
cabbage plants and potato vines. and robbed the
garden with .mpuuity. B'urs entered the sugar
n.I and Du.liy helped themselves One night
he II tor caught one in trap. hut it was
sore .at.h Bruln rolled toward all points Of
liz compass in an ciior'to Escape and crushed
~ acre of cane.
Despite these drawbacks. tho garden turned
tuta h1uutih supply Of vegetables. hut thorc
was NO. market for the surplus. and truck Of
great value was eii 10 rot. Al Extraordinary
crop Of sugar cane covered tho ground. hut
without horse and mill it Was nearly u-c-
l,ss Tn" Doctor made "a hand mill, and secured
twenty or more gallons of syrup for iamily use
This was packed away in Kegs and jugs: but
bright black bugs bored the kegs. and kept the
Doctors wife. us well as the moasses. in a con-
lnual iermcnt.
Morning. noon. and night the Doctor :oilcd for
months until his clearing was enclosed 10y n
substantial fence. Then party OF Tiger Tails
Seminolos came to the island to hunt the red
deer They left blazing camp fire. the woods
leeame a sheet Of flame. and the Doctors fence
was reduced to charcoal