The New York herald., 1877-02-10
Bottomless Pools and Cavern
Gus Streams.
THE PINHOOK "SINKs."
A Wonderful Discovery of
a Stone Idol.
THE HERALD'S EXPLORATION
TIE HERALD EXPLORING EXPEDITION,
CAMP PISHooK, Fla. Jan. 28, 1877.


geology put also to her annals and traditions The
earliest incident OF the knowledge of her gained by the
Europeans. the bcstowal Of name derived from
Pascua Fiorida (thc festival In the Christian
caiendarl far from being an accurate prognostica-
hon Of her after history The gentle career OF the
Almoner peace for the world the humble infant OF
Bethlehem is strkngly Offset by the fate which came
with the pale-faced strangers to her blooming
shores. The legend which attracted them hither
= tale OF natural wonder transcending all that
had hitherto been known to the enlightened world
the youth giving fountain of Juan Ponce de Leon,
was sprung from general idea possessed by the West
Indian savagcs OF the marvellous. ncongruous pecu-
harites which existed in the peninsula II seems i'm
probable that they any knowledge or such
object but the strange, natural features that really
exist in Florida had embodened their imaginations
that what was pure invention invested with the
air OF probability. There IS tradition still extant
and assiduously injected into tho tourists brain
through the passive medium OF his ear, that the
lovely Silver Spring the Ockawaha River is the
Identical revivlfer which tho world loving Spaniard
and many after hun sought But this is about
absurd believe that the philosophers stone
sxists or ever did The little gram Of truth in
The legend from a general fact. not local
one Florida is blessed with many characteristics
nexpcable II they were supernatural and yet the
common sense of the age would not permit 1t to jump
10 such conclusion even alter tho most exhaustive
researches had failed. Scence--and, In fact. learn
ng-adheres in these latter times to the formula OF
cause and effect, and the former Is taken for
granted
WONDERS FLORIDA
There are many wonders in Florida which have
never attained celebrity beyond their vicinity, and
progress may yet derive from them many valuable
lessons enterprise requisite for their invcsliga
tion can ever be enlisted. The portion Of Florida
usually most visited is the peninsula and the
coast OF the main land. Agassiz demonstrated
the coral superstr uclure Of almost tho
whole OF tho former, but about the latter is far less
real knowledge aud much more conjecture 1t Is
probable that the theory Of Agassz will apply 10 most
OF the margin of the main land In particular IL w.
leved that the fact with that portion OF the
northern shore of tho Gulf OF Mexico belonging to
Florida. 1t is bordcred by immense swamps and
marshes. Some portions are impenctrable as the
Everglades ana no white man Is cognIzant OF their
interior labyrinths This coast country Is travcrsed
by many which have peculiar characteristic
They rise abruptly from the earth, run through
soughs for short distances, and thcn dsapper.
gushing forth again at some other point They
to bo playing game OF "hide and seek"
with tho sun. Tho theory OF a cavernous subsructure
accords with those natural vagares. They are very
frequent the high regions of the centre OF the
tnent where the rivers retro into passages In the
limestone and glide many miles before again rising
to surface But Florida does not possess the do
cIivitics of a mountainous country which readily ex-
plain the reappearance OF stream.
THE sssIYKs."
Tho places at which the go under the sur
face are called "sinks.n We at present encampcd
near the edge Of one, in which the Pnhook River
,oscs ITSELF Two miles southwark is tho Lower Sink
whero It again assumes the dignity Of
stream. A ''sink" is sometimes bottomless
marsh, but those which swallow up large
streams are usually deep, shadowy pools. Such
ls the Upper Sink Pinhooks. 1t Is In tho
midst of majestic pine forest, whose trees are noble
and graceful in form and stature. Their sturdy
Desty oppressive the pretentous vertebrate
called homus, who plumes himself on being so far
superior to the vegetable community. Hero they are,
the arisocracy, and possess, yet, undsputed the
sovereignty Of the primeval wilderness. They
their colossal forms straigDter than any Spartan in
battle, and their proud proportions, clothed rich
odorous robes of resinous bark, seem to swell with
fine consciousness OF dignity and glory while the wind
sings them its breath OF the nconccvabe in
hnty. The olden pine forest is ko a congregation of
giant worshippers. This is especially oil that
which the wide plain. The Titans of the
tain have qucrulous about their sobs and
OF prayer and kissing anathema As Lanier says,
"They stand upon the corrugations of the earth's
brow. They represent pain, spasms, paroxysms and
desperation" But the pines OF the plain 'reli-
aion carven into trunks and branches and cones"
They, indeed preach, tnd they echoing
thoughts those ptable questions tho expression OF tho
yearning for innny, which abortve assaults upon
the mystery of the universe. Only the difference is
that these perfected types OF vegetation
merely to chant OF that which they have no impious
will to penetrate, while we wound souls with Bit
ter DOUBTS and appalling specuations "Thers is tho
unwrnkled forehead of a tranquil globe, they signify
The mystery OF that repose which only from
tested power and seasoned strength" Lanier has
evidently communed conndcntialy with the Florida
pine, for his car has caught the meanings that
have accrued TO Surely the Emusic of the
spheres" and the music OF the pines must be SYM
phonious. II is the eternal truth
AN ALILGAroRs' HAUNT.
Upper Pinhook Sink or ''sink o'Pinhooks" as 1t is
commonly called, is cncrced by multitudc--nay, a
myriad, OF these vegetable heroes, these nghaired
kings OF tho wood. Passive they arc, they may
bear for lesser tho sancy of tho descendants of
wodin among the Tcutons Royalty was with them
before tho historic agcs-bcforc the infant race Of
homus had emerged from the protophasmic chaos
The sslnkn Is small basin about twenty five yards
diameter. Its waters have the hue of rich brown
sherry, but they are pleasant to drink
Tho surface Is as quiet as tho face Of
sseping babe. The wind is never permitted by its
pcpsive guardians the pncs TO disturb It's calm. The
Pnhook gdcs out like harmless serpent at one sdc
but 30 softly to cause no ripple The depths are un
fathomable, except nesr the margin. There Is SUD
poscd TO lc column of water whose base in sub
tcrraneap chambers its cbb and now governed by the
-~,... ..n.ch 40 outlet far away affords from tho
dowuNard pressure AS you stand on the edge and
peer into tho shadowy chasm, IL does not impress
very aereeabIy There is suggestion OF the sinister
presencc of all manner OF siny creatures lurking in
Its iurthest groto which might dart out and dcvour
YOU should fate cause your foot to slip and your
body 70 fall as you gaze. Tho truth is that this