Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-03-26
A FLORIDA DISCOVERY.
What n Newspaper Man Saw In nm
UnexpiOred District OF that State.

A New York Hereld correspondent,
writing from Monticello, Fla, about a
trip into An unexr,ored district of that
State, says:
Your correspondent waded abreast
deep in water for two miles, and at last
beheld high ard dry ground in advance.
The party approached and found an
island, with its shores well defined, and
shaded by the most enormous live oaks
aud magnolias that they ever beheld. A
heavy atmosphere of dampness and
gloom brooded over it. Its shores we're
closely protected by a dense growth Of
brambles aud vines. The party broke
through with a shout Of relief, and
gathering light wood in a great pile,
built an enormous fire, by which they
warmed their chilled limbs. Night was
approaching: and as it was necessary to
hasten back to camp, only a hasty sur
vey could be had of the island.
They we're astounded by the unex-
pected discovery. In a secluded nook a
singular, silent figure burst suddenly on
the view as they we're threading their
way through the bushes.
Look u here" exclaimed the fore
most, heres a man, sure enough"
On looking ahead, there appeared a
human image, but it stood so fixed and
~immsvable that they 1907 realized that
it could not beliving. The eyes of the
negroes protruded from their sockets
With superstitious alarm, but your cor.
respondent approached the solitary
presence. 1t vas of stone. On draw
ing near, the faithful likeness to human.
ity produced by the combined effects of
light and shadow was less distinct, but
it struck the explorers with awe and won
der. tits a rotund column of stone set
vertically in the earth, but not attached
to any neither ledge of rock, as it might
have been had nature been its artisan,
for it was loose enough to be swayed by
the application Of force. The upper ex-
t.emity is rudely fashioned into the form
Of a human head, in which there are pro-
tuberances which resemble the eyes, nose
and ears. The figure seems Of majestic
statue and mien. At its base, by deli
cately removing some moss, a few
strange and unfamiliar characters were
disclosed. They do not apparently re-
semble any hieroglyphics of ancient or
modern time known to the student of
language. They are sill less allied to
the picture writing Of the Aztecs. Near
the image lies a second column of stone,
but it is thrown to the ground. III we're
ever fashioned to a resemblance of the
human form divine the head has been
broken off, as it was nowhere to be found,
The idol is so ponderous that it was
found impossible to overturn it, although
repeated efforts were made.
On the %supposition that it might mark
the grave of some Spanish adventurer
who had %followed DeSoto when he
marched to Lake Miccasukic, some of
the party dug in the earth around it, but
found nothing. The negroes freely ex-
pressed the opinion hat here was buried
a treasure troVe, oncO the booty of pi-
rates from Barcelona. The Herald party
remained on the island all night. The
next day it was found that the island ex-
tended far southwark, and near the
extremity were several large Indian
mounds. 1t would be easy to conceive
that they were erected by a prehistoric
race, which also offered worship to the
stone idol. In these wilds may be found
a rich arche illogical research.