Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-04-23
Notes Of a Southern Trip,
BY DE-. 5. W. THAYEE.

BY DE-. S. W. THAYEI.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla, March, 1880.
We have accomplished the journey from
Burlington to st. Augustine, Fla, by rail to
New York, from thence to Tocoi by steamer,
where we changed to railway carriage for
this city, distance of some fourteen miles
from the steamboat landing. Nothing trans
pired Of romantic or thrilling nature during
the five days ordinarily required in transit
from cold region of snow and ice to lands
of fruits and flowers" where ripe gold
en oranges Strawberries and other fruits
were placed before us in wonderful profu-
sion. Although we cannot chronicle any
dreadful storms, fearful winds, or raging
hillows; no hail-breat escapes from rocks
and shoals, yet we remember our impatience,
and the complaints of passengers on account
of the heavy fogs that delayed us from en-
tering the Savannah river, and the incon-
vcniencc we experienced in being transferred
To tug boats and making a two o-hours' passage
IN standing position up to the city of Sa-
vannah, Georgia. 1t was the steamship
City OF Macon" on which We made our
passage from New York, which upon her
return trip took fire, as you have already
seen reported in the papers. At Savannah,
we had time TO look the city over a little and
We're much pleased with its broad, shaded
streets and parks. much more so than with
the cold dinner served us at one of the
principal hotels in the citv, which we are
told is not an unusual occurrence with guests
not on time.
At Savannah we engaged passage on board
4 steamer via the INLAND route for Jack
sonville, TocOi and other places bordering
the st. Johns river and for St Augustine
Our voyage along the narrow windings
among a series of islands which separate the
main land from the broad ocean, extending
nearly the whole distance from Savannah TO
Fcrnandina. was successfully accomplished
without the occurrence of any incident
worthy OF mention. except running aground
occasionally in making the short curves and
angles for which the channel is so ceebrat-
ed. The delays occasioned by being oc-
casionaly stuck in the mud prevented us
from arriving in season to make connection
with the train at TOcOi. To compensate us
for our disappointment We had several hours
to look over the tlourishing and busy city of
jacksonville, the main features nf which
remind us of Northern commercial and
manufacturing town. Up the river we
steamed, arriving at Tocoi too late for the
train to take us TO 81. Augustine. Ii was the
latest train for the day, not yet only three
O'Clock p. m, and no place for the night
accommodation or fYr other refreshments
for weary passengers. nor could we find ,
among the loungers about, one willing to
anathcmalizc the railway managers at rea-
sonablc prices. The captain of our steamer
relieved us of the dOleful prospects before us
by giving us an invitation to extend our trip
still further up the river, promising to return
us the next morning in season to take the
first train to st. Augustine. free of
charge for cabins and refreshments
We availed ourselves of the offer
so that we might have night under
shelter and see more of the 81. Johns river
ard the country bordering it. In few
hours we arrived at Pdlatka. another flour
ishing town developed by Northern capital
and enterprize, and from whence oranges are
shipped in immense numbers to Northern
markets. We passed the evening, the night
and the morning to late hour in looking
over the town, into the shops and store
houses. When the steamer left the wharf,
instead Of proceeding 10 Tocoi she made her
course still further up the river to discharge
beyond. We were assured by the captain
and several Of his slibalterns that we should
most surely return 10 rocoi in season for the
morning train We had more confidence than
we otherwise should have had in these
promises, from the fact that we were to be
fed and qtIarterrd AT the expense of the ships
company until We were safely landed. \
good supper and breakfast and good dinner
served 10 promote good nature with us all,
excepting perhaps few sea-sck dyspeptiCs,
whose propensitles for grumbling were very
much augmented by the free distribution of
baskets of luscious oranges by the officers
ot the steamer.
1t was one o'clock when We landed at the
railway dock, where for three hours We spent
the time in geographical explorations of II
sandy plain. covered with stuntcd palmettos
ani scattering scruhhy pines. The railway
Train arrived at last, and after the engineer
AMI the other train men had rested
from the arduous work of running
some sixteen miles or 81, we start
ed for st. Augustine, tull OF hope that we
should reach the tity before the close of the
DAY. 1t seemed 10 lis that oar speed was
not much greater thaa that of the man who
ran fourteen miles in fifteen days and never
looked behind him" For one, | WAS not dis
posed TO COMPLAIN vi the delays and miscon-
ncclions. as they were in every instance
from causes more ludicrous than serious. and
afforded US AN opportunity To scc more of the
81. Johns rlvcranditS bordering country than
would otherwise have been our good fortune.
The st. Johns river is Il stream of consider
able width but OF M great depth its cOlored
waters How through IL ilIt rCgion of country
bordered by swamp lands covered with veg
ciahle growth of willows and II great variety
Of scmi-aquilic trees, generally of moderate
size; many of them near to the waters edge,
gracefully curve To battle their tops in the
r.vcr Here and there, elevated from the
swamp, aIc hummocks, many Of them
of bread dimensions ON which the towns
are built, farms cultivated and orange groves
planted The seen, ~ bordering the -. Johns
river is neither grand nor picturesque, but is
sufficiently varied to hc not tudiOusly monol-
onous 10 tie traveller.
Persons in quite delicate health. who do
not seriously suffer from sea sickness,
can make very comfortable and pleas
ant passage from Boston, New York,
Philadelphia or Baltimore. to within fif-
teen miles of this city. and will invari-
ably find agreeable and attentive officers
in char.c of commOdious steamers Sea
sickness not untrcquently proves beneficial
To- invalidS, although il is rarely remedy of
their selection. Those who cannot endure Il
sp., ynynrp cam uaE - the inurnpv all the way
-. n . pu
~ idli' WIN AZ 'H' '""'''N W uilii''H
ear for the entire distance without change.
", are nnv in thr ancirnt city of n
,,,; n,I.L :, -, -, :, a.,
N"su't'n"- -Ai'"'u1h II CiHhu' "uiSt W the
antiquity ot many cities in the "old world,
il is The nllr. where the holy rrpss WAS first
planted and the gospel first preached and the
first settlement made in the new world.
hV more than twenty wears. IL Is UNIVERSAL
la r,npr,Ial that the American continent