New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-22
GEN. GRANTS FLORIDA TRIP.
rMo FAMOIIS RIYERS YISITED.

FLORIDA.
fyRoMA SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE.l
81. AUGUSTINE Fla, JAN 17.-From Jackson
vile. General Grant and his friends made excur-
sion up the ST. Johns and Ocklowaha Rivers and
thence back 10 Tocoi and to this city. At the
departure from Jacksonville on the morning of the
9Th inst, the same ceremony observed that had
marked the Generals arrival, and the steamer Kel-
sew left the wharf amid savos of artillery and strains
of paIrIolic music. General Grant stood bowling
in response TO the cheers and tarewels till the
sound of the voices died away in the distance.
The party on the journey from Jacksonville was
the same with which General Grant set out from
Washington. with the addition of Mr. Joseph Sehg-
man, the New-York banker, his wife and his
Mr.. George Selgman. The first stop made at
Orange Park, town, started three
years ago. Across the river, at Mandarin, is the
residence of Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe. There
was large crowd gathered here to welcome
the General. and long before the pier
was reached there constant booming of can
non in honor of the event Mr. Benedict of Orange
Park had spread out tables under great live oak
trees little agricultural exhibition of the products
of the plantation. There fine Indian corn.
long island cotton. oranges. shattucks, lemons,
Strawberries and vegetables in psofusion. Another
landing was made a few miles further up, at Green
Cove. Paatka was reached at sunset, and there
the travellers found rest after very uDeyentful
day. In the evening ball was given in honor of
the arrival which was protracted till long after
the visitors themselves had lost consciousness IN
sleep.
The next morning the trip was resumed. Mrs
General Grant. weary with the journey, remained
behind with Miss Felt and her maid. Soon after
passing Palatka the river grew narrower, so that
the shores were object of interest. The first
day the great width of the stream prevented close
v;a ne fho anrar and yp0 ak
that varied the scene along the banks. The travel
lers were in the best of spirits Therel be another
bail tonight Sheridan" said General Grant 10 the
Lieutenant General who had ACQUIRED the repnta-
ton for doing the dancing for the party. But IL
happened the party danced but little that night.
BIRDS AND ALLIGAToRs.
Everybody on the trip intent upon seeing
alligator. The pilot said it was too early. When
would it be late enoughi When the came out
hot toward noon. Mr.. George Seligman was ready
and was diligently practising upon the lonely vu-
lures that sat upon the topmOs branches of the
naked cypress and the great blue herons that rose
and scared away as the boat turned the sharp 81
bows in the uver The vulures sat there as silently
and imper;urbably as Poes Raven. never wincing
at the salute, but the herons flew away
Mrs. Sheridan was especially anxious to catch
a glimpse of the alligator in bis home
The sun rose high and was no; at 10 o'clock. and
finally two alligat0rs were Fire was opened at
once 1t was useless to think of hitting them, hOws
ever for they were in the water, and only showed
the horny tops of heir heads and shoulders. They
were as brave as a soldier behind a stump and barely
moved Soon another was sighted. 1t a mon-
ster and had unblushngly disclosed its entire ug-
ness By crawling up on great fallen tree TO bask
its moss-gTOwn armOr in the sun. When hfed at,
il slowly backed down into the water and dsap-
peared. Several more were under similar cir
cumstances and in did any harm befall
them,
A little before the party entered Lake
George The lake spread itself out in broad. placid
sheet of $50 square miles with scarcely ripple upon
its unwrinkled face. The shone brightly and
the balmy air that came in breezes from the vast
expanse of woodland brought sweet relief to the
yoyagers who only few days before bad
breathed the chilly atmosphere of the North.
The dinner bell finally called the party from the
contemplation of the beauties of the lake 20 the
more substantial and prosaic comforts of the
dining-room below. In the midst OF the dinner an
omlnous grounding was heard beneath u.s. and soon
it was learned that the boat was on |olusia bar,
and there the devoted boat was destined TO stay.
An industrious little tug pulled away manfully to
get us past the bar. but all TO purpose. It's
that Saratoga trunk that did the business" said
General Gfaut, looking quiZZcally at Mrs. ColoOei
Grant. Tine on, and To kill the Tying
moments General Grant proposed a series OF
problems. One. and then two hours passed, and
General Sheridan had told almost all his stories OF
the time when be stationed with company IN
Oregon before the war, and Colonel Grant had eX-
planned inst how many officers of his regiment
we're above him IN the line of promotion, when the
Arrow came steamng down the river We Lad
been struggling with that bar for two hours.
Would the captain give a pull We hoped So
Mr. I.eve went ont 10 meet the stranger as she lay
to- anda parley between the representatives OF two
rival lines ensued. Soon lac returned bearing
General Grant. On being opened II was found
20 contain an invitation accept the hospltalities
of the captain en- board the Arrow, for the rest OF
tie trip 10 Enterprise. 1t seemed that the gallant
captain woald not tow q rival over the bar but. II
General Gran, and his party would come on board
Ills boat he would turn about from his course to
Jacksonville and 60 back to the place from where
he had start ed that morning Would not his passen-
gers object we asked. Oh no. and with the idea
that we had found the most accommodating people
on earth General Grant accepted the invitation
and We were soon transferred to the Arrow and en-
rouie once more. We had been so much delayed In
making the transfer that instead of arriving at our
destination at o'clock it was half hast IL when the
lines were made fast at the wharf at Enterprise 204
miles up the ST. Johns from Jacksonville. General
Sheridan had no chance TO dance that night and the
reception was n failure.
UP rHE ocKLAwAHA BY NIGHT
The next morning at o'clock the party was ready
for the Journey once more, and crossed Lake Monroe
to Sanford An hour was spent in looking through
the plantation where thousands OF bushels OF
oranges lenoDs and bananas were growing, to-
gether with the tea plant and pine apple, in the
most proflse abundance Such an event as the VISIT
of General Grant could not pass without some I'M
portant act, so carriages were provided and the
party was driven out TO where the work on