Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-29

can hardly realize the change. In places where
wild beasts roamed unmolested, are built up
with neat little villages, and where villages
were are now thriving towns. Florida indeed
is on boom. She has at last walked up. The
flower spot of the United States just now com
menced to settle up-just being found out
Well! better late than never, and l am glad of
it, for if 1881 does bring things close for this
world. Florida will have the consolation OF
knowing, had things lasted, she would have
been something, and might have been her
Governor
To one travelling up the st. Johns river it
seems strange 10 me to have to call the river
nevertheless they saw its so). On calm bright
April day the scenery is just charming. Twill
not undertake to describe il out of mere pity
for both the scenery and English language, so
l merely glide on up the river to the thriving
town of Palatka, where / stop long enough to
see over the beautiful little city and envy many
of its good citizens of their neat and pretty
homes Then get me five cent cigar and take
a steamer for up the Ocklawaha river. Please
don't catch the idea that engaged the steamer
Just to haul me up the river. The boat was
making its regular trip and had hard work
getting on at ALL l could hardly induce the
Captain to believe that / could roost on a
barrel or anywhere he would be pleased to put
me. was not sleepy then and trusted to
of, die or do something before bedtime. be-
heve could have slept sweetly on that box. 1
told the Captain as much but the dadgasted
mosquitoes liked to have pulled me to pieces.
The dawn that ushered next day into exist
ence was very comforting to me, for 1t not only
brought peace and rest, but it also brought
breakfast, at which meal reared back as if
had had whole stateroom TO rest my weary
back. Every steamer, understand, is filed
with passengers, who are either travelling over
the State, or tourists just making the round
trip to Silver Springs and back
Inc Ockiawaha is the narroweSt, crookedest
navigable stream in the world $50 l heard a
fellow say 1t is so narrow that one can take
a shotgun and kill as many alligators. birds,
about on foot. and / like it better. Seventy
five miles up the St. Johns from Palatka the
Ocklawaha empties self into the st. Johns
nearly opposite Welaka. Presently we
garnished highway of the st. Johns, and
turned off to the right into the narrow lane
OF the Ocklawaha. the sweetest water
lane in the world Caused perhaps from
the sinking of the steamer Forester. and with
1t several barrels of Florida syrup; a lane
which runs for more than hundred and fifty
miles of pure delight, betwixt hedge rows of
oaks and expresses and palms and bays end
magnoliaS, and moses and manifold vine
growthS; a lane clean to travel along, for there
is never Speck of dust in it, save the blue and
gold dust which the wind blows out of the
flags and lilies; lane which is as If typical
wood stroll had taken shape, and as if God had
turned into water and trees the recollection
of some meditative rambIe through the lonely
SecluSlon OF His own soul" The above COPY
from book on Florida for was asleep when
all of this was passed. else should have to use
no quotation marks
The day was right and warm, and alligators
were lying about on the banks and logs, look
ing like magnit1ed lizards. Every man, woman
and child that could muster up an old shotgun,
pistol, or some other weapon of destruction,
were making it lively for the gators . stood
like hero and fhrnW much 0f ha
tains fire-wood away that he had to stop me,
which was lucky for the alligators and other
beasts. Two days and one nights travel on
this narrow stream brought us to the cele-
brated Silver Springs. and some one told me
after arriving there that I could have walked
through from Palatka in a day, but he didn't
know Silver Springs is situated in the
centre or Marion county. 1t covers an irregu-
lar space of several acres before contracting
into It's outlet. 1t has become quite famous
since ex-President Grants visit here.
Everybody must see Silver Springs the place
Grant made so much fuss over after all of his
extensive travelling. wanted to see it because
everybody else wanted to do the same thing,
and guess that is characteristic with every
one. If nobody takes an interest in a thing, no
matter how beautiful it may be, it will never
become popular and it takes just a certain
class of people to start this popular interest.
Well, Silver Springs is q thing of beauty in
deed. There are pools scattered about in it
from thirty to sixty feet deep, and very minute
objects can be plainly seen at the bottom of the
very deepest pool, the water being so clear
While looking into the sixty feet pool a boy
had the cheek to ask me to drop silver dime
into the water so we could see it when it got to
the bottom. but guess the little man took ne
for Vanderbilt. A great deal of freight is put
off here, it being the Ocala landing, which
place Is four or five miles west of here
Ocala is one of the liveliest places of its
size In Florida. In the last five years it has
grown wonderfully, Then it was not able to
support a spring and summer stock of goods,
but would get in a large fall stock to meet the
cotton trade. But now the stock is well kept
up with; and everything cheap, considering
the high freight they have to contend with.
Real estate is booming. The town is always
full of new comers with plenty of money, and
they are always ready 10 speculate in some
thing. thereby keeping the town full of activity
The East Florida Banner, lively weekly, is
published here, and is doing its share towards
bringing in emigration. The Peninsular Rail-
road is fast reaching completion to his place.
There is also talk of another road running from
Palatka to Gainesville, thence south via GALA
which is creating some excitement. 1t seems
from the present outlook that Ocala is going to
be the place.
This is the easiest country for the negro to
get along in in America, and l expect twill
beat Africa. ALI they have to do is to cult
vate few acres of potatoes and peas which
will take very little work, the ground being
light and easy to cultivate and is very produc-
tive. They can homestead the government
lands or squat on land that they know will not
be settled up soon and live on it for several
tiers. Now they have something to eat and all
the garments they require can be cheaply had
A neat and tasty article for children is a
corn sack with three holes cut Ia it. one for
the ne, k, the other two for the arms. Now
they are hxed-plenty to eat and plenty to
wear, nothing to do but bask in the sunshine
The ponds and lakes abound in fish, but game
Of other sorts are being fast driven out of the
country. Speaking of negroes reminds me of
the other day, while passing a field where
several were at work. a darkey drove by in a
place: Hello, Bill, be down yore way ter
mite" Bill-"Yes dern var, you wus down
dare las mite, and stole all my taters.''
Children here, as a class have very little use
Tor shoes. Very few negroes wear shoes at ali
except when the winters are exceptionally
cold. Some places in Florida are so poor that
scarcely any kind of vegetation will grow on
the natural soil, and tits said the human race,
if enough to eat can be had, live so long on
these sand hills that they have to knock some
one in the head with hatchet to start grave
yard.
Again start my voyage up the ockIawaha.
but nothing worthy of note greets the eye ex-
cept occasionally an orange grove can be seen
through the woods. About twelve O'Clock on
the same morning after leaving Silver Springs
we stopped at a Landing. little frame house
in the woods and put Off an amazing lot of
freight for such place. but we learn it Is to go
to Lake Weir beautiful lake three or four
mies southwest OF here, where several orange
aud lemon and other fruit groves are being
successfully brought on. On up the river we
see nothing to break the monotony and same
ness Of scenery except an occasional orange
grove or an old neglected plantation. For
farmer boy to cast his eyes over one of these
badly neglected farms and behold the work
that is to be done Is enough to make him sick
But, an When we glide into those beauti-
full lakes, Griffin, Eustace and Harris, with all
those fine orange groves and charming
scenery generally, our time. trouble and ex-
pense are amply recompensed The whole
country around here is laden with perfume of
orange and lemon blossoms. At every bend
and turn the following exclamations may be
heard: "Oh. isn't that just too awfully lovely
for anything" ''Bijingoes! amt that bullyl'
"Oh, ism t that just charming!' Hanged if
seed aforel'' etc. Every one is enraptured, and |
when get up to explain the different objects |
Of interest my friend tells me to sit down, that
| know nothing of the country around here |
But guess rve.got guide book what tells |
To-day we landed at Leesburg, at the Lake Har- |
ris Landing. and take look over this rising little
town. 1t is like Ocala, full Of vim and energy, |
and with prospect that is very hattering It /
also has lively weekly, the Sumter AdUance, |
which is doing this section great deal or good. |
Around Leesburg are some Of the finest or
ange groves in the State. Every orange season
the Ocklawaha steamers are loaded down with /
this delicious fruit, carrying it to Palatka or 1
to meet the large steamers going
North. Some wonderful reports are afoat |
around here of young men with hardly |
change of clothing, much less change of other
Kind in eight or ten years refusing $50 600 to /
s3O 600 for their labor in the shape Of an orange
grove-almost equal to the Western mining
stories. The whistle blows us up and we COM
nence our homeward Journey 10th to leave |
his lovely and enchanting country Iadaned |