National Republican., 1883-03-13
ETERNAL SUMMER.
March Weather Below the Frost Line
Scenes In Southern Florlda-Lo, the Poor
Alligator.

Specidi Letter.
ENTERPRISE, FLA, Mar. 6.--Ofall the places
we have seen so far in the south this is the
most delightful, and perhaps the best situated
fordelicate persons to spend the winter months
in. A triflc over two hundred miles south of
Jacksonville, the hotel and village are beauti-
fully situated on the north shore of Lake
Monroe one of the chain of lakes connected
by the river st. Johns. Being below the
frost line" and standing upon land that rises
from the waters edge sufficiently to prevent
maishy surroundings, and where all the semi
tropical trees and plants grow in profusion,
both naturally and under cultivation, with
the broad and beautiful sheet of lake water
stretching away to the SOUTH to the east, and
to the west, almost as far as the eye can reach,
and adding to all this winter climate unsur-
passed, IL is difficult to imagine anything more
health-inspiriug and charming.
Underneath the open windows where now
write, on the wide lawn that reaches down to
the pcbbly shore where the gentle southern
brecze sends musical waves lazly to succeed
each other, both orange and lemon trees are
in full fruit, the banana is sending up its tall
| stalks in preparation for the next seasons
yield, and just outside tho inclosurc the
rugged and brstling palmetto trees, in their
native growth, stand sentry over an evening
/
Pretty pleasure boats are constantly going
from and returning to the landing in front (;
the doors aud windows of the large and well
filled hotel are thrown wide open the guests
in groups occupy seats on the broad
verandas, or under the trees on the lawn,
unmindful of the fact that it is night. And
what should they fear with a temperature at
o'clock in the evening at 76o above, with
the ground and atmosphere perfectly dry?
There is something in all the surroundings
that disarms you at once, and you have not
the slightest fear of Catching your death of
cold |"
Lake Monroe abounds in varieties of excel
lent fish, and with all the water fowl that
visit this latitude in the winter season. and
the fine lands and hammocks to the eastward
between the lake and the Atlantic is about
the best game region in Florida.
That the buffalo, the elk, the grizzly bear
well, hardly the black tail deer, and the
antelope ought to be to the Yellowstone
park, the alligator and the many curious birds
have been to the upper St. Johns river
objects of great curiosity and attraction to
tourists. But the alligators and rare birds
have become almost extinct on the ST.
Johns by the indiscriminate slaughter that
has been waged upon them from the decks of
passing steamers. Now wise rule Il have
been told that it is a state law Is being rigidly
enforced by the owners of steamers on this
/ rlNer pIOnlDlllnB HTluB from inc Vessels
| This is as it should be. Let these strange
and curious inhabitants of the waters and
shores of the st. Johns be protected thus
for all time to come, that they may be seen in
their natural state and element instead Of be.
ing exhibited in tanks and cages in zoologi-
cal gardens.
Coming up the river yesterday and to-day
though the banks were faithfully and closely
scrutinized every daylight moment by hun
| n
one about seven and the other about four feet
in length. The sun shone beautifully, and
all the conditions as to weather and season
were favorable. On the upper st. Johns to.
day we expected to see them in great mum.
bers but "the places that knewthem"-well
in southern parlance, they are "scace"
Six years ago on a trip up and return on
this river saw great numbers of alligators
and succeeded in killing some very large
ones, but in Difference to the polite. but posi-
tive admoniton found posted on tho steamer
this trip did not unpack my Remington.