The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-10-23
Written for the FIoRIpAN.
r iVhOAN.
Ehe Volcano.

Ehe Volcano.
! Is it not strange that volcano should exist
! in dozen or more miles OF St Marks, IA port
/ that has been visited by ships from various
! portions of the world at different times tor over
three centuries and that no one has actually dis.
| covered it
What is more strange 10, that the existence
OF the reported volcano was never heard of until
| within the last few years. Many wears ago. a
canal was cut from the Aucilla river, above the
natural bridge, to the Wacissa river a few miles
above the place where the supposed volcano is
| reported to exist. The persons " no constructed
| the canal never. that | can learn said a word
about seeing any mysterious fire and smoke
arising out of the earth.
The location OF the volcano AS near AS can
| learn is in township south, range 3 east, On
the north of it are hammock swamps and sand
hills some fifteen OF twenty feet in height-and
little TO the northeast rocks OF considerable
! size that have the appearance OF being thrown
out oil the earth 1t is stated that the holes from
which they were thrown are plainly to be seen
beside them To the east OF the volcano is the
AuCilla river. South hammockS swamps and
The Gulf OF Mexico. On the west hammock
SwampS and the Pinhnok river and Gum swamp
4 short time ago | met nj Nrwpor, a man
from Georgia, who had been cutting cedar
along the Aucilla and Pnhook rivers since Feb
ruarv last He had lraverscd III. country be-
tween the rivers looking tor cedar timber. and
observed things closely "a he went along lie
said AT one place there frequently arose a dense
toy or vapor that NJ distance in the SIM rrsem
bed smoke
few days ago --et inielligcn. re uteman
Al Newport, who WAS born and lived there un-
III tie town was in manner deserted He is
thoroughly acquainted with the coast country
from So Marks to Cedar KEYS, and has spent
much time in hunting and cutting &c dar logs tor
mafNel around the alleged volcanic region. He
sad there IS a ponl in the centre of dense
! hammock OF tall timber, between the Aucilla
and Plnhook rivers, and into the pond three
. branches flow from opposite directions The
water in Oh" " ;hem is very cold, and in the
other two is quite warm, and that from this pond
Arises vap0r that in the sun light nj :, distance
resembles smoke. He understands Surveying
and says that tins pond is where the mvstrrinus
smoke seems, 1t distance 10 arise DIiirr par.
ties that have cnnvclscd with asrce MAI the
smoke seen is vapor arising cn' OF The hammock
IT swamp where the pond referred to above j.
located have given the substance al The con
vrrsttonS ihl have had with various parties
Is briefly rs possible, and from il | am led TO in
fer tllat the supposed smoke from a volcano is
nothing out yapor arising from W,mp or
pond.
During tAc past two years, While at Newport
have met a number OF persons, who have been
oven IN This section bunting cutting cedar &c,
and have taken mach pains 10 inquire about
The yocan0, the character Of the country. sc.
Two years ago | met man who had been for
some time cutting cedar along the Auclla. Va
cis>a ana Pinhook rivers and shipping it 10 Ce
Ear Key. He htd tl5tVclscd the conntrv pretty
thoroughly between the rivers where it VA, DOS
Nible to get through III regard to the volcano
ht SAID in goin- through some t,l timber one
velA dark cloudy day. he thought he saw The
reflection OF hight on the leaves above short
distance ahead OF him be walked on some dis,
lance and looked back ami saw il back of him
He rctr,cgd his steps bit sax nothing more of
II. He said in TINS s.cion in The swamps were
many little islands OF timber. some al the trees
Ntlt HlgN ihith pune.
In dry time fire y ouid break out and "A big
ldne uec would catch and burn for some time
lie supposed ihlj the smoke by dav and fire at
night, which were seen from the ships in the Gulf
at Mexico and thc hills on the north, were from
m old pnr tree fall OF turpcntinc. burning
one evening = lcw weeks ago some gentlemen
were out on the hills south OF Tallahassee
Ih'.H observed IA smoke, tar away to the south
lhtt arose 10 great height above the timber
some of the party said that it was from the vol
can" Oue person said it was too far 10 the
We The residents on the bill said tnat the
m \" had existed thclc for several days The
btmng~ We're taken and in few DAY, two of
The party went TO Wakulla county and found
tiat I've smoke aro,,. rom new steam mill and
cotton -iu The Volcano like the richest gold
mine II lie Iu'ci S,5,',s and the copper mine
ri Wal>aia county, vaaishcs in vapor
III. G.. RIPPEY