The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-12-18
Times Democrat, Dec. 121
THE FLORIDA EVERGsH.A DES.

A telegram from Punta Rassa, pub
lished elsewhere, gives a skeleton outline
OF the movements of the Times Demo-
Gratis exploring expedition through the
Florida Everglades. The rest of the story
will soon be made public, as the journal
OF the expedition has been written up and
is ready for publication, and will be given
to the world as soon as the mails from
Florida arrive.
The T.-D's party started for Lake Okee-
chobee November /, and reached Punta
Rassa December 10, making the time con-
sumed by it in traversing the Everglades
forty days, or slightly less than six weeks.
While it fortunately escaped any casualty
or loss, the trip was one Of the most &C.
we're and arduous imaginable, very fatigu-
ing, exhausting and, naturally, very SLOW
Leaving for Lake Okeechobee N Novem-
Der l, the first part of the journey was
easy enough. 1t was when the marsh
was reached and an attempt was made to
cut through it that the difficulties began
After exploring various rivers and inlets
emptying into the lake, one, to which the
name of the I'D. river was given, was
finally selected as starting point. As
cending that stream as far as possible,
landing was effected and the party began
the work Of cutting through to the Ever
glades 1t was difficult and tedious
operation. The swamp was surrounded
by barrier of densely matted swamp
willows and other trees, and the progress
through these was only few hundred
yards day. This, however, was con-
tinued persistently. and on the 14th this
swamp hedge was penetrated and the
party reached the saw-grass, extending
beyond it as far as the horizon. This was
nearly equally as troublesome until the
happy idea of destroying the grass by
fire was suggested, and it was burned
away before the expedition, which found
nothing to obstruct it's onward progress.
This was the fire that alarmed Judge Mar
shall, and was the basis of the report that
the entire I'D. party had perished in the
flames.
Even with the saw-grass removed, the
march was no easy one. There was only
four inches of water in the swamp, and
the boats were nearly worn out, being
dragged over the grass. For fourteen
days the party struggled on through the
DIV amp. OH 1NONcuIUcI ZOUl UIlcy IcdCIlCO
the Everglades proper and landed on an
island, high and dry out of the water
Here they rested for a couple of days to
recuperate and repair the damages to
their boats The voyage thenceforth was
easier. Hundreds of islands were discov-
cred studding the grassy waters of the
Everglades. On December Sd the party
arrived at the sonthernmost point Of the
Everglades, the rocky barrier which keeps
in its waters and prevents their draining
off. Here Shark River, which it was ar
ranged they should descend, was reached,
and the party proceeded safely down it,
to the Gulf and thence to Punta Rass
having successfully accomplished the task
undertaken of exploring Southern Florida.
Such is the history of this expedition.
The mail will give fuller particulars and
point out the practical results of this ex-
ploration, show whether it is possible to
drain and reclaim this region, and will
describe the character of the islands in
closed in the waters Of the Everglades