Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-04-25
sr. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.

Il Attractions to ths Tourist-A Fort OF
Great Antiquity and streng th--E a1aoas
Dungeons, etc. 81. r.
"a late letter from a Northern Tourist
{ says: It is impossible to convey IN
words the charming impressions which
4 a stay here occasions. The antiquity OF
the city, its quaint, narrow streets, with
oyerhanging balconies; the halo OF ro-
nance given it by memories of Ponce de
Leon and She exploits of Pedro Menen-
! diz and Awedondo, and its beautiful
gardens, where roses are always bios.
soming among the date palms and
orange and fig trees, give it an atmos-
phere different to that of any other city
in the state. The sea-wall skirts the
entire front of the city from the parade
ground at the south to the fort at the
north. This forms delightful prone
made. Guard mount is held every after
noon at the parade ground, and two con-
certs are given each week by the fine
military band stationed here. The
barracks was formerly an old Spanish
convent, but it hes been considerably
altered by the government to adapt it
to it's present use. Passing along the
sea-wnll we come to the old forS 1t
was built with d moat and draw bridge,
which latter has been replaced by a stse
tionary one. An enterprising photo
grapher "lays" for you just outside,
ready to take your picture, with any
part Of the fort as background 1t
covers four acres, is built of. coquina
rock, and is one of the finest examples
Of engineering skill in the county. It
has never been taken, but has stood
sieges, Indications of which are to be
seen on the side fronting the bay. It
mounts 100 guns, and has accommodate
ed q garrison Of upward OF 1000 men.
It's interior is court (now a ]awn-ten-
mis- field. around which easements, one
of which is the chapel. Under
the northern bastions and al
most adjoining the chapel are the
famous dungeons.
There are o series of four in the
northeast bastion, opening into-one au-
other in such way that by the time
you reach the third you are in total
darkness, and rely On the guide and his
torch to for further exploration. The
openings in the last two are very mar
row and low, and have been walled up.
These two further dungeons were dis
covered accidentally in 1886 by the roof
of tho bastion falling in. The story in
connection with this is that two iron
= cages were discovered suspended from
the wall of the furthest dungeon, each
containing skeleton, one Of them that
Of a woman. In spite of the circunl-
stantiality of this statement as to the
sex Of the skeleton, the story is very
doubtful one, and lacks confirmation
from the Smithsonian institution, at
which place the cages are said to bs
kept.
In the center of the city is the Plaza
de Ia Constitution, q large open square,
where can be found growing the date
palm, Spanish bayonet, the banana,
orange and many other of the choicest
semi-tropical trees and towering shrubs.
In addition to the confederate monu-
ment erected in 1912, during the Span
ish occupation, commemorating the
Spanish liberal constitution. It was
placed there by the city council "for
eternal remembrance, as the. Spanish
inscription on the marble tablet states.
At the end of the plaza, fronting the
sea-wall, is the old Spanish slave mar
Yet, It is built of coquina rock Of large
prop ortions, and consists of raised
terrace with a colonade all around sup
hn and r>S
course, open all around. It has foun-
tain in the center, and is we'll provided
with seats. The plaza is the spot that
will linger longest in the memory of the
visitor. To sit here ON pleasant moon
light evenings, with the glancing waters
Of the bay for o background and the
lights Of the hotel dimly visible through
the thick semi tropical foliage, listening
to the pattcr of the fountains, while
every breath of the warm air comes To-
den with the perfume of orange bios
SONS and cape jessamine, mingled with
the sound of distantimusic that is "lend
ing enchantment to flying feet" in some
hotel ballroom, is phase of enjoyment
that carries one back to the Arabian
Nights in imagination.
r. Further on is the old Spanish cathe~
dral.t 1t has Moorish belfry, with
four bells set in inches, which, with the
clock, form tho cross. One of these
bells is evidently much older than the
building. It has cross and bears this
legend
49,. K Sancta Joseph
! ~@. Ora pro Nobia s
D. 1852
Inthe interior is q large painting which
commentaries the first mass said in St.
Augustine, September 8, 1865, at the
landing Of the Spaniards under Pedro
Menendiz. In addition to this state
ment it bears this inscription: with
religion came to our shores. civilization,
arts, sciences and industry" But the
nrts and sciences and civilization took
long while in coming, and the indus
try doesn't seem to have arrived yet.
! At least there is very little indication OF
it. This is probably owing to the fact
that life is carried on under much cas-
lei, conditions here. The items OF fuel
and clothing are very slight matters in
the expenses Of the poorer classes.
Provisions are about the same price as
+ at the North. while fish and oysters are
/ in great abundance all along the coast,
and berries and vegetables can be raised
any time Of the year. ~. =
fa5s$$-E. ----rD-- x--snp..-------. ,s-.@
A Relative Of Warren Hastings.