The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-02-23
JACKSONVILLE, FLA

correspondence Nashville American
 Jacksonville, according to the guide books. lies upon high, rolling bluff commanding an external view oi the St. gehns rivern The blud Is an eml- aenoe. perhaps ten feel above the river Ievel. but. nevertheless. quite hill when compared with the surrounding country The town skirts the river bank. and Is situated in broad bend where the stream turns Al almost right angie toward the sea. In a straight line the ocean is. per haps fourteen miles away, near enough 10 feel the cool. saline air hat IS tenn pered from all roughness oy blowing over the tropical country. The streets are we'll laid out, and some of the residences are quite handsome, with gardens tastefully planted. The soil is so sandy that the wheels of the mule teams sink a quarter way to the hub. and clouds of dust fol- low in the wake of every passing vehicle.
 The great charm of the place lies Tn its delightful climate. IL IS difficult to des- cribe the climate of Florida. as 1t does no, possess the melting heat of the trop- ics. nor yet the soft, cool temperature of southern land lying Tn proximity to the pACdu II tttotC tGsCiiotCo bIC tdilA GiA atmosphere ot hu,house withou, the sufiocating confined odor of flowers. At ,hIs time of year the mornings and even ms are invariably cool. and blankets are d necessity. 4 heavy oew falls ever, night making the air damp and ohlll antil the sun IS well up ia the heavens. t,raduaily the temperature rises when, al 10 or II o'clock, wraps and oNefooats are discarded. sun umbrellas are brought out and the shady side of ,he street Is most popular. By , or o'elork Tn the after. noon Il begins to grow cool. and when night falls II Is much sater 10 remain m doors. Such weather will continue from November to May. varied by an occa- sional " cold snap when the mercury will fall to perhaps 10 degrees. \ sort oi continued. Indian summer that one canno; fan to enjoy and which, unless constantly fought against, will produce a feeling akin to lazness
 Although Jacksonville in itself pos sesses fine natural attractions there are many pleasant excursions which can be made from here. The shell road, some few miles ou, 0. the city. ls the fashiona- ole drlve and d, the heigh, of the season
 
 .his road are the beautiful grounds which once belonged to the Marquis de Talley rand. A few years after the war ,his French nobleman came ,o Florida with his rich American wife. Miss Curtis. of New York. and purchased d large ;rac, of land. He erected handsome house, expensive stables. employing retinue of french servants. secretary and land scape gardener. When the marquis and marquise drove through the town in 'heir elegant carriage or rode out on horseback attired in gorgeous costume they attracted universal attention. The marquis, who was rather fond of d gay hie, soon became weary of the monot- ony. and after quarrel with his secre- 'ary and servants suddenly left for the north. When the Franco prussian war broke out he went to France 10 assist his native land, and IS now quietly living in that country. The old place by the river IS now occupied by kinsman of the marquise, who endeavored to improve the grounds, which were fas, going to de cay. It is now one of the most beautiful estates in the vicinity of Jacksonville
 The bank of the St. Johns here is de- voted to shipping, and has consequently been shorn of its tropical foliage. Across the stream, the palms and palmeiioes may be seen growing above the marshes of eanebrake and scrubby cypress trees that line the shores. 4, distance this dense growth presents very pleasing picture, but on nearer approach it's beauty IS not enhanced. The sok and swampy ground, the black and almost s;agnan, water, filled with dead and decaying trunks of trees, are suggestive of snakes. lizards and other dlsagreeable reptiles. If one should be so unfortunate AS to cap size his boat, it IS doubtful If he could ef- feet landing, the muck and mire being too deep to wade in and much too thick to swim through. The trees and shrubs are. of course. different from what IS seen al the north, but there IS no, that luxuri- ance or rank growth tha; one expects to ind.
 strolled along the docks one after noon, and came upon 4 nser steamer loading her cargo of frefgh, and passen gers. It was most novel and interest ing sight. The craft was a stern wheeler ar :. c2tamaran,' and far too small to ac- commodate its freight. The passengers included squa,,ers, prospectors, tourists, lnvalids and the omnipresent negro, the latter predomina;ing, all mixed in to- gether in the most social manner. The darkeys seemed to enjoy the excitemen, of the scene, and were either singing or good-naturedly dodging the blows of the mate. 4 pair of fine mules were being loaded, and i; was with great amusement that noticed how carefully these E,hi- opoians avoided the business end " of the animals. A brawny negro in tAitered garments, who was evidently seeking a new home up the nver, sa, upon bale of goods smoking a wretched cigar, while a smaller specimen oi his race was black ipx k,r hrot~ zs9o~ h@.