The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-03
FLORIDA SULPHUR POOLS.
Natural Phenomena in the PeninsuIar state
Explained.

Explained.
The Apalachicola Tribune explains
the great smoke which has puzzled OBJ
servers for many years, and which
could be seen on any cloudless day as
cending from the vicinity of the Amelia
river, in Florida. Various efforts have
been made to discover the supposed
volcano, while, on the other hand, some
| have concluded that the smoke came
from the camp-fires of some remnant of
! the Seminole Indians. The TfnleS-DeIa-
ocrdt expedition threw no light upon
| the mystery, the tall grass, boys and
dense underground impeding the pro-
gress of the curious.
One Captain Asher is the hero whe
! arrived in Apalachicola on Friday, May
%, with the following information,
which puts out the Florida volcano,
and the romance is lost of the poor
Seminole lingering in the land of his
| fathers. At the same time it adds to
the attractions of the lovely land of
| fruits, flowers and wonders. Perhaps
from these sulphuric pools came the
| healing virtues which laid the fOunda-
tions for the legend that in Florida
| flowed the waters of eternal youth.
| Captain Asher was in search of palmet-
to logs on the Amelia river when he
| deserted the smoke or cloud from a
| point in the distance. Remembering
the many reports he had heard about
| fhis smoke, he determined to unearth
| this mystery, if possible. So, calling
| his crew together, and picking up their
| traps, the party pursued their way in
small boats up the Amelia river. They
travelled up the river, or creek, for it
hardly deserves the name of river, for
miles. After ascending from its mouth
about twenty-five or thirty miles, he
Judges, he was brought to an abrupt
! halt by rock barrier in front. Upon
| investigation he found that the river
ended and was lost underneath the
ground. Seeing that the smoke became
more distinct at this point, and seemed
straight ahead, he had the boat hauled
up to the bank and sprang ashore, de-
termined, if possible, to pursue his in
vestigations on foot. As he sprang on
| shore he gave an exclamation of sur
prise. Scattered at various points were
| huge rocks, towering many feet above
his head-a thing unheard of in Florida.
Mr. Asher describes some of these rocks
as being as large as an ordinary dwell
ing and apparently hollow, containing
| much water. He describes them as be-
ing of filthy appearance, and when
struck with an iron or steel instrument
to emit thousands of sparks. A mile or
| two further on were seen numerous
rocks that were formed into round ba-
| sins, their sides being smooth and beau
tifully polished. Mr.. Asher sprang up
on the top of one of these basins. As
his foot came in contact with the f1inty
| substance hollow sound was emitted
from the rock. Calling for pole, and
it being handed to him, he placed it
in the center of the basin. What was
his surprise on drawing the pole to the
| top may be easily imagined when he
discovered that the rock, being hollow,
was filled with a strong sulphuric wa
ter. Pursuing their way through the
bog, sometimes up to their knees, again
| on hard ground for some distance, then
again scratched and bruised by the I'M
derbrush, and fighting mosquitoes that
seemed to resent this intrusion of their
dominion, the little party had a hard
time of it. Presently they came to
where the river issued from its under
ground covert and pursued its way on
ward, to again disappear in the bowels
of the earth.
Mr.. Asher states that every few hun
bred yards these pools would make
their appearance, and from them would
issue white, misty clouds that would
ascend heayenward, seeming in the dis
lance to be clouds of smoke. He stated
that the water in these pools was as
clear as crystal and filled with beautiful
fish, both fresh and salt. He drank
some of the water, but it was unpalata-
Demonstrating to the smell and taste.
He spent several days wandering
around these points, and he says
he never before thought there was
such place in Florida. He discovered
several rocks that he presumed would
have answered very well for houses,
being quite as large, hollow, and the
walls as smooth as glass. He appeared
to think it very strange that these mon
ster rocks should be found in such a low,
fiat, marshy section. He says that the
rocks are separated by distance of two
hundred feet, and rear their black.
grimY heads to heaven from q level
plain of marshy soil. There are no iHv
dications of there having been hill,
much less volcano, and the smoke or
cloud seen so often is simply the vapor
rising from the sulphnrie pools.
Mr.. Asher describes the section as
Astounding in game of all kinds. from |
squirrels and birds to bear, deer and |
wildcats. While speaking of the game |
in this section. Mr. Asher stated that |
there was house on the Amelia river,
occupied by gsntleman's family, sur
rounding which were twenty large |
oaks. Huge limbs from these trees
had been torn loose by the bears |
searching for aeorns. Mr.. Asher stated |
that six men could not break some of |
the limbs these bears broke. Jackson
Uiiie Fla. ] Times Union.