Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1884-08-01
A FLORIDA MYSTERY.

hlihS OOScI NcIS lOI years, duu WHICH
could be seen on any cloudless day as
cending from the vicinity of Ancilla
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 Times
Democrat expedition threw no new light
upon the mystery, the tall grass, bOgs,
and dense underground impedcd the
progress of the curious.
One Capt. Asher is the hero who ar
rived in Apalachicola on Friday, May
22, 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-
ton for the legend that in Florida
flowed the waters of eternal youth.
ts Capt. Asher was in search of Pal
metto logs on the Ancilla river, when
he deserted the smoke or cloud from a
point in the distance. Remembering
the many reports he had heard about
this 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 Ancilla river. They
Travelled up the river, or creek, for it
hardly deserves the name of river, for
miles. After ascending from it's mouth
for about twenty-five or thirty miles,
he judges, he was brought to an alb
rupt halt by a rock barrier in front.
Upon investigation he found that here
the river ended and was lost under
meath 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
vestigation on foot.
AS he sprang on shore he gave an
exclamation of surprise. Scattered at
various points were huge rocks, tower
ing many feet above his head, thing
unheard of in Florida. Mr.. Asher de-
scribes some of these rocks as being as
large as an ordinary dwelling and ap-
parently hollow, containing much
water. He describes them as being 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
basins, their sides being smooth and
beautifully polished. Mr.. Asher
sprang upon the top of one of these
basins. AS his foot came in contact
with the flinty 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 strong sulphuric water.
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
underbrush, and fighting mosquitoes
that seemed to resent this intrusion on
their dominion, the little party had a
hard time of it, Presently they came
to where the river issued from its un-
derground covert and pursued its way
onward, to again disappear in the
the bowels of the earth.
Mr.. Asher states that every few hun
dred yards these pools would make
their appearance, and from them
would issue white, misty clouds that
would ascend heavenward, seeming in
the distance to be clouds of smoke
Mr.. Asher stated that the water in
these pools was as clear as crystal, and
filled with beautiful fish, both fresh
and salt He caupht a GREAT many of