The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-11-25
A FLORIDA PHENOMENON.
A Supposed Volcano Turns Out
to be a Series of Sulphuric
pools.

Captain Asher puts out the Florida
volcano, aud the romance of the poor
Seminole lingering in the land of bis
fathers is lost. At the same time
his story adds to the attractions of the
lovely land of fruit, flowers and Won
ders. Perhaps from these sulphuric
pools came the healing virtues which
laid the foundation for the legend that
In Florida flowed the waters of eternal
youth. Captain Asher was in search
of palmetto logs on the Ancilla river
when he deserted the SMOKE or cloud
from a point in the distance. Re-
Numbering the many reports he had
heard about this smoke he determined
to unearth this mystery if possible.
So calling his crew together and pack
ing up their traps the party pursued
their way in small boats up the An
ella 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
a rock barrier in front. Upon inves-
tigating 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, determined, if possible,
to pursue his investigation on foot
As he sprang on shore he gave an ex-
clamation of surprise. Scattered at
various points were huge rocks, tow
ering many feet above bis head
thing unhe ,rd 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
being of finty appearance,
ance, and when struck with an iron
or steel instrument t. 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
MIR. Asher sprang upon the top of one
of these basins. As his foot came in
contact with the fiinty substance a
hollow sound was emitted from the
rock. Calling for pole, and it be-
ilg handed to him, he placed it in the
aontor nf fho basin What ,.,a. biz
Surprise on drawing the pole to the
top may be easily imagined when he
discovered that the rock, being hoi-
low, was filled with strong sulphuric
water. Pursuing their way through
the bog on hard ground some distance
then again scratched and bruised by
the underbrush, and fighting mos
quitOes that seemed TO resent this
intrusion OF their dominion. they pres
emily came to where the river issued
from its underground covert and pur-
sued Its way onward, to again disap
pear in the bowels of the earth.
Every few hundred 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. The water in these pools
was as clear as crystal and filled with
beautiful fish He caught a great
many of the fish and attempted to
drink some of the water, but it was
unpalatable-nauseating 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
says that the rocks are separated by
a distance of about 200 feet, and rear
their black, grimy heads to Heaven
from level plain of marshy soil.
There are no indications of there hav-
ing been hill, much less a volcano,
In this section, and the smoke or
cloud seen so often is simply the vapor
rising from the sulphuric pools
Detroit Free Press.