The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-22

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platform in marsh swarming with moe
casin snakes and mosquitoes. What aI9-
peared to be a creek wound away through
the grass to a fringe of pine trees in the
distance. On enquiry Capt. Mcintyre
stated that the creek was road and
that wagons drove through water about
a quarter Of a mile or more before reach
ing shore. Not a soul was visible and
the place seemed to be the picture of des~
olatiOn and scarcely the kind of gateway,
we expected to see, to the river, describ-
ed by so many as the beautiful and
mysterious Indian river. A species of
ambulance took us over next morning.
We passed two portable saw mills and
found a temporary tramway partially
constructed, designed to connect Rock
ledge with the landing. rsome reason
work has been suspended. About half a
mile from the coast the land rises sud
denly to height of about twenty feet
and the fiat woods changes to hammock.
Presently a few small orange trees set
out in the native forest indicate somebO-
dy wants orange trees-but has takensa
very poor way Of getting them. All at
once you come on the river and immedi-
ately feel the salt air, crisp and fresh
from father Ocean-rustling through the
palmetto grOve-the city consists of two
hotels, the Tropical and Rockledge House,
several stores and one or two dwelling
houses.
The situation is delightful and the fish
ing and shooting said to be excellent; the
boating certainly is and all kinds of sail
ing crafts can be hired with guides Out
wardly the hotels appear neat and clean,
but no opportunity occurred to inspect
them further as our time was limited.
Anxious to see the groves, the writer
strayed away through Mr. WilkinsOn's,
close at hand. The trees certainly look
healthy, but seem to lack care. The last
shipment was being packed and sorry lot
they were. On the bank awaiting ship
nent to Philadelphia were q number Of
boxes mot Wilkinson's) and many of the
oranges could be seen already rotted. 1t
seems an absurdity to ship such fruit.
And here as in many Otherparts of Florida
growers of oranges must learn that fruit
must be picked, packed and shipped prop
erly, and that it pays handsomely to DO
50. The quality Of the fruit seemed very
good, but noticed that the fruit rust has
appeared here. ROckledge is a pleasant
place, but it is a long ways from any
where. / should much like to have seen
some Of the more extensive groves down
the shores of the river but, ''cOme, get
aboard" and we returned to the bleak
landing. Once more the Marion headed
homewards, through P0insett and down
the river to 'Opossum bluff, where we re
manned for the night. The characters
ties of this bluff are that it is shell and
densely populated with mhccasins and
other snakes The shells have hardened
or concTeted on the surface, forming a
kind of coquina or shell rock. Upon dig
ging into the bank, bones were discovered
but nothing else. The bluff or mound
is only about three feet above the water
level, perfectly fiat and irregular in
shape. The bones would indicate that it
is a Seminole Indian burrying place, not
over two hundred years old. AT a. N.
we again moved off, passing the Asia
tula.' Run and twist; bow in the land
one moment, stern the next; puff, puff,
cUrlews, herons, bitterns flying about,
occasionally a gator. So we went on
down to Mansfeld's and halted for the
night at Mansfeld's landing Mr.. Mans
field, with basket of fresh eggs, greeted
us with one of his beaming smiles, but
the smile was as nothing compared with
the smile he took behind the door of No
6 a little on Xxx.
D. YOTrNG