San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-08-13

md CLASSY, with its islands Of water

crosses and lily-pads, one kind Of the
latter being Of oblong shape, cut
square ut the ends and looking as II
crimped by a machine. This plant is
peculiar in its growth, its roots being
on the surface OF the water, their
fbres stretching from plant to plant
leading a floating life, unless entan-
gled with stationary vegetation.
THE BEAUTIES OF THE UNDERWORLD.
Through the kindness OF friends
we were treated TO the most charming
boat ride down this river that it has
ever been our good fortune to enjoy.
Language fails TO describe it fully.
1t can only be thoroughly appreciated
by actual experience. Little islands
OF floating vegetation here and there's
springs bubbling out from under the
hillside rocks, which tower up steep
from the brink on one side, while on
the other there are stretches of cult
vated gardens and fields. The water
is clear and of such remarkable purity
that in gliding along its CLASSY sur.
face everything is visible on the bot
tom to a depth of thirty feet And
such a revelation of the beauties of
this underworld 1t exceeds any
thing that our Imagination could pic
ture! 1t was as il we were floating
over fairy land new, strange and
enchanting region, far removed from
this everyday world, in which we as
prosy mortals live! Every rock or
inequality of surface down in those
depths of crystalline was covered
with such growths of aquatic vegeta-
ton as we had never dreamed of be-
fore! The varieties of shades and
colors were actually bewildering!
There were great mats of variegated
foliage, sweeping up towards the sur
face, each cluster of leaves as brightly
tinted and beautiful as blossoms
There were large patches OF moss,
dazzling in their vivid colors. Ex-
quisite plumy ferns, and curious veg
etable growths; long cones of strange
plants, to us, reaching up towards
the light, somewhat resembling GER
tain species of the cactus; and ever
and again a cleaning down there OF
superb tints that would\ excite an
artist TO a pitch of distraction in at
tempting to paint them. All this
beauty of vegetation was enhanced
by what appeared to be shining gems
wee points Of brilliancy sparkling
all through the moss-carpet of the
rocks. There were small snail shells,
with cleaning points of brightness,
strewn lavishly all along this expanse
of aquatic verdure. We saw the
water-lilies pushing their way to the
air, their white stems looking like
small silver tubes, they were SO trans
parent Occasionally, away down
below the surface, an impatient bud
was opening in the watery world, a
fact that we noted as showing what
we had never supposed before, that
in our less clear waters these plants
may blossom below us well M ON the
surface.
In place near the centre Of the
river the water is too deep for sound
iugs. Not far from there several
springs boiled up to the surface, and
our little boat would be pushed back
each time when the oarsman at
tempted to approach, which he did in
order to show us the force Of these
springs.
1t was with regret that we stepped
from the fairy boat leaving this magic
river for the terra Grma OF real life
again.
We shall never forget this peep at
the aaderpOrld, the marvellous beau
lies of which are pictured 60 wildly
upon our mind.
SAN MARCOS, Texas, My 27.