The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-14
In THE LAND OF FLOWERS.
TIE 0ldest-Settled and Least-KnOwn in
the Union Is the State of Florida.
A History Of Rare Romance and Adventure
The Soil and Climate-What Can BE
Done with Five Acres of Land.
Written for the journal by George W. Sears.


State in the Union. There is, perhaps, gen.
eral sehoolboy knowledge of such facts concern
ing it as may be cleaned from school-books and
dry history, but the live facts that interest those
who contemplate visit to that State, either as
tourists or as prospective settlers, are either
little known or badly understood. Florida is
not land Of swamps and everglades, or hot
bed of malaria. AS whole, it is healthy, and
nine tenths of all the land in the State is dry,
and rather disposed to be sandy. Nor is the
country especially to be noted for the prevalence
of noxious insects and numerous reptiles, nor is
it a land of fogs and rain; although its position
would indicate a large rainfall and moist climate.
AS matter of fact, the rainfall is less in Flor
ida than in any of the Middle or New England
States. At this date there is drought prevail
ing here, which has lasted, with the exception of
one light shower for six weeks during which
the thermometer has ranged at midday from
eighty five to ninety four degrees, with q daily
sea breeze from the gulf. only three miles dis
tant, This sea breeze is constant quantity that
can be relied on in hot. dry weather, and we'll
that it is So Without it the weather would be
almost uncomfortable. With it, the gulf coast
months.
1t seems strange that this coast should be so
little known and appreciated when it is remem-
bered that the first settlements were made and
the first oranges planted as long ago as 1889.
There are bearing orange trees at this day on
the west coast of Florida that We're planted by
the Jesuits and are believed to DO 300 years old.
for the orange is hardy, close grained. long
lived tree, that will endure in afavorabe climate
as long as an oak; SO say old, gray haired Span
ism creoles who have cultivated the orange from
boyhood to old age. The Florida oranges, now
so popular in market. are all from seeds Of the
sweet orange originally brought by the Jesuit
fathers from old Spain. For there was this one
good point about the Jesuits. wherever they
went in their search for new pastures and lost
sheep" they took along the vine the olive
the fig and the orange. And they were swift to
seize on the most fertile lands i'll the name of
holy mother church, and to found missions So
it often happened that in their Jealous greed
they located their missions in places SO un-
healthy that, by the time they had made fair
start and planted their seeds in the soil and the
name of the Virgin Mary, they were called to a
better land. But their works remained, and
the alaral soil that was death to the holy
father was life to the orange and fig. There are
places in western Florida to day where old
orange trees mark the spots once cultivated by
the Jesuits, where the land is Of marvellous
fertility, but so rife with malaria that no white
man can live on them. They may be purchased
at government price, but no one cares to buy.
1t is more than $40 years since Ponce de Leon
came with his ships to the coast of Florida in
youth 1t is more than 36O years since Vasques
de Ayllon came to the east coast with the inten-
ton Of turning an honest penny by inveigling
tie natives on board his ships, and then carrying
them off to sell in the slave markets Of the
Spanish islands. He succeeded in freghting his
two ships with healthy invoice OF red nen
which he carried to st. Domingo and sold into
slavery. 1t was shrewd stroke of business,
and quite legitimate for the time-at least from
the Spanish point of view But it proved q
financial failure through the perverseness
of the red heretics. who would sto.
ically suffer themselves to be fogged to
death, but would hewe no wood and draw no water
for Spanish master. 1t vas a little rough on
the first invoice of human chattels, but it saved
the Indians from all future trouble in that di-
rection And one cannot help passing wish
that the African had taken the same manly
stand. 1t would have saved him deal of suffer
ing and prevented some ''onpleasantness' to men
of lighter hue.
In 1927 Narvaez came to the west coast of
Florida with the intention of killing all Indians
who refused to acknowledge the sovereignty of
Pope and King He was not much of a success
He landed at Tampa bay, and made wonderful
march overland to Pensacola But be
was drowned with ali his men in trying
to cross the Mississippi in storm
In 1888 DeSoto landed at Tampa bay with 600
picked soldiers and letter from the King en-
towering him to locate lands and enslave the
Indians for his own use and service. If history
may be trusted, he did not neglect his privileges
Next came Meendez, a cruel, hotheaded bigot.
who held a commission to Chrstanize the In
dams. He transcribed his commission by
attacking the French colony of Huguenots at St
Augustine. founded by Ponce de Leon fifty years
before The colony was in flourishing condi-
ton, and peaceful withal. France and Spain
were not at war. but Melendez proclaimed to the
Huguenots, that if they did not acknowledge the
supremacy of the church and the King of Spain
he would kill them all. Some hard fighting en-
sued. The Huguenot feet under Rbaut was
beaten, driven down the coast and lost.
Fort Caroline was taken and the entire
garrison hung, portion of the Huguenots had
made their escape down the coast; these were
followed and overtaken at MatanZas inlet. AS
they showed fight, and as Melendez had already
lost large number OF his force, he promised
pardon and good treatment to all who would
surrender The Huguenots were in a strang
wilderness, with no objective point in view
where they might hope to better their condition.
They were ragged, hungry, disheartened, and
they surrendered. Melendez marched them cut
behind the sand dunes and murdered them,
most brutally. to the last man. The Spaniards
coolly took possession of St. Augustine, and it
became a Spanish colony. Much indignation
was excited in France and England. but nothing
was done about it until the French Chevalier
De Gourgues crossed the ocean in two well-found
ships and attacked the forts which Melendez
had formerly wrested from the French He
carried the forts in gallant style, and hung every
man of the garrison. Not he said, 'as Span
iards, but as traitors and assasns.r
But my pen is running amuck on history when
| only started to make the point that the hold
ing of Florida by the Spaniards for $50 years
was good and sufficient reason why it was not
SettIad and better understood Far forty