The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-04-13
THE II ISDSOMEsT PORTION OF
THE ST. JOHNS.
IRON our RCpular Clrrc,r7nItrt.

From our Regular CORES I3ndert-
Having occasion TO visit that portion
of Putnam county layirs along the st.
Johns south of Pshtka, we took the
mail steamer DeBar,, which leaves Pa
latka at 1890 a, III. y bright, beautiful
morning helped the natural beauty of
the scenery.
Opinions differ in regard to the pref.
titst portion of st. Johns scenery. but
am of the opinion that could vote be
taken, that the portion between Palatka
and the Nolusia bar would he the most
popular. Below Palatka the river is too
wide for a person of the ordinary range
of vision To enjoy, and above the Nolu-
sii bar it IS too narrow and becomes tire
some, constantly turning bend after bend
to see only the same views over again;
while that portion Of which we now
write is a happy medium between the
I two. graceful bends in the river; high
bluffs and beautiful orange groves IN
which may be seen some of the most
beautiful homes found in Florida. II
seems almost like Il fairy land to North
/ ern person who has lett bare trees. ice
/ and snow covering land and water.
I Let people say what they will about
/ Florida being frozen oat aud such talk
rs that, it still Is the warmest part of the
4 United States, and while it holds that eli.
matte advantage we will stick to 1t and
hold up the fact before the world
After reading Northern papers in re.
| gard to our late freeze. one would rca
sonahly expect to see nothing but poor
frozen stumps of what were once Orange
trees; but here we see grove after grove
all covered with II new growth of leave,
and twigs, and fair proportion of bios
SONS. Everythin; looks green and lovely
and quite gives the liz to all the 'calam
ity liars,
The DEVILS Elbow, opposite Palatka
is II beautiful work Of nature. Acre
and acres of orange grove at San Mate,
stretch from the river bank up the hills
in the rear, making a lovely landscape
I Next we pass the mouth of Dunn's creek
the water route to Crescent City. Thel
follows Murphy Island, ON which is III
orange gtove owned by Col. Hart, 0
Ocklawaha fame. Ga this island is al
Indian mound which caused The nam,
wv hidtNl w Nv S'Ntfi u ~ STUNT "
TIE steamboat men.
Buffalo Bluff Is the next point of in
tcrest. Here the j., 4. x *. W. Il. Il
crosses the st. Johns. The bridge bcin
the first one ever built to cross il.
pretty modern residence recently bull
on the bluff improves the place wonder
fully.
. PAS ing Satsuma aud Nashua we tur
sharp bend and come to Welaka.
pretty settlement which is opposite tn
mouth of the Ocklawaha river.
. Little Lahc George Is passed, the
comes Il beautiful stretch of river. tn
shores of which are thickly settled an
= many lovely homes are to he seen.
Coming to Big Lake George our JON
ney ends. This Beautiful sheet Of wat,
Is quite an object of interest to the toul
; ist. II looks like an inland sea. Tw
/, lovely islands lie in the northern cornc,
one Drayton Island--being well inhal
tied and noted for its rich soil and bein
I a great garden spot. In the dim dstanc
g can be seen the Nolusia bar. where IL
. upper St. Johns empties itself into Il
lake. lint We go no further this trip.
JACK SELDOM.