Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-03-03
New Series, Vol. 80, No

er is unlnterestlng and mOnOtonOus-be-
ing very wide from one to three milesl.
the track of the boat is distant from the
shore, and on which very few settlements
or improvements are seen The nayiga-
bility of this river can scarcely be called
fairly good; there are so many shallow
places that boats have to run slowly and
with great care to avoid sticking in the
| sand, and at other places the sand and
shells have to be removed by dredge boats
/ to enable them to rnn at all There be-
ing very little current, only such as is
made by the coming in and going out of
! the tide at the inlets, of which there are
but three, one at each end and one mid
way, the sand soon drifts back again.
Then there are two narrows, called the
upper and the lower narrows where the
river contracts to width not to exceed
fifty feet, in places, which with its short
bends and windings, together with the
shallowness of the water, make naviga-
.tiOn very difficult indeed. Boats make
but five to eight miles per honr On the
margin OF the river grows the mangroye
tree-a tree that might be said to have a
top at each end. one in the air, the other
in the ground or water, as the case may
be. The first shoot starts up and sends
out long slim lateral branches, which
bend down to the ground or water, and
then take root and support the top. These
branches when rooted send up other
branches which in turn bend down, take
root, aud then they grow and spread out
over the water and the land, a perfect
mat, so thick that a raccoon can scarce
ly get through. sometimes at the short
bends our boat would take a sheer, caus-
ed by the wind or something else, and
run its bow crash into the branches,
making havoc among them aud also
with the railing around the ships deck.
On one of these occasions when our boat
went to bank, and while it was maneyer-
ing to get off, some of the passengers es-
pied raccoon perched on the top of
palmetto tree. not fifty feet away, and
the way they went for their guns, and
went for that coon was a caution to
eOons, and amusing to US to behold. Our
boat stuck on the west bank of the can;l
dredged out, at the end of the upper mar
l Iows. some twenty miles above st. Lucie,
caused by strong east wind which held
her to the bank. She was, however, by
the use of anchor, cable and windlass,
slowly snaked along, quarter of a mile.
to the end of the canal and clear of the
wall, then she went on her way rejoicing
but it required five hours to perform the
operation.
St. Lucie is situated on the west bank
of the river l06 miles from Titusville.
it is neat little town having a hotel and
a few handsome cottages. Senator Quay
has fine winter residence here. Oppo-
site st. Lucie is the Indian River Inlet,
where the sea flows across the narrow
strip of land between the Atlantic and
the river It is noted for its fine fishing.
AS the tide flows in through the narrow
pass, it brings with it fish in great varie-
~ from the sea, which catches at the fish
ermens' bait, and it also replenishes the
river, giving to the fishermen not only
fish but sport as well. There are fishing
camps along the Iulet, and numbers come
there from distance for the sport of
fishing. Scme of Senator Quay's family
are there. Governor Flower is there
from time to time. Ex Governor Camp
bell has property interests there, and
likewise Mr.. McConville, of Washington,
ID. c., sOn-in- law of our DR.. Hingeley.
When commencing this letter expect
ed to get along in saying all wanted to
say pertaining to our Southern tour into
and through southern and central Flori-
ia, at least as far as, and including the
Lake Worth region, the terminus of our
journey Southward, without making it
too long; but now / find that to do so
will exceed the bounds within which
etter for popular journal like THE
CHRONICLE, should be kept. Therefore,
will content myself to stop right here
1t .Jupiter-one of the stars. The reader
will be satisfied, I'm sure, and he may not
,are should l remain there; but should
De permitted to write another letter,
will be made where this
and the balance of our tour
will be written up, or as much of it as
me letter of moderate length will con-
ain. III. &. ".