The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-11-07
RICH ISLANDS IN FLORIDA.
Oranges, Sugar Cane and Banana,
in Big Cypress Swamp.

Sugar Cane and nan
In Big Cypress Swamp.
Frank j. Hinson found two magnii
cent orange groves a few weeks age
in the big cypress swamp of far South
Florida. No man has a valid claim
to the property, the groves being In
the middle of one of the most impreg
nable swamps in the whole state. III
to ten years ago the Big Cypress was
put down on the map as 'impractica.
bic IL '"~unsurveyetl." Then it was
surveyed, and islands of fine hum.
mock land were found here and there.
but they were not of sufficient size to
tempt anybody. The section lines,
which ran a mile apart, seemed tC
have missed the groves. which Mr..
Hinson got wind Of from an old In.
dian fighter, who chased the Semi.
noles into the Big Cypress and out
again during the last Indian war. On
one of these islands during the wal
q village was found and burned.
Mr.. Hinson. with an old hunter as
a guide, penetrated into the swamp
and found an island of about 300
acres, beautifully wooded and contain
IhS iuIfN opO SOuE lIetS, I'LL Ill lull letlI
and fruit. The ,sland did not contain
a solid grove, but a series of groves,
some of them being as large as three
acres. "The fruit is sour, but it is
large and golden. The trees average
twenty-five feet in height"
On this island Mr.. Hinson also found
acres of sugar cane, evidently planted
by the Seminoles years ago. 1t is of
mammoth size and the quality is eX-
cellent. Banana plants were also
found in abundance. and heavy with
fruit.
Later Mr.. Hinson penetrated fur
Their into the swamp and found an
other land, richer in orange trees than
the first.
Both islands seem to be wonderfully
fertile, trees of all kinds being giants
in size, and other vegetable growth
of the most lu%xuriant character. One
India rubber tree was found to meas
ure twenty-five feet around, while a
live oak tree measured 80 feet. Wild
figs were also found growing luxuri-
antly. Mr.. Hinson's theory is that
these islands, naturally fertile, were
centuries ago the rockeries of millions
of water fowl and thus became fertil-
lied to the highest degree of perfec-
ton.
When the SeminOles ran away from
the Greeks they selected the richest
lands on which to build their their
villages and to lazily cultivate a few
acres of corn and pumpkins. During
the last war they were driven from
place to place, and finally found ref
uge in the Big Cypress, and for a
long time considered themselves safe,
as the Big Cypress was regarded,
even among the native Indian fighters,
as impTegnable. Finally, however,
an expedition was formed and march
ed in and attacked the islands, drove
the Indians from their villages and
chased them into the saw-grass, where
the water was from knee to waist
for several miles, Keeping up a run
ming fire, until the Indians who were
not captured or killed had disap-
peared. 1t is thought that these vii
lagos were founded long years Eefore
the last Indian war, as the old fight
ers, some of whom are now living,
tell of the feasts they made in the
villages ON oranges, pumpkins and
corn. How the groves got there, and,
in fact, how oranges got into Florida,
is easily explained. Explorers who
sailed from Spain in the earlier days
always loaded their ships with sour
oranges as an antidote against sour
vey. Those oranges which were not
eaten on the voyage were given to
the Indians, who Toasted on them
around their camp fires in the hum
mocks Of the state. The seeds fell to
the ground and grew into trees.