Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-03-08

rivers and flooded the banks. The peopl,
took to the life boats so no lives were de
stroyed. The laws of nature are the laws
of God. Should the wind blow SO bUurs
over Florids from the northwest in win.
ter, frost is sure to come.
Fe0. is and 10, cold wave visited Flor
ida. For 200 miles south of Jacksonville
the tender growth was frozen, 169 above
at Jacksonville ana very slight frost al
Fort Myers. This coast is considered be-
low the danger line as to frosts. While
| on a hunt far back In the Everglades,
around small ponds, saw the barn swat
/ lows OF New England. Experienced
/ travellers have said that no one knew
4 where they Wintered.
! The fur trade OF this town is the largest
| OF any town in Florida Besides the fur
| which is produced farther north, is added
/ here the otter in goodly mum bers, a few
| beaver, and now and then the panther |
saw box OF seven young otter, weighing
about three pounds apiece. They were
sold to go to Jacksonville into the game
preserve at - per head. There is a law
against shooting wild ducks within such
distance of the town. Ducks have
learned that they are not molested near
the towns. Hundreds flock about the
WharVes, within easy gunshot. They are
called educated ducks. The same rule is
followed at other towns on the coast.
Oranges have not all been gathered here.
Trees are still loaded with the golden
fruit. This town is surely a land flowing
with milk and honey.
Cattle raising is carried on largely back
In the interior to a distance of IS to 100
miles. Four hundred head of cattle were
to be shipped to Cuba from Punta Rassa,
Is miles below and on the coast. Several
OF the tourists were TO avail themselves OF
the chance to 90 on the cattle boats, as
there is no passenger vessel nearer than
Port Tampa, 200 miles up the coast. Par
ties going were to leave their wives at
Fort Myers. The distance to Key West is
about 100 miles Key West to Havana, 80
doubt in two weeks. Your humble ser
want caught the fever bad to go and had |
promised he would, but his better half, |
hearing by the by that was up, said ,"No, |
George. YOU can't go" Well, what was i /
TO do? II was Feb. 22d, the birthday of
my name-sske, George Washington, too, |
out to say that / was rebellious would be /
putting il mildly. NY better half hoisted 1
a flag Of truce and proposed acompromise. |
She said she would return to Punta Gorda /
overland by team through the forests, I
which she bad refused to do. AS ] was
bound to honor the good name OF George /
Washington forever, I agreed to cross the
forests with her aud refrain from going to
Cuba.
Early in the morning, we went down to
the river bank TO take the ferry boat
across the river, which is one and one
half miles wide. The ferryman had LETT
his big boat on the other side. All he had
was q small row boat. NV wife refused to
go on board so small a craft. A school
teacher, who kept school across the river,
was to cross with US and she urged upon
Mrs. +. that there Was no danger. Jump
ing into the boat herself she finally per-
'uaded Mrs. f. to go on board. The other
shore was reached IN safety. There we
iound the worst looking carriage and
horses ever driven by a Florida "Crackern
Tor a % mile trip through a forest with
lot a house for % miles. There seemed to
be no other way but to go on. The tick
Its were $3.50 for each passenger. The
irst five miles OF the way was the worst
'oad / ever saw. Deer are often seen on
he way, but we saw none. The only
work ever done on this road is to cut out
few roots now and then. Not hill nor
ALLEY appeared the whole distance, moth
ng but sand and thin forests. Herds OF
attic, which seemed wild, are numerous.
am told they are manageable, except
lpon the fieetest horses. The weather
,eing cloudy 1t was not too warm for
omiort. We are now within three miles
Il Punta Gorda. A few cheap dwellings
ppear. You can see clear through the
Houses by the cracks in them. About 2 p.
d. Feb IS, We arrived in Punta Gorda and
towed SAFELY away in Hotel King.
TO be continned.)
G. W. FLAGG, Punts Gorda, Fla.
March 1, 1900,