Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-03-26
4 rtw WEEKS VISIT IN FLORIDA.

brief description OF our trip to
Florida and Cuba.
Orr first stop in the Aowery pc
ninsula was at Jacksonville, the
"Gate City of Florida" in the af-
ternoon of Feb. 7th. We spent only
a short time there and of course
did not learn much about the capt.
tal with it's so, 900 population. The
twenty minutes ride from the rail
road station to the st. Johns river
dock, gave us only vague idea of
the many handsome buildings. We
were sorry we did not have time
to see more of this great shipping
center. On arriving at the wharf
we found a few persons waiting,
mostly all Northern tourist ready
to aboard the steamer for Palatka.
Leaving Jacksonville, the steam
er makes big bend around the
city, gradually turning to the left
until her course is toward the south.
The St. Johns river is wide at this
point, many places you can scarce
Iiv see the low banks, but now and
then headlands are plainly visible
by the tall pines. On our way
up the river many places of interest
and beauty attracted our atten-
ton. One was Mandarin, a small
town, the winter home of Harriet
Beecher Stowe, the name we all
are familiar with. This village,
like many others was made attrac-
tive by background of green foil
age. Later on we passed a place
of historic value, Picolato Narrows.
Some two hundred years ago the
Spanish built a fort here, and soon
grew to be a small settlement.
Later it was captured by the Eng.
Ilish in 174O, and finally abandoned
by them. During the Civil War
our government used it as mill
tary post, and no doubt some OF
our soldiers will remember this
place. Ten or twelve miles run now
brought us to Palatka, where we
spent the night.
After good nights rest and a
hearty breakfast we went out IN
the town of Palatka and found the
place to be considerable size. The
business houses all seemed to be
well stocked and busy. The resi-
Dental part was made attractive
by large lawns, trees and plants, to
say nothing of the profusion OF
flowers that scented the morning
air.
At two in the afternoon we bic
farewell to this beautiful little city
and got aboard the "Hiawatha, .
abound for our most cherished voy'
age, up the Ocklawaha river, which
was some twenty miles farther W
i. the St. Johns river. The Hiawa
tina is a unique tourist steamer
, specially built for the peculiaritie'
of the Ocklawaha river. 1t is nine
ty feet in length, has two saloor
decks and draws from three to fou
feet of water. On our way up tn,
St. Johns we stopped at a small
: landing for fuel, which was no NOR
+ or less than cord of rich pin
wood. Most all engines in these ex
, IRENE southern states, we learn
use wood as fuel.
e An hour or so of sunset the Hia
: watha turned into the noted Ock
8 lawaha river. Free from vibration
the steamer glided over the unrut
, fed water in a narrow, windln
d course, through tropical jungles an
e picturesque river vistas, fringe
IS with lilies and bordered by tower
ing palms, expresses, palmettoess'
magnolias and draped with trail
o ing vines, Spanish moss, an
Is branches of miseltoe. Occasional
:, " the boat in it's winding cours
f would come so close to them tina
~ we could pluck them from tn
r upper deck Of the boat: A
" night fall fantastic torch-ligt
= illumination of forest and river
:. arranged. 1t is made OF rich pin
s and built on top of the boat, n
30 vealing a world of weird enchan
# ment. Frightened birds and an
mails would go tearing out OF tt
trees and bushes that stood densel
thick on either side of the rive
We watch until a late hour the
turned in to dream of the romant
- stream. =,
On rising the next morning tt
~ sun was shining out of a bright SIX
: The great primitive forest had n
d. changed particle as to looks,
oe thick that dog would find it dit
R. cult to penetrate. The water W
% much clearer and was little trout
n o to see the may curious fish and "
" ter animals. Some one called out
alligator and all heads were turn
to see it disappear under cover OF
bank. During the summer seaso
IT. we were told, hundreds could be Sc
Fl. along the shore. In the winter til
fe, theyhibernate, coming out only d d,
fe, ing hottest part of the day. I
,rd snakes are also scarcer at this s.
md son, only saw one of any size a