The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-03-16

melted with squeaIs Of warning and
admiration their escorts to pulling
off their most brilliant stunts in nav
igation.
The morning was cool, but, as
most OcaIa boys know the water of
Silver Springs is always warm; so a
number Of the boys were soon in
their bathing suits. Foremost was
William Camp, who walked out on
the dock and gazed into the depths,
somewhat with the air of Jonah,
looking for a vacant whale. (Will-
lam is no Jonah, however, When
| he had satisfied himself that there
was enough water in the spring he
in a shower of foam. The water
mark rose perceptibly and the City
of Ocala rocked at her moorings.
William soon had imitators, tho it
could not be said that anyone of
| them could fill his place.
| 1t was a quarter after s when the
| first throb of the engines was felt
| and the boat moved away from the
dock. By that time the spring was
lively with boys in the boats, and
the railing of the pavilion looked
like a fowerbed with the bright hats
and dresses of the girls.
There were twenty-eight tourists
on board the City of Ocala and al
were enthusiastic with the beauty
of the spring, hanging over the sides
to admire the Kaleidoscope of col.
or in the depths, and most of them
taking views with their kodaks. A
great deal of the beauty of the
springs is lost on Ocala people who
see it SO often, but it never fails te
awaken the admiration of the
stranger.
The boat was only a few hund
red yards down stream when it wa:
found that one of the passengers
who had been out in a rowboat, haC
left his kodak in the skiff; so thu
obliging captain had the boat pu
about and return to the dock. A
the City of Ocala turned her bow III
stream, she met the freight boat
ISharpshooter, coming out. TIL
! City of Ocala came about, grazed tn
dock, barely stopping, and thel
sweeping around in curve forget
ahead again on her outward voyage
5 Anxious to make up lost time, sh
went ahead at full speed. Two hun
= dred yards out of the spring, sh
overlook the Sharpshooter, by n
means a slow boat, and pluggin
along at good gait, but the City G
2 Ocala passed her almost like sh
= was standing still.
l -Four miles down the run, the boa
S stopped at Alexander Landing
e take on a couple Of passengers, an
Y to put Mr.. Carmichael ashore at hi
: big and model farm which, lying a
2 it does in full view OF the passin
= boats IS one Of the best and mos
: practical advertisements Mario
county has.
b Then the boat raced on, most {
= the passengers hanging over I'll
|. sides to admire the beauties undt
Y the sWift-moving keel. Silvt
It Springs run, (they have begun
g call it Silver river now,) is the re-
e head of the river, furnishing G
# per cent Of the water when it joir
l. the Ocklawaha nine miles below tt
springs, and the best looking part
. the fluid, for the stream at the jun
q ton turns at once from mirror-Hl
q clearness TO a sullen purple.
r The passengers were all kel
l. busy. With the speed Of the BOZ
e the scenery unrolled like movin
d picture reel. What excited the
s most was the alligators. Quite
e number were seen, summing then
O selves on logs. Most Of then were {
|, good size, and one old fellow was :