Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-02-06
A. S. Cyr Writes
lOf Southern Life

\. S. Cyr of this city, who with
other Augustans is passing the VIM
ter in Florida, writes home in part
as follows:
We are all in good health ana en-
joying ourselves. Everything around
us is beautiful. gardens, flowers and
fruits are on the bloom We had a
fine trip down on the boat and not
one Of our party was sick. After We
arrived in Jacksonville we bought
an Overland car and it runs like a
lily. We visited all the nice places
on the way down. ST. Augustine,
Daytona. Deland Sanford, Orlando.
Kissmme, Lakeland, Plant City.
Clear Water, ST. Petersburg and
Passagrill. At Passagrill we went
in bathing in the Gulf of Mexico. 1t
was Jan. II and the water was
warmer than it is at Old Orchard
in August. We also went fishing at
Tarpon Springs and caught nine
big fish called sroupers.
We expect to leave here in two
weeks to visit the east coast. Palm
Beach. Lakeworth and Miami, and
we plan to start for home about
March 20 and we will arrive about
April LIST. The most interesting
place we have visited so far is ST.
Augustine where we saw the ol1"st
house in the United States, 'he
Fountain of Youth and Fort Mar
ion.
During all the Spanish rule Fort
Marion was known as San Marco
Castle. After coming into the pos
session Of the United States the name
was changed to Fort Marion in honor
of General Francis Marion of Re-
Nolutionary fame. The fort is built
of conquina shell rocks obtained from
qlarrics near. These 1uarries will
richly repay a visit. The fort has
four nearly equal bastions known as
st. Peter, st. Paul, St. Augustine
and st. Charles. also four connecting
walls called curtains. On three of the
bastions are sentry towers. while On
the northeast stands a high watch
tower.
The two casemates at the right
of the entrance were guarded rooms.
Leading off from the inner OF these
rooms is a large dungeon which was
used as general prison. In the
southeast corner of the court is the
court room in which in 1887 the
famous Indian chief. Osceola, to-
gether with CoacOochee and Talmus
Hadjo, were imprisoned. At the rear
of the room are inches which he two
latter dug into the masonry to enable
them to climb to the ventilator,
through which they made their es-
cape In the northeast corner Of the
court is the room used as the coun-
ell chamber. At the north side of tie
court is the chapel. The entrance 10
this room is very ornamental, the
work of which has been reconstruct
ed recently by The war department,
great care being taken to follow the
original plans. On either side OF the
chapel are doorways through the iron
bars Of whic', the prisoners could
| hear mass before being executed. The
bars were necessary, as. IL prisoners
gained access to the chapel and knelt
at the alter, he would claim the right
of sanctuary.
At the northwest corner of the
court is a room called the Pennen-
carral. from the north side of which
we entered the dungeon, 80 feet long
and about 20 feet wide. Through an
opening at the north side of this
room We entered a room about seven
feet wide and 20 feet long. This we
were told was the torture chamber.
Several feet above the floor are>the