Year: 1877

wildly luxurian. as If nature had abandoned herself
TO inebriate prodigalty. The forest Is network OF
treos vines and The brightest tnts of green,
the most ghosty shades of gray mpgle and to the eye
used to sober landscapes temperate cmcs the effect
is unreal Great snakelke cables Of rattan Stretched
over the boat from tree 10 tree which the funereal
moss hung in heavy folds, like vcritabe shrouds, de-
spite the shceny of living foliage to which they
cling. The spendor OF summer glory is all reelected
in the sonbre bayou which we noat, and this gor-
seous world OF vegetation strangely fantastic,
beauty run riot, like the landscapes of dreams.


END VOYAGE


1t was long after high whom the Cacique was
tied to cypress Titan which had topplcd into the
water. On the trunk fire kindled aud few
fish, caught during the voyage, tried and tho tea
stepped. After the repast, which was brief, tho
pioneers were kept busy at the bow OF the
boat, as tho bayou grew RAPIDLY moro narrow.
About three miles from the Wacissa 1t became
shallow and crowded with great many
little isles groups of Expresses The Caciquc could
barely squeeze through the ovcrhanging brush. What
appeared the larger channel was found to be imprac
tcable and returned half mile to try tho other.
Gliding into the Of Islands lost our
reckoning. and unable with the compass to
determine how to return We pursued sew
oral different arms of tho bayou could but
each one disappointed hope. They either ter
minated in oozes through which neither man nor boat
could pass or 'runs" full Of dead trees and drift


REMARKABLE TRACES OF MEN.


Along ono OF these wadcd for considerable dis
ancc, and surprised TO find the decayed remains
OF fallen trees whose trunks had apparently been
severed with duh instruments. They in
terestng, as the cutting had evidently freed tho
channel Of distractions at tho time it
dono. sent further northward to
IT, II
ton. Ae reported the channel moro and more choked
no advanced, and indications here and there the
fallen timber of the use OF axes or hatchets But
Judged from his expressions that Hcrculean labor
could not again make the stream bear canoe much
further toward It's source He had found certain
blazcd trees mile northward They undoubtedly in
dicate a liuo OF exploration which described in a
previous lcter passing south OF tho Isle OF BaaL


INrERENcEs.


II Is probable that spots In this region In
habtcd. The monument is unquestionaby the work
Of Truman hands An important feature OF the Isle Of
Baal sngularly enough escaped mention by me in my
former description OF my visit to it, The soil exhibits
still signs OF ancient cultivation. well known tact
that Florida the earth preserves artificial corrugaton
upon Its surface for generations. In a note in Thoo-
dore Irving's Conquest Of Forda' It is remarked.
Certainly the Isle of Baal fur-owed-whether
by tho Indians for the cultivation Of maize by
habitants whose identity. more mysterious, re-
mains unknown. AS further illustration OF the pc
cuIar ceramic quality Of the soil Of Florida 1t may be
mentioned that somewhere In the peninsula there is
ancient canal fortiacation which dates back far
beyond the scope of tradition.


RETURNING.


At last We by chance found tho main bayou once
more, after having proved futile all hope OF ascending
higher by tho other channels. Night had stolen
md only mn tVvuct tact rOvyip dop JJntar
minedto TO await the rising of the moon and continue
voyage to camp by its light Tho man at the bow
held great torch The current bore rapidly along
with the help only Of paddle Our only fear
was lest wo should run on tho back OF large
alligator, and this catastrophe nearly happened
eral times noisy plunge but few feet ahead of
tho Cacique would often startle u.s. and Jake would
exclaim under his BREATH ''The nasty rascalln with
other expletves unrecordable. Thus drifting wo
wero nearly to the wacssa when tho peeped
over the Expresses and the pole once Piled
The camp reached little after midnight To-
day tho members of the expedition have INDUCED
needed rest Tomorrow will slowly ascend the
river, examining the western shore and penetrating
into other tributaries possible.


THE SEARCH BAFrLED FOR THE PRESENT.


ISpIAyr MOUND. Juno II, 1S77.-The Cacique was
unoer way bctimes this morning and ascending the
river we have run into twenty small bayous only to
find most OF them leading into impcnctrabo morasses.
/ sent the to explore each OF them short dis
tance. order ascertain whether by carrying tho
Caclque thoir shoulders they could launch it
again, hoping that other bayous might DO
linked with those that connected with tho .
river. They found that THIS frequently
true, but they afforded continued thoroughare and
the portages were numerous and difficult to dis
may them.


The expedition has failed Of It's object am deeply
disappointed, because the discovery of water CON-
muncation with the Isle of Baal with one OF
the hummocks adjoining 1t would render 10 eligible
as a depot and camp to form tho base OF moro
minute exploration Of this strange region Tho
increasing warmth, however, is multiplying the
pests of the season, and to remain hero
few days longer would DO to court torments
such as people who dwell farther north can scarcely
conceive Of. At this writing am beset by the
persistent and sharpbilled mosquitoes and sand flies
that encountered, and If slight ebullitions Of
temper have not contributed to make Of the
pressons in my story rather eccentric 1t is not their