a .---- 2 --

 HISTORY OF THE ENTERPRISE.
 The first authentic description of the Everglades of
 Florida, with maps, profiles and levels, was doubtless the
 "Memoir to accompany a military Tap," compiled by Lieut.
 A, i J.'C.: is, topographical engineersunder the general direc-
 tion of Capt. A. A. Humphreys, .--j topographical npgi-
 neer, by order of the HON. JgFFERSON DAVIS, Secretary of
 War, published in 1856, and commonly known as the "Davis
 "Mapo"lhe following quotations are taken therefrom:
 Sf "The Everglades of Florida cover an aea of about 4,000
 square miles* embracing more than hal the portion of the
 SState south of Lake Okeechobee. The sub-soil of this vast
 region is S cora ne limestone. 4 0 Upon thgesurface ]I
 lies an immense accumulation of sand, alluvial deposit .y a
 Sdecayffd vegetable matter, forming a mass o sand andf
 from ~eet to o1 feet or more in depth, thaoverspreads
 all but a few points of the first stratWdr4 \ 7 f
 z 'tTpon the mud rests a sheet of water, the depth varying
 '0.. with the conformation of the bottom! but seldom at dry sea-
 sons, greaterthan three feet. The whole is filled'witha rnk
 growth of coast &rassl o io feet high, having rgd .t Ied
 e-dge like a saw fromwMhich it obtains its name of "aw
 Krass.' In many portions of the Everglades this saw grass
 is so thick as to be impenetrable, but it is intersected by num-
 erous narrow and tortuous channels that form a kind of laby-
 rinth, where outlets present themselves in every direct
 however terminating, at longer or shorter distances I a
 peiate -barrierrof grass. (The surface of water is quMdCy L r
 S affected by rain)ithe alternated rising and falling during, wet. 'i** ,
 Seasons being ve'ry rapid. The difference of level between
 highest and lowest stages of water is from two to three feet.
 The general surface of the Everglades is -the siubj To"-ni
 great changes' t..mall keys are here and there met with
 wi a. t all seasonspon thil he soil is very rich.
 here are many such, Undoubtedly t ~are often made the
 sitesof Indian yards. *



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