CHAPTER II.

NATURAL DIVISIONS OF FLORIDA.


 As I have already remarked, Florida is a very large
State, containing nearly sixty thousand nare miles (59,-
268). From north to south it stretches 450 miles-from a
temperate to a tropical clime. Washed along its entire
eastern border by the e4uable waters of the Gulf Stream,
which always pours its pure salt breezes over the peninsula,
and by the tropically warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico
on much of its western boundary, it possesses a variety of
climate, soil, and products, such as can be found nowhere&
else save in Italy, which enjoys a similarity of geographi-"/


cal conditions.
 Though its
Cape Sable is
than 90 miles,
sula, extending
toward Cuba,
West. On the
by the Straits
nates on the so
of rocky islets,
Florida oj the
200 miles, and
called the Tort
merely frequent
Keys rise, and
is the narrow a


extreme length from the Perdido River to
about 700 miles, its average breadth is less
and in shape it is a long and narrow penin-
southward into the Atlantic and pointing
Havana being only 110 miles from Key


southeast it is separated from the Bahamas
of Florida. The peninsula proper termi-
ith in Cape Sable; but a remarkable chain
known as the Florida Keys, begins at Cape
eastern shore, extends southwestward nearly
L ends in the cluster of sand-heaped rocks
ugas, from the great number of turtles for-
ing them. South of the bank on which the
separated from them by a navigable channel,
nid dangerous coral ridge known as the Flor-