FLORIDA.


as large. The scene, too, was enlivened by hundreds of
storks, cranes, curlews-of all gay colors-pelicans, herons,
flamingoes, and water-turkeys, nearly all varieties being
large, long-legged, long-necked, and long-billed, in gay-
colored or snow-white plumage, all quite strange, and cu-
riously interesting to the Northern visitor. Everywhere
they could be seen standing in motionless meditation; or,
if the boat approached too close, they would rise in a sin-
gularly graceful manner, and wheel off into the distance.
The water everywhere was alive with ducks of several


varieties, and numbering millions, pr
tors were very plentiful. This, indeed
of these great, hideous, but always i
here are the largest size, the monster
of ten to fifteen feet in length. This
is, in fact, but little traveled. Onl
steamers ply upon its waters, and it
than two steamers pass a given point
beasts and *rptiles that haunt it are


)bably, while
kd, is the real


interesting
Sof the ra
portion of
Ly five or
is seldom 1
in one da
but little


sau
ce ;


alliga-
home
rians;
often
river
small
more


y; so the
disturbed,


and thrive unmolested by mankind.
 The stream is so narrow that the little seamer, only


about
both s
if the
sharp.
almost
that i
nose i


twenty feet wide, often brushed the tall cane on
ides as,it passed along. Now and then it seemed as
boat was traveling on land, as it came to some
bends, and .pushed its way through the tall grasses
overarching above. And the channel is so crooked
i many places the steamer would have to plow its
nto the bank, let the stern swing around a little,


while a small boat, rowed by two stout de
tow the head around the sharp bend.
travel, we could look back, and within
distance see the outlines of the stream
to the right and left, like a great letter
we could see across five of these curves


5ck-negroes,
 After hot
one or two
zigzagging
S. At one
within a di


would
urs of
miles'
across
point
stance


of two miles.


At intervals the stream widens into broad,


I