78 FLORIDA.

from one huridred to three hundred eggs. At Sabine Pass,
on Santa Rosa Island, alligators are found by the ten thou-
sand, and are killed in large numbers by hunters who fre-
quent the place.
 "While on the island, very few visitors fail to find an
interest in collecting shells and sea-beans. Then comes a
visit to Fort Pickens. This grand and historic old edifice,
though denuded of a portion of the iron dogs of war that
used to bay, not 'deep-mouthed welcome home,' but roars
of defiance, still possesses a multitude of pleasant and in-
teresting sights and objects that make a visit there both
profitable and agreeable. Across the bay is the navy-yard,
and just west of the navy-yard is Fort Barrancas. Both
are beautiful, and will interest the most indifferent. Added
to the novelties to be seen is the delightful society enjoyed
by all who know the hospitable and intelligent officers of
both the garrisons. Below Barrancas is the Pensacola
Lighthouse."

 An interesting and agreeable route from Pensacola to
Tallahassee is via one of the popular Henderson line of
steamers to St. Mark's, and thence by the railroad. The
pleasures of a Gulf trip are detailed at length in another
chapter. St. Mark's is a very ancient port, one of the set-
tlements made by the original Spanish explorers of Flor-
ida. Shortly after its settlement a large stone fort and
pier were built; but they were long ago permitted to de-
cay, and were finally destroyed by the settlers desiring the
cut rock for their own uses. It is now a deserted village,
only two or three small and unpretentious buildings mark-
ing this famous spot, romantic in historical events, beauti-
ful in scenery, and once a busy mart, the second seaport
in all the United States to boast of a railroad terminus.
From here to Tallahassee, twenty-one miles distant, runs a
railroad, built in 1835-'36. This was, in its early days, a
very busy little road, the outlet of all the productive cot-
ton region lying inland. At that time the planters lived in
princely style, fairly rolling in wealth; for those were the