178 FLORIDA.

location and richness of soil. South of Mantanzas Inlet the
river rapidly contracts in width and depth to its junction
with Pellicers Creek, at which point the work of construct-
ing that portion of the canal connecting the Halifax River
properly begins, consisting of a cut eighteen miles in length.
In this operation advantage may be taken of the Mantan-
zas to its junction with the Mata Compra Creek, thence
generally following this stream to its head, from which, for
a distance of six miles, the route crosses the country to the
source of Smith's Creek, which will have to be deepened
and straightened to within four miles of the head of the
Halifax. The country to the west of this portion of the
line consists of flat woods, prairie, savannas, high and low
hammock of oak, palmetto, wild-orange, etc.; the surface
undulating, soil sandy, and, judging from the topography
and general indications, the opening of this section of the
canal can be readily accomplished.
 "That interesting arm of the sea, whose several divi-
sions are known respectively as Halifax River, Hillsboro
River, and Mosquito Lagoon, forming a common channel,
with an outwatering at Mosquito Inlet (latitude 290 north),
.continues to the south and parallel with the ocean-beach a
distance of fifty-five miles, and is separated from it by a
narrow strip of land about three fourths of a mile in width.
The hamlets and towns of Holly Hill, New Britain, Day-
tona, Halifax City, Port Orange, Blake Post-Office, and
New Smyrna, on the margin of the river, are desirably lo-
cated, principally on rich, high hammock-lands of palmetto,
oak, and other forest-trees. The inhabitants are from all
sections of the Union, generally prosperous and anxiously
awaiting the opening of the canal, and the consequent im-
petus to the general industries of the country. Daytona is
the most important town on the river, possesses a good
hotel, stores, etc. New Smyrna, in the year 1770, was the
seat of a large and profitable trade in indigo, immense crops
of which were cultivated by a colony of Minorcans, under
the guidance of Andrew Turnbull; the dense hammocks,
old canals, and turnpikes are silent monuments attesting to
the vast extent of the plantations devoted to this enter-
prise. The river varies in width from one half to two and
a half miles, possessing a fairly direct channel, intercepted
by sand and oyster bars, rendering portions of the route