Petals Plucked from Sunny Climes

ions, who circulate through the country for various purposes; but the following stands

morning breeze fanned his brow, causing him to make a most convulsive sneeze-which effort being too much for his artificial superstructure, all his upper teeth were ejected from his mouth into the water. Upon the return of his wandering thoughts from the vision of beauty before him, he was again apprised of the stern realities which would have to be met and faced without the valuable accessories for administering to his comfort-particularly in the mastication of Florida beef-teeth. Soon as day dawned, sympathetic friends gathered around him with words of condolence, while the services of all experts in the art of descending into the watery fluid, without being drowned, were called into requisition. They all went down repe

y what Jacob's Well was to the land of Samaria. It is entirely surrounded by trees, forming columns unknown to drafts or plans of architectural skill, except the great Architect of the universe. More than thirty years since, the land around this spring was entered as a homestead by a relative of that memorable martyr, John Rogers. Mr. Rogers, with whom we had the pleasure of conversing, said its present appearance was the same as when he first saw it-the water being so clear that looking down in it appeared like the sky above it: he could see no difference in depths, look wh

ing rays of old Sol shine upon the vast forest of tall trees, draped with Spanish moss suspended in mid-air, resembling the fragile texture of some fairy realm more than a tangible su

ems so much in keeping with what might have been a reality, we have

ace, and often it blushed in response to the impulses of a warm and generous nature. Her eye was the crystal of the soul-clear and liquid, or flashing and defiant, according to her mood. But the hair was the glory of the woman. Dark as the raven's plume, but shot with gleams of sacred arrows, the large masses, when free, rolled in tresses of rich abundance. The silken drapery of that splendid hair fell about her 'like some royal cloak dropped from the cloud-land's rare and radiant loom.' W

very ideal of manly vigor. But it was a sad truth that between the old chief and the young, and their tribes, there had long been a deadly feud. They were enemies. When Okahumkee learned that Chuleotah had gained the affections of his beloved chil

ts associations are all made sacred by the memories of the past, while on the glassy bosom of the spring the pale ghost of Chuleotah stands beckoning her to come. 'Yes, my own, my beloved one, I come. I will follow where thou leadest, to the green and flowery land.' Thus spake the will, if not the lips, of the maiden. It is not a mere

ghed and moaned through the lofty pines. Then came Weenonah to the side of the spring, where, gazing down, she could see on the bottom the clear, green shelves of limestone, sloping into sharp hollows, opening here and there into still profounder depths. Forty feet below, on the mass of rock, was her bed of

swaying to and fro to the motion of the waves; these are the loosened braids of Weenonah's hair, whose coronet gives us such beautiful coruscations, sparkling and luminous, like diamonds of the deep, when in the phosphorescence of night the ocean waves are tipped with fire. These relics of the devoted Indian girl are the c

n legend of Silver

rely divested of myth and mystery, contains truthful facts that continue to invest it wit

is a landing for the shipment of cotton, sugar, and other produce. These steamers and barges make regular trips between the Spring and Pilatka, on the St. John's. The boatmen informed me that at its junction with the Ocklawaha more than one-half the water is contributed by the Silver Spring stream. This stream, for about two miles from its source, varies in breadth from forty-five to one hundred feet, and its depth in the shallowest parts from ten to fifteen feet, its average velocity being about two miles per hour. The fluctuations of water-level in this spring seem to be connected with the season of rains, but never varying more than two feet. The commencement of the rainy season changes from the 15th of June to the 15th of July. The waters of the spring begin to rise about the middle of the season of summer rains, and attain their maximum height about its termination. The maximum depth

me of water. These usually occur in deep basins, or coves, along the margin of the stream. The depth of one of these coves, situated about two hundred yards below the head-spring, was found to be thirty-two feet in the crevice in the limestone bottom from which the

popular reports have ascribed to its waters, are directly or indirectly referable to their almost perfect diaphaneity. On a clear and calm day, after the sun has attained sufficient altitude, the view from the side of a small boat floating on the surface of the water, near the center of th

hout doubt, the development of so vigorous a vegetation at such depths is attributable to the large amount of solar light which penetrates these waters. Some parts are devoid of vegetation; these are composed of limestone rock and sand, presenting a

te moss-like alga, by means of the currents created by the boiling up of the water, and the swimming of numerous fish above this miniature subaqueous forest, imparted a living reality to the scene which can never be forgotten. If we add to this picture, already sufficiently striking, that objects beneath the surface of the water, when viewed obliquely, were fringed with the prismatic hues, we shall cease to be surprised at the myst

eful experiments were made, with a view of testing this point, by securing printed cards to a brick attached to a fathoming-line, and observing at what depth the words could be read when seen vertically. Of course, when looked at obliquely, the letters were distorted and colored by refraction. Numerous comparative experiments were likewise executed in relation to the distances at which the same cards could be read in the air. The results of these experiments may be announced in a few words-namely, that when the

lue at the top, with orange and red at the bottom, while the color of the fringing was reversed for dark objects on a white ground-this being exactly in accordance with recognized optical principles. In the present case, the phenomenon is remarkably striking and conspicuous, probably from two causes: first, because the extraordinary transparency of the water rendered subaqueous objects hi

r Landing is a large turpentine distillery, the property of Messrs. Agnew & Co., where thirty barrels of turpentine and one hundred of rosin are manufactured monthly. The Upper

what benefit could be derived in drinking the strong limestone water from the spring, unless the scenery would compensate for the lack of life-giving properties in the transparent f

rand water-oaks, orange-trees, and ornamental shrubbery. It is the capital of Marion county. A good hotel is kept here by Mr. E. J. Harris, where about forty boarders can be accommodated. In th

dred inhabitants, which have more the appearance of enjoyment than those of any other town in the State. The climate being so mild, no arrangements are made in the stores and offices for warming; consequently when a cool morning comes, little camp-fires are built around the public square, before which are gathered many happy, contented-looking faces, of all professions, accepting things as they find them, taking a cool breeze with the firmness of a Stoic, knowing it is only of short

ce. Many planters became discouraged during the late war on account of inability to work their large plantations, and abandoned them. These fertile tracts are for sale now in lots to suit colonists, or accommodate single settlers. An average of two thousand pounds of sugar to the acre can be produced here. The so

merous fossil remains to be seen on the surface, consisting of fish, birds, alligators'-shells, oysters, together with the bones of an animal unknown to the present generation; but if his voice was proportionate t

rough a vast extent of country. His faithful hounds came whining about him, anxious for the hunt. Taking down his rifle "Dead Shot" from the hooks, he mounted his lank steed, and rode with haste to the nearest neighbor, Pat Kennedy. "Hellow, Pat! you in thar asleep, and the devil unchained in the swamp! Hark! now don't you hear him?" "O Matt., that's nothin' but one of those old masterdons! You know we dun seed his bones where he was drowned in the Wakulla Spring." "I dunno, may be so; one thing s

ned they were sufficiently near, he ordered the dogs to be put on the trail. Simultaneous with this movement came another shrill echo from the supposed huge monster, which sent the dogs cowering to their masters, at the same time unnerving the courage of th

discharging cargo. The hunters commenced making inquiries if they had heard that great monster while passing through the valley, at the same time describing, and trying to imitate, its voice t

e country, barges and slow coaches being the only medium of communication. However, this inconvenience will soon be overcome by a contemplated r

reeze like troubled waves. Here the huge alligators luxuriate and crawl about in peaceful security, swallowing their light-wood knots before

ssed by an eternal spring-time. This is the home of the curlew, plume-crane, blue heron, fish-hawk, royal king-f

miles above Pilatka. In these waters are found a great variety of fish-pike, trout, bream, perch; while in t

ons; then Lake Harris, fifteen miles in length, seven miles wide, with an average of wate

nhabitants in this portion of the country, when priests were not always wa

iff nearer than Pilatka. "Why do you wish for him?" "I'm going to be married, sir." "O you want the squire, or preacher." "Do you know where a preacher lives, then? I thought the sheriff would do as well." "The preacher has gone on the circuit." Knowing a good deacon lived near, he repaired thither as a last resort. Finding the deacon

ressing machine, etc. A sugar-cane mill is in operation, connected with which is a centrifugal sugar-dryer, the only one in the State. This mill can turn out fifteen barrels per day. Eve

ame up to dredge out the barnets and swamp-grass, the n

at the ends to transport their provisions, women, and children, which they drew after them, th

through Florida is still to be seen; also an artificial causeway, several hundred yards in length, made of shells from which the Indians

, upon which is situated Okahumkee, two hundred and twenty-

awn up, and between the terminus of this chain of lakes and the Withlacoochee River