596 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



OKEFINOKEE SWAMP 



By ROLAND M. HARPER 



TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 



OKEFINOKEE Swamp, which covers about 700 square miles of 

 territory on the southern borders of Georgia, is one of the least 

 known areas of its size in the eastern United States. Its existence has 

 indeed been known to white men ever since the eighteenth century, but 

 very few persons capable of giving an intelligent account of it have ever 

 explored it. 



History 



The earliest description of this swamp which we have is that of 

 William Bartram. He never saw it himself, but passed near it in the 

 spring of 1773, and seems to have gathered considerable information 

 about it from the Indians and traders. In his celebrated volume of 

 " Travels," published in 1791, we find the following description, which 

 is such a curious mixture of truth and legend, and withal of so much 

 historic interest, that it is worth quoting verbatim: 



The river St. Mary has its source from a vast lake, or marsh, called 

 Ouaquaphenogaw, which lies between Flint and Oakmulge rivers, and occupies 

 a space of near three hundred miles in circuit. This vast accumulation of 

 waters, in the wet season, appears as a lake, and contains some large islands 

 or knolls, of rich high land; one of which the present generation of Creeks^ 

 represent to be a most blissful spot of the earth; they say it is inhabited by 

 a peculiar race of Indians, whose women are incomparably beautiful; they also 

 tell you that this terrestrial paradise has been seen by some of their enter- 

 prising hunters, when in pursuit of game, who being lost in inextricable swamps 

 and bogs, and on the point of perishing, were unexpectedly relieved by a com- 

 pany of beautiful women, whom they call daughters of the sun, who kindly 

 gave them such provisions as they had with them, which were chiefly fruit, 

 oranges, dates, &c., and some com cakes, and then enjoined them to fly for 

 safety to their own country; for that their husbands were fierce men, and cruel 

 to strangers: they further say, that these hunters had a view of their settle- 

 ments, situated on the elevated banks of an island, or promontory, in a beautiful 

 lake; but that in their endeavors to approach it they were involved in per- 

 petual labyrinths, like inchanted land, still as they imagined they had just 

 gained it, it seemed to fly before them, alternately appearing and disappearing. 

 They resolved, at length, to leave the delusive pursuit, and to return; which 

 after a number of inexpressible difiiculties, they effected. When they reported 

 their adventures to their countrymen, their young warriors were enflamed with 

 an irresistable desire to invade, and make a conquest of, so charming a country; 

 but all their attempts have hitherto proved abortive, never having been able 

 again to find that enchanting spot, nor even any road or pathway to it; yet 



^ According to Dr. William Baldwin, Bartram confused the Seminoles with 

 the Lower Creeks. 



