BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 15o 



sixty miles through a .similar marsh, linding but rive or six landing 

 places on the whole route. The innumerable creeks winding through 

 them form a watery labyrinth through which the tides struggle lor a 

 passage. The vegetation is uninteresting and as monotonous as the 

 landscape. Green walls of rigid Sparthia hem in the vision on every 

 hand, for one can see but a little way in any direction on account of 

 the windings of the channel which may lead toward every point of 

 the compass within the space of ten minutes. When the tide is high 

 there is no spot on which to set foot; as it falls the water comes 

 .streaming out from among the grass over the bhick shming banks, 

 which harbor innumerable crustaceans, and emit a noisome odor. 

 Where the banks are more elevated the wallow of an alligator may 

 sometimes be seen and occasionally the grass gives place to broad 

 mats of Sea-Purslane and Samphire (Sesmnum Port idacasfr urn and 

 Salicoriiia fruticosa). No cheerful sounds greet the ear, the silence 

 is only broken by the harsh cries of marsh fowls, and the ocean's 

 mournful, never ceasing war. Standing up in the boat one looks out 

 over a vast green plain and sees in the distance or near by, islands, 

 light-houses and sails, but the nearest objects may be the most in- 

 accessible, and a day's journey end almost where it began. Indeed, 

 upon reaching Cedar Point, the first landing on the Sister Islands 

 Channel, although we have traveled four or five miles, we are evident- 

 ly farther from the ocean than when we started. But here we are 

 able to take a new course leading directly to the inlet whicli sepa- 

 rates Talbot from Fort George Island. These are the southernmost 

 of the islands which give rise to the land-locked or inhmd passage to 

 Florida. North of Talbot is Amelia Island, on which the city of Fer- 

 nandina is situated. Between Talbot and the mouth of the St. Johns 

 is Ft. <jreorge Island, a favorite resort of tourists, who here enjoy the 

 privileges of a fine hotel situated near the sea-beacli and among for- 

 ests of tropical luxuriance. From the observatory one looks down 

 upon the shaggy forest of gnarled oaks and plumy palms, to the west, 

 over far stretching marshes, eastward, over the boundless ocean. On 

 the south the "river of lakes" finishes its marvelous course and pours 

 the waters of Florida into the ocean. At its mouth is tiie much 

 dreaded "bar" marked by a line of foaming breakers. Across the 

 river are the white sand hills and summer cottages of May port, a 

 name associated with the young and promising botanist, Henry D. 

 Keeler, who, alas! now sleeps beneath northern snows. His father, 

 the collector of the port, resides a mile out on the road to St. Augus- 

 tine. It is a sylvan home embosomed in grand forests oi Palmetto, 



