I]ST FLORIDA. 83 



and at last we came reluctantly to the conclusion 

 that we had better stop, in order to prepare our 

 camp and make sure that there were no rattlesnakes 

 while there was light enough to do so. 



" Let us go to the next turn," said Seth, who 

 had even a greater dislike than the rest of us to 

 spending the night in the woods. "If we do not 

 see any signs of an outlet there we may as well give 

 it up." 



"Agreed," I replied, as I bent once more to the 

 oars, " let us keep up hope." 



AVe proceeded, but with little expectation of any 

 good results. What was our surprise and joy then, 

 on reaching the point, to behold the broad waters of 

 the lake spread out before us, and the Heartsease 

 lying in full view with her light up. The sight 

 gave me such vigor that I rowed the rest of the 

 way, although Charley announced that he was rested 

 and wanted to take the oars. 



In spite of the beauty of the country, there is a 

 sense of desolation about the wilder parts of Florida. 

 The great trees, covered with moss, and many of 

 them going to decay ; the dull, sluggish rivers with 

 slow discolored current, the low lands never rising 

 above a shell-mound of twenty feet height, combine 

 to produce a feeling of dreary solitude. This was 

 particularly noticeable on the journey to and from 

 Florida, through the endless swamps, marshes, and 

 reedy islands, which border the narrow inland pas- 

 sages, and was only occasionally broken by passing 

 a town, or one of the few country seats that are to 



