ON THE ST. AUGUSTINE ROAD. 



ONE of my first inquiries at Tallahassee 

 was for the easiest way to the woods. The 

 city is built on a hill, with other hills about 

 it. These are mostly under cultivation, and 

 such woods as lay within sight seemed to 

 be pretty far off ; and with the mercury at 

 ninety in the shade, long tramps were almost 

 out of the question. " Take the St. Augus- 

 tine road," said the man to whom I had 

 spoken ; and he pointed out its beginning 

 nearly opposite the state capitol. After 

 breakfast I followed his advice, with results 

 so pleasing that I found myself turning 

 that corner again and again as long as I 

 remained in Tallahassee. 



The road goes abruptly downhill to the 

 railway track, first between deep red gulches, 

 and then between rows of negro cabins, each 

 with its garden of rosebushes, now (early 

 April) in full bloom. The deep sides of 

 the gulches were draped with pendent Ian- 

 tana branches full of purple flowers, or, 



