14 PREFATORY. 



stantly barred their progress had to bo cleared away, and 

 whenever they found a bit of terra fir ma solid enough 

 to camp on, it was scarcely more than six inches above 

 the surrounding mire. 



Of Lake Okeechobce itself few praises can be sung. 

 It is a vast lagoon, surrounded by marshes, with shores 

 scarcely above its level in any place. Writers who pre 

 tended to have visited it, invested it with a romance 

 that was very far from the realization. It was repre 

 sented to be studded with islands, and flanked with bold, 

 rocky shores, and forests of mahogany, palmetto, and 

 fragrant magnolia ; and ruins were found on the islands, 

 and strange creatures inhabited the earth, air,, and water. 

 These, however, are as mythical as was the original fact 

 of its supposed existence. 



The second expedition occupied the winter of 1874 

 and the spring of 1875. It covered the whole of south 

 western Florida, a section but little known beyond its 

 limits, but which is proven to be one of the choicest of 

 the delectable lands of the State. It was under the 

 charge of Dr. Charles J. Ken worthy, an old campaigner 

 in many foreign countries, but now a resident of Jack 

 sonville, Florida, whose efforts were heartily seconded 

 and essentially expedited by the officers of the various 

 lines of coastwise and interior communication, who fur 

 nished him with free passes and transportation for his 

 boat and outfit, whenever asked for, throughout the 

 field of exploration. The telegraph companies also 

 rendered their services when needed, and at Punta Rassa 

 even provided store room for his boat and implements, 

 the narrative whereof is written over the signature of 

 &quot;Al Fresco.&quot; 



lu other chapters the charms of the St. Johns river 



