YACHTING ON THE ST. JOHKS. 159 



we made a fire and cooked our breakfast, and only moved 

 off when a ball went very near them. 



Nothing can equal this mode of enjoying the south 

 ern rivers. From the lofty decks of the steamers a great 

 deal is seen, but every moment one is hurried ruthlessly 

 away from some spot where there is every temptation to 

 linger, and then left to while away hours at some land 

 ing where preceding crowds have gathered every flower, 

 and alarmed every bird with pistols and parasols. 



After a leisurely breakfast on shore, as free from care 

 as gypsies, we went on board ; put easy chairs on deck, 

 laid our guns before us, and steamed on through 

 scenes of great beauty and variety, now and then getting 

 a duck, which was picked up and enjoyed by our men, 

 who cooked them in the furnace under the boiler. 



Above Pilatka the river becomes less lake-like. 

 There is more perceptible current, and it bends and 

 drifts by islands, when, the channel being nearer the 

 shore, more of the forest is seen. Unbroken woods and 

 ranks of tall stems come quite to the water s edge ; 

 indeed the huge cypress trees stand in the margin, and 

 surrounded by the upward pointed roots, rising from one 

 to four feet high, called knees, they give a novel appear 

 ance to the ground, while overhead the long gray drapery 

 of Spanish moss adds an impression that these are bearded 

 woods of unknown age, hoary and ancient as Druid oaks. 

 Fresh and bright are the grand magnolias, every dark- 

 green leaf polished until it is silver in the sunlight ; 

 and as a new form to the Northern eye the tall palmettoes 

 raise their tufted crowns of huge leaves. On dry ground 

 the live-oak assumes superb proportions, its low spread 

 ing form and broad shade being in grateful contrast to 

 the rigid formality and upright lines of the southern 



