YACHTING OX THE ST. JOHNS. 1G1 



calm flood below. The long gray moss hung almost to 

 its reflection, and in the long vista all mingled into a 

 confusion of waving form and shadow that concealed 

 the water line, making a scene as indefinite and unreal 

 as a dream. All kinds of birds and animals fluttered on 

 before us or stole away into the woods. The grotesque 

 snake-birds, or water turkeys, wriggled and stared, and 

 tumbled off their perches with a helpless splash into the 

 water, as if overcome with astonishment, and would next 

 be seen with two or three inches of snake-like head and 

 neck, going rapidly by. Precisely do they resemble a 

 small swimming snake, and one can hardly believe that 

 there is so large a bird under the surface. In the dim 

 light that found its way through the huge leaves, we 

 came upon a congress of owls, assembled, beyond doubt, 

 in the mysteries of some ancient order of Minerva, and 

 never was so much wisdom so solemnly arrayed. Silent, 

 dignified, and conservative, doing nothing lightly, com 

 mitting themselves to no miniatured ideas, even and 

 temperate, what body could equal them ? I had seen 

 less manifest self-respect in the great and august men 

 who eat peanuts in the beautiful chambers at &quot;Washing 

 ton. Silently we gazed mutually ; on my part a con 

 viction of trespass became uncomfortable, and I was 

 about framing an apology in long words of Greek deri 

 vation when the gray wings opened and the whole party 

 flitted silently away, merging into the smoke-colored 

 moss like a transformation scene. 



Life abounds in these retreats. Here the wood duck 

 winters in solitude, curlew sweep along in flocks, coot 

 and rail run among the sedge, deer come shyly down to 

 drink, or, frightened by the puma, plunge in and seek 

 refuge in swimming. Under the bonnets are voracious 



