XXL 



IN THE CYPRESS SWAMPS 



HTAKE OKEECHOBEE is almost as little known 

 I J now as it was one hundred years ago, when it 

 rejoiced in the name of Mayaco. Then everything mys 

 terious and inexplicable was referred to Lake Mayaco. 

 The source of the river St. Johns, even now unsettled, 

 &quot;was said to be there. Another river, the St. Lucie, had 

 its rise there, and strange tales were told of the wonder 

 ful lake by a Spanish captive, who reached it by this 

 river. The wonderful sacred vulture of Bart-ram, so 

 vividly described by that naturalist, was said to be a res 

 ident of Okeechobee, and hasn t been seen since its first 

 description, a century ago. With a few exceptions, 

 during the Seminole war, Lake Okeechobee has not been 

 visited by white men. There is no portion of our great 

 western domain of the same area so completely unknown 

 to us. There the Seminole is said to have his best plan 

 tations and choicest hunting grounds. In the secure 

 fastnesses of the Everglades he may bid defiance to our 

 largest armies, and laugh at every effort to secure him. 



When I found myself within six miles of the great 

 lake, I thought that I should soon penetrate the dark 

 belt of cypress that surrounded it, and disclose some of 

 the wonders locked within its mysterious shores. I had 

 the promise from my Seminole guide that he would fetch 



