248 THE OKEECIIOBEE EXPEDITIOX. 



entire length, though narrowing in places near its 

 month. During the first thirty miles are occasional 

 live-oak and maple bluffs, but beyond that the river ran 

 through vast plains of cane and saw-grass, and between 

 low willows. Many lagoons make up from the river. 

 Isolated clumps of magnolia grow in the marsh, appear 

 ing like large trees at a distance. Ten miles from the 

 ford is a settler s cabin, the last on the river. Twenty 

 miles from the lake is the last oak, and three miles from 

 the lake a large cypress, from which a view of the lake 

 can be obtained. 



The Kissimmee, as it enters the lake, forms a bay a 

 mile in width and depth, filled with lilies and water- 

 lettuce. There are two cypress trees near its mouth, but 

 all around is marsh. The most conspicuous birds on the 

 river have been the limpkin, or crying bird, the white 

 ibis, white heron, snake bird, and vulture. Black bass 

 are plentiful and large, perch, cat-fish, and bream also 

 abound. All the way down, on either side, is a pine 

 ridge, from three to five miles away, sometimes ap 

 proaching the river. It spreads out as it nears the lake, 

 and maintains the same distance on the west side, and 

 merges itself in the cypress bordering the eastern shore. 

 It is a little over a mile to the first projection of the bay, 

 west, where cypress and grass shoals present a dreary 

 appearance. Back of this, however, is a drift of sand, 

 upon which grows a thin belt of elm, maple, and elder 

 berry, interlaced and overgrown with large grape vines. 

 Back of this sand, which must be covered at high-water, 

 is a dark lagoon, filled with alligators. A large fish- 

 hawk s nest here, induced us to call this place Osprey 

 Point. A mile further is a camping place used by 

 Indians when hunting, all cypress. The sand is here 



