300 SOUTH-WEST FLORIDA. 



I resolved on an exploration on foot. We started on 

 the south bank of the river, but after floundering for a 

 mile and a half through mud, water, cane-brakes, and 

 saw-grass, we were forced to retreat. On my return I 

 took my Shipley rod and went for a mess of fish. In a 

 few minutes I landed two cavalli averaging four pounds, 

 and five trout from one to seven pounds. In the after 

 noon we were gratified at seeing the face of a white man, 

 and found that our visitor was named Caiiton, who 

 resided about two miles to the north of the fort. We 

 expressed a wish to haul our boat around the rapids on 

 skids find rollers, and Mr. Carlton kindly volunteered 

 his assistance, and assured us that he would induce two 

 more recent settlers to aid us. During the latter part 

 of the afternoon we took a survey of the difficulties to 

 be encountered, and provided skids, etc., to transport 

 our boat around the rapids. 



In the evening, one of the Indians, named Jimmy, 

 visited us, and we eventually arranged with him to take 

 the medicine man s canoe and paddle us up the river. 

 Early on the morning of January 1st, in company with 

 Harry and Indian Jimmy, I commenced an examination 

 of the river above the falls. We had not proceeded over 

 a quarter of a mile before we found a channel averaging 

 sixty feet wide and six in depth. To say that it swarmed 

 with numerous species of fish would not do justice to 

 this stream. On the shores large alligators occupied the 

 banks, and ducks, coots, yellow-legged snipe, curlews, 

 cranes, herons, water turkeys, and other birds existed in 

 countless numbers. My imagination painted a channel 

 leading into the Lake Okcechobce, and that I should be 

 favored with a view of this body of water. But disap 

 pointment was ahead, We had barely proceeded three 



