30G SOUTH-WEST FLORIDA. 



of Florida, in 1874, 1 had been looking forward with pleas 

 ure to a period when I should be favored with a view of 

 the lake ; and here it was before me. My great desire 

 was to navigate and thoroughly examine its various out 

 lets, and if possible discover a practicable boat route to the 

 ocean ; but I was disappointed. At some future time, if 

 we can find the congenial companions, we propose reach 

 ing the lake, via the Ochlawaha and Kissimmee rivers. In 

 an ordinary stage of water we are convinced that a boat 

 could be navigated through the marsh between the lake 

 and the rapids on the Caloosahatchie. But to the 

 uninitiated the great difficulty would be to determine at 

 what particular point to leave the lake. 



About four hundred feet from the shore we noticed a 

 very large cypress tree, which would prove a guide for 

 persons searching for the month of Fish Eating creek. 

 From what we could ascertain from the lay of the land 

 (or, more properly speaking, swamp), and from the 

 statements of Billy, the mouth of the creek is south of 

 the large cypress half a mile. From our point of obser 

 vation the lake trended to the south, and we are con 

 vinced that in a direct line the shore of the lake is 

 distant from Fort Thompson not over eight or nine 

 miles. Having gratified our curiosity regarding the 

 lake, and accomplished all we could, under the circum 

 stances, we started on the home stretch, and ultimately 

 reached the canoe, tired and exhausted. We would 

 most respectfully recommend a five-mile experience of 

 such walking to Weston when lie trains for one of his 

 pedestrian feats. As regards &quot;Al Fresco,&quot; he without 

 the least hesitation asserts that lie has had enough of 

 Okeechobce swamp experience to last him a life-time. 

 We have wandered iii more than one section of the 



