328 SOUTH-WEST FLORIDA. 



the beach. We found the river wide and shallow, and 

 the navigation extremely difficult., in consequence of the 

 existence of numerous and extensive oyster bars. Pro 

 ceeding up the river one mile, we noticed a house on the 

 left bank, and came to an anchor. In front of the house, 

 excellent red sheepshead and weak fishing can be 

 obtained. 



1 0. SUBTERRANEAN STREAMS. 



THE morning after our arrival at the Anelote, we 

 started for Salt Spring, two miles distant. Leaving 

 the river to the left, we entered Salt Spring run, and 

 soon found ourselves floating on the basin of the spring. 

 We found the basin to be one hundred yards wide and 

 eighty feet deep at the deepest place. The water of 

 this spring differs from that of the many we have 

 visited in the State, being dark in color, like that of 

 the St. Johns river. The basin swarmed with fish, and 

 large tarpum could be seen breaking water in every 

 direction. It is named Salt Spring, but this is evidently 

 an error, for the water in the basin is merely brackish, 

 while in the run where the tide ebbs and flows the waters 

 are salt. We have reason to believe that Salt Spring 

 is the outlet of Lake Butler, distant two or three miles. 

 This lake lias several tributaries, but no visible outlet ; 

 the water is dark colored, and it is at a much higher 

 level than Salt Spring. The brackish condition of the 

 water in Salt Spring is evidently the result of tidal in 

 fluence. Leaving Salt Spring and its outlet we entered 

 the river and ascended it for three miles, where we dis- 



