Florida Swamps and Forests 



Since the commencement of my floral pil 

 grimage I have seen much that is not only new, 

 but altogether unallied, unacquainted with the 

 plants of my former life. I have seen magno 

 lias, tupelo, live-oak, Kentucky oak, tilland- 

 sia, long-leafed pine, palmetto, schrankia, and 

 whole forests of strange trees and vine-tied 

 thickets of blooming shrubs ; whole meadow- 

 fuls of magnificent bamboo and lakefuls of lilies, 

 all new to me; yet I still press eagerly on to 

 Florida as the special home of the tropical 

 plants I am looking for, and I feel sure I shall 

 not be disappointed. 



The same day on which the money arrived 

 I took passage on the steamship Sylvan Shore 

 for Fernandina, Florida. The daylight part of 

 this sail along the coast of Florida was full of 

 novelty, and by association awakened memories 

 of my Scottish days at Dunbar on the Firth of 

 Forth. 



On board I had civilized conversation with a 

 Southern planter on topics that are found float 

 ing in the mind of every white man down here 

 [85 ] 



