TRANSACTIONS OF WAGNER 

 170 



VEGETATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA 



Pine, Sam Jones, Council, Encampment, and other islands, while between the 

 30th and 3ist meridian are noted Prophets, Cabbage, Alligator, Chokikas, 

 Jakiki islands. These islands have been placed as hammockland on the phyto- 

 geographic map. This map of Lieut. Ives also shows the routes of Major Childs, 

 Colonel Harney, Captains Wright and Dawson across the Everglades. Some 

 of these islands were sighted by the writer on his trip across the Everglades, 

 but of them only one was identified with certainty, namely, Pine Island. 

 The following early account will give some idea of the character of these is- 

 lands:* "Many of the islands are but little above the level of the water; but 

 some of them are from 2 to 3 feet high, with a soil as rich as any that can be 

 formed. Others are more sandy. The principal timber on most of the rich 

 islands is live-oak, wild-fig, papaya, and cabbage-palmetto, thickly festooned 

 with a great variety of vines. All the islands are surrounded with dense grass 

 circles, from 100 to 500 yards wide. Boats can only approach the outward 

 edge of this circle. The Indians cultivate the inside of the islands only, leav- 

 ing a border of live-oak and wild-fig, which are very ornamental trees. The 

 wild-fig is, by the Spaniards, called havi. It is a little fig about the size of a 

 kernel of corn a perfect fig in miniature. In their fields they plant corn, 

 pumpkins, tobacco, squashes, melons, and lima beans in abundance. Cocoa- 

 nuts, plantains, bananas, and sweet potatoes are found on some of the 

 islands. It is very probable that coffee would grow here, as frost never 

 reaches these islands. Chitto-tus-te-nug-gee, or Snake-warrior, * * * 

 took possession of an island about 20 miles west of Little River; had pro- 

 cured to be cleared about 20 acres of first-rate land ; built upon it two small 

 towns, and drew to it, from Sam Jones's men, near 60 inhabitants. About 

 3 miles west of Chittos Island is situated Tuscones. It is inhabited by an 

 Indian family, who have erected a few houses and cultivated some small fields 

 of corn and cane. The island cultivated and usually inhabited by Sam Jones 

 is about 20 miles west of Tuscones. It is about half a mile long, but not 

 quite so wide. It had three villages and as many hunting grounds. At- 

 tached to this are many smaller islands, all cultivated for provisions, but no 

 houses. Narrow channels of water separate them from each other. The old 

 chief is said to have here 70 warriors, many of them with families. Most 

 of these islands swarm with fleas, cockroaches, and mosquitoes. A great many 



* Senate Document No. 89 (1911), Everglades of Florida, p. 64, Extract from Manuscript of 

 John Lee Williams, Esq. 



