210 A NATURE WOOING. 



tic coast, a large spring of clear blue water wells up 

 from a basin. A railway runs from here to New 

 Smyrna, and much freight is brought here by river 

 on account of the cheaper transportation. Among it 

 to-day is an immense amount of baled hay from the 

 north. At Crow's Bluff the steamer is flagged, and, 

 on making the landing, a barrel of alligator skins is 

 loaded, that being the sole incentive for the stop. The 

 bluff is but a bank, whose surface is six feet above 

 the level of the water. A turpentine camp is the prin- 

 cipal thing in sight. 



A short distance below the bluff a large alligator 

 is seen to plunge headlong into the water from the 

 bank where he has been basking. An hour after- 

 ward, or about mid-afternoon, when the air has be- 

 come warm and the sun shines bright, they begin to 

 be frequent. Sometimes a dozen or more are seen 

 swimming near the bank, their heads and crests 

 just visible above the turbid water. Others are 

 stretched out on the level bank in some favorite sun- 

 ning spot. However, they have been fired at so much 

 from steamers that they usually plunge into the 

 water long before we get close enough for a good 

 view. 



The reflections of the trees and other objects along 

 shore in the dark water are most pleasing in the 

 bright sunlight. Every twig, every spray of pendent 

 moss, every clump of grass and bunch of hanging 

 fibrous roots is plainly portrayed. Where the tree 



