A VISIT TO ST. NICHOLAS. 337 
man-made city, but, to our great joy, inthe God-made country— 
how fresh and beautiful everything appeared! We bade the rest 
speed on and leave us to enjoy in silence and solitude the delights 
of the place and hour. Here a little nameless shrub, with its 
curious leaves and fragrant blossoms, called to us from the thicket, 
and climbing vines reached out their tendrils as if to lovingly 
clasp and detain us as we passed. The mocking birds sang their - 
varied songs from unseen coverts; high-vine blackberry bushes, 
loaded with green fruit, recalled many a familiar spot a thou- 
sand miles away, and faces we desired so much toseeagain. The 
beautiful and spacious river, with its winding shores and low 
green banks, its little skiffs and occasional steamers, compelled 
“us often to stop and look back. In full view, some four or five 
miles away, was the city that we had just left; over our heads 
was a smiling sky, and a sun glowing with a heat that was, at'80° 
in the shade, made agreeable by a steady breeze from over the 
water. Upon the top of the bank large, tall pines, with tops 
_crowned with green tasseled leaves, huge live oaks and water 
oaks, some with great clustered stems, one with a ‘spread of over 
ninety feet, and all drooped and festooned with gray” “moss, 
‘adorned and shaded the private barriae way that runs -betweén 
beantiful villas and the top of the river’s bank. Occasionally we 
rested on the seats which thoughtful hands had placed between 
the trunks of the noble trees, and more deliberately studied our 
novel and fascinating surroundings. Near the dwellings which 
we passed were groves of orange trees, with their waxen, ‘polished 
leaves and opening and exquisitely sweet flowers, from: ‘one of 
‘which alone 2,500 oranges had been recently taken. - We saw 
no alligators, but we learned that they were only just awakening 
from their usual three months winter’s sleep. Like other rep- 
tiles during this long season of torpor they take no food—thus, 
with them, does sleep anticipate and closely resemble death.” ~ 
29 
