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 ] 
