Florida Swamps and Forests 
and rusty brown beneath, gleam and mirror 
the sunbeams most gloriously among countless 
flower-heaps of the climbing, smothering vines. 
It is bright also in fruit and more tropical in 
form and expression than the orange. It speaks 
itself a prince among its fellows. 
Occasionally, I came to a little strip of open 
sand, planted with pine (Pinus palustris or 
Cubensis). Even these spots were mostly wet, 
though lighted with free sunshine, and adorned 
with purple liatris, and orange-colored Osmunda 
cinnamomea. But the grandest discovery of 
this great wild day was the palmetto. 
I was meeting so many strange plants that I 
was much excited, making many stops to get 
specimens. But I could not force my way far 
through the swampy forest, although so tempt- 
ing and full of promise. Regardless of water 
snakes or insects, I endeavored repeatedly to 
force a way through the tough vine-tangles, 
but seldom succeeded in getting farther than a 
few hundred yards. 
It was while feeling sad to think that I was 
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