138 FLORIDA 



utes I cross the peninsula and am on the sands ; 

 or, if I stroll up or down the river shore, — on 

 the western side of the peninsula, — I can hear 

 all the while the pounding of the surf. 



I have been in Ormond two days, — two per- 

 fect days of temperate summer weather, — and 

 have walked hither and thither, up the river, 

 down the river, across the river, and on the beach, 

 seeing comparatively little of the country as yet, 

 but enough to be able to say that I have never 

 found any place in Florida where a walking man 

 should be better contented. There are paths and 

 roads everywhere, — a convenience not to be 

 taken for granted in this Southern country, — 

 and be his states of mind never so variable, he 

 may here suit the jaunt to the mood. 



A visit to Ormond was not in my plans for 

 the winter, and I left Miami with regret. Mi- 

 gratory birds were arriving, and I seemed to be 

 running away just when there was most to de- 

 tain me ; those tropical plants, too, were certain 

 to become more and more interesting as the sea- 

 son grew older; but, like the verbena and the 

 phlox, being here I am thankful. If I have taken 

 leave of some splendid birds (those painted 

 buntings are in my eye as I write), I have found 

 some old friends in their place. It is good to 

 see brown thrashers again, with song sparrows. 



