FIRST SIGHT OF LAND--ON BOARD THE "GREAT ALEXANDER"--SCISSOR-BILLS--
FLYING-FISH--OFF AMELIA ISLAND--SOMETHING ABOUT FLORIDA--INDIAN
TREATIES--ROCHFORD'S DESIRE TO SERVE THE RED MEN--ENTRANCE TO SAINT JOHN
RIVER--THE HAZARD LIGHTHOUSE--A GOOD CURE FOR INTEMPERANCE--SAINT JOHN
BLUFF--A SAD HISTORY--A CHANGE OF WEATHER--THE STORM--A FLORIDA SWAMP--A
SUCCESSFUL HUNT--SURPRISED BY INDIANS--PARTING WITH OUR NEW FRIENDS.
Early one morning I was taking a walk on deck with Rochford, when we
heard a cry aloft of "Land! land!"
"Ere long, then, I shall have an opportunity of commencing the glorious
task I have undertaken!" murmured my companion.
As he did not exactly address me, I made no reply. We immediately went
up the fore-rigging, but could only see a long faint line, distinguished
from the ocean and the sky by the difference of tint. It was the coast
of Georgia, the eastern portion of which is but slightly elevated above
the water, though a hilly region exists in the northern part of the
State. It was not till some hours afterwards, when we were approaching
the mouth of the river Savannah, that we could see the land clearly from
the deck.
The passengers having packed up their personal property in their
portmanteaus and carpet-bags, ready for landing, we collected on the
poop. As I stood near the judge and his wife, who were seated on the
skylight, their little boy, guarded watchfully by black Rosa, playing
near them, I heard the former say to Rochford that, as he intended to
charter a schooner to convey himself and family up the Saint John River,
he begged to have the pleasure of Rochford's company on board.
"I purpose going on to Florida with Captain Kearney and his son and
Monsieur Lejoillie; and as I cannot desert them, I regret that I am
unable to take advantage of your kind offer," was the answer.
"Get them to come with us then," said the judge. "They can, if they
wish it, pay a proper proportion of the expenses of the voyage; but I
cannot allow you to do so. You must come under my wing, and you can
join your friend Lejoillie whenever he starts on his proposed expedition
in search of the wonders of our flowery land."
When the judge made the offer to my father and Lejoillie, they at once
accepted it, both being anxious to reach Florida with as little delay as
possible.
We ran up the river until we anchored, seventeen miles from its mouth,
off the city of Savannah, built on a sandy expanse, and elevated about
forty feet above the level of the tide. I have little to say about the
city, except that it struck me as a fine place, many of the streets
being wide and bordered with trees, and that it contains numerous
churches, hospitals, stores, and other public buildings.
On landing, the judge immediately engaged a schooner, known by the
high-sounding name of the _Great Alexander_. Her skipper's name was
Ebenezer Crump. The craft was not unlike an Irish "hooker;" her great
beam showed that she was likely to carry her canvas well. That very
evening the judge and his family, my father, Tim, and I, accompanied by
Rochford and Lejoillie, went on board, and dropped down the river with
the tide, ready to sail the following morning.
We had plenty to amuse us. Crossing the bar at daybreak with a fair
breeze, we ran along outside the line of islands which fringe the coast
of Georgia, and which are devoted to the cultivation of "sea-island
cotton." The water teemed with fish, and birds innumerable came flying
round us. The most remarkable of the latter were the scissor-bills,
with black plumage, which went skimming along the surface, scooping up
with their long lower mandible any unwary mollusc or fish of small size
which came within their reach, and uttering every instant loud and
discordant cries. Lejoillie told us that they were of the gull tribe,
about twenty inches in length. The peculiarity of their beak consists
in the lower mandible being considerably longer than the other into
which it shuts. It is of an orange-red at the base, and deepens into
black at the tip. To prevent the water rushing into its throat as it
skims the surface with its beak, the bird is provided with a very small
gullet. When unable to procure food by the method we saw it employing,
Lejoillie said that it frequents the sea-shore as the tide is ebbing,
where, finding mollusca with open valves, it inserts the lower mandible
of its beak so as to prevent the shell from shutting; and then dashing
it down on a rock, breaks it, and devours the inhabitant.
We frequently caught sight, too, of the frigate-bird, with its long
forked tail sweeping behind as it came swooping down on its prey, which
its keen eyes enable it to see from afar.
More curious to those who, like myself, have never been in the tropics,
were the coveys of flying-fish, which rose out of the water, and even
darted to great distances before their fins became dry and they fell
again into their native element. Lejoillie told us that there were two
species, one much smaller than the other. The larger are somewhat like
red gurnards, and are said to prey on their smaller cousins, which are
also pursued by bonitos, albicores, and dolphins of various species, as
well as by numerous sea-birds. Several times we saw a large covey of
the smaller kind rise above the surface, followed closely by another of
the larger species, when at the same moment a dozen sea-birds would
descend, and, quick as lightning, a dolphin would dart by, intent on
sharing the prey. Looking down through the clear blue water, we could
see the beautiful dorados, of pure turquoise hue, as they darted here
and there, keeping away from the vessel while they gambolled round her.
We kept so close in-shore, that we could sometimes through our glasses
distinguish the scissor-bills standing on the beach, and, in the
distance, the buildings attached to the long staple cotton plantations
for which the low islands are celebrated.
At length we came in sight of a line of sand-hills, with palmetto, pine,
and live-oak growing at their summits, while below was a glittering
beach, stretching away to the south; and close in front, low banks, over
which the white-crested breakers dashed with a fury which made us
careful not to get amongst them. To the south was a headland, which our
skipper informed us was the north end of Amelia Island. Close to the
island was a river of the same name, which united with another stream,
the Saint Mary; they together made their way over a bar into the ocean.
Crossing the bar, we passed close under the old Spanish Fort Fernandina,
and shortly after brought up off a modern city called after the fort,
consisting of half a dozen huts. We were now actually in Florida.
Lejoillie shrugged his shoulders, Rochford looked very blank, and I felt
not a little disappointed; until the judge told us that we had only
reached the most northern extremity of the country. The sight of what
might some day become a thriving place did not afford us a favourable
specimen of the scenery of Florida. Though there was not much to admire
in the city itself, we saw several country houses surrounded by trees;
but we were told that the sea-beach on the eastern side of the island,
to the extent of thirty miles, is beautifully level, and so hard as to
afford a delightful drive or ride.
The schooner having discharged her cargo, we again sailed, steering our
course for the mouth of the Saint John River, twenty miles off.
As many of those who read my journal may be unacquainted with Florida,
they may like to have a short description of the country. First, as to
how it came to be called Florida. It was so named, it is said, by the
Spaniard, Ponce de Leon, the first European who landed on its shores on
Palm Sunday, 1513, either in honour of the day--Pasqua Florida--or
because, being struck by the number and beauty of the flowers which
covered the ground, he denominated it Terra Florida, or the Flowery
Land. In shape it somewhat resembles a boot. The northern portion,
joined to Georgia, is about three hundred miles from east to west; while
the rest of the peninsula, which may be likened to the leg, extending
from the Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico, is about one hundred miles
across. On both shores are numerous islands and sand-banks. There are
neither mountains nor hills even, the greater part of the country rising
but a few feet above the level of the sea. It contains, however, a
great many lakes and a few rivers. The largest of the latter--the Saint
John River--rises far away in the south, frequently expanding during the
early part of its course into broad lakes, and in some places closely
approaching the Atlantic coast. The southern point of Florida reaches
to within twenty-five degrees of the equator, so that the vegetation is
of a tropical character. Alligators swarm in the streams and pools;
flowering shrubs of rare beauty clothe the banks of every river; and
birds innumerable inhabit the forests, lakes, islets sand-banks, and
sea-coast.
At the time I speak of there were several forts, with small garrisons,
scattered here and there, and a few huts and stores in their
neighbourhood; but the white settlers generally were located on the
Atlantic coast or on the banks of the Saint John; while over the rest of
the country the Seminoles, a detached tribe of the Creeks, who inhabited
Georgia, roamed at large.
"A short time ago," observed the judge, "the State of Georgia resolved
to compel the Cherokees, the most civilised and most powerful of the
Indian tribes, to abandon their territories, and remove to the western
side of the Mississippi. Though they had written laws and an
established government, the legislature of Georgia refused to allow them
the rights of citizens, and passed a law, declaring `that no Indian, or
descendant of an Indian, residing within the Creek or Cherokee nations
of Indians, shall be deemed a competent witness or party to any suit or
in any court where a white man is defendant.'
"Notwithstanding this, the Cherokees still determined to remain on the
land of their fathers; but when they found that the whole of the white
settlers of Georgia were arrayed against them, knowing that ultimately
they would be compelled to succumb, they accepted the offers of
government, and agreed, provided they were allowed time, to part with
their lands and to remove to the territories allotted to them. The
Creeks, then a numerous tribe inhabiting the western portion of Georgia,
followed the example of the Cherokees, and consented to remove westward,
although great opposition was offered by many of the chiefs to this
treaty with the white men.
"The government of the United States, having succeeded with these two
tribes, came to the resolution to deal with the Seminoles in the same
manner, and had already issued a notice to their chiefs, ordering them
to make preparations for migrating westward.
"Such was the state of the country at the time of which I am speaking."
Rochford listened to the account given us by the judge, of which the
above is only a brief outline. I observed his eyes flash, and the
colour mount to his cheeks, but he restrained his feelings sufficiently
to keep silence.
"I am more determined than ever to visit these ill-treated Indians, and
endeavour, by some means or other, to serve them," he said to me
afterwards, as we stood together at a distance from the rest of the
party.
"Let me know when you go," I said; "for I should like to visit the red
men in their native wilds, and learn their ways and customs."
"I will not fail if I have an opportunity," he answered. As Lejoillie
joined us just then, he made no further remark.
In about three hours we were opposite some sand-hills and a lighthouse
which mark the entrance to Saint John River; but as a long line of
foam-covered breakers was rolling over the bar, our skipper ordered the
sheets to be hauled aft, and we stood off, waiting until the tide had
risen and we could pass with safety.
We had plenty of time to examine the lighthouse, which appeared to be
entirely surrounded by the foaming sea. Many a gale it had stood, and
being composed of solid masonry, it seemed capable of standing many
more. Through our glasses we could distinguish a female form standing
on the gallery. We inquired of the skipper who she was.
"She is the keeper's wife; they say she's not altogether right in her
mind, so he brought her there, that she might be out of harm's way. My
idea is, she was fond of the bottle; but as she's kept on short
allowance out there, she is not likely to be the worse for liquor."
"Poor creature! what a terrible existence for her, to be compelled to
live from month to month surrounded by water, without seeing any one
except her husband and his mate!" observed the judge's wife.
"To my mind, marm, she's better off up there out of the way of
temptation than she would be if left at home alone hankering after the
grog bottle. Maybe by the time she gets ashore she'll be cured, and
happier than she was before," observed the skipper.
After making several tacks in sight of the lighthouse, we again kept
before the wind, and the skipper taking the helm, we dashed on boldly
towards the line of foaming breakers. The water bubbled and hissed
around us, sometimes leaping up and falling with a splash on our deck.
The schooner sailed on, and in a few minutes we were gliding calmly up
the Saint John River, here a mile broad. We kept to the south shore for
some time, till we came to a cliff some twenty feet in height, covered
at the summit with palmetto, pine, and cedar.
Lejoillie inquired of the skipper the name of the cliff, and was told it
was called Saint John Bluff; upon which he looked at it with great
interest.
"Ah! I thought so," he said; "it is the scene of the death of many of
my compatriots. Have you not heard the story?"
"No," I replied; "I thought the Spaniards were the only Europeans who
held possession of the country until it was taken from them by the
English, and being afterwards restored, was sold to the United States."
"Ah! but I speak of some centuries ago, as far back as the year 1562.
The brave Admiral Coligny wishing to found a settlement in the New
World, where his co-religionists might be freed from the persecutions to
which they were subjected, sent out a stout Breton navigator, Jean
Ribaut, to search for a suitable spot.
"Entering the Saint John River, he fixed on yonder bluff, and, taking
possession of it in the name of the King of France, he erected a stone
to mark the site, and returned home with a favourable report. In a
short time three ships were got ready to convey a large party of
colonists, under the command of a Huguenot gentleman, Rene de
Laudoniere. On their arrival in the river, the Huguenots built a fort,
which they called Fort Caroline, and strengthened it by stockades,
behind which they might be able to defend themselves against the
Indians, who, ill-treated by the Spaniards, had learned to look upon all
white men as their enemies.
"For many months the colonists were ill supplied with provisions, but
hoping to receive them from home, they struggled on, though closely
surrounded by hostile natives. At first they endeavoured to win over
the red men; but, pressed by hunger, they made prisoners of some, whom
they detained as hostages, threatening them with punishment if food were
not brought to the camp. The Indians, resenting this treatment,
informed the Spaniards of the state of the French settlement, when Pedro
de Menendez, who was engaged in the colonisation of the West Indies,
landed on the coast, some miles south of the River Saint John, at the
head of a large band of ruffian troops. Guided by a party of the
treacherous Indians, he and his band made their way through the forests,
and fell suddenly, sword in hand, on the almost defenceless colonists.
Not a human being who could be overtaken was allowed to escape; men,
women, and children were ruthlessly slaughtered by Menendez and his
savage followers. When the work was done, he set up a stone, on which
he caused to be engraved, `Not to Frenchmen, but to Lutherans and
heretics.' Laudoniere, with a small party of followers, had been
outside the fort when it was attacked. Getting down to the shore, they
made their way on board a ship, one of a small squadron, under the
command of Jean Ribaut, which had just arrived with new settlers and
fresh provisions for the colony. The ship on board which the gallant
Breton sailed had not reached the mouth of the river, but, encountering
a storm, it had been thrown on shore some leagues farther to the south.
Menendez, on hearing of this, immediately marched in search of the
shipwrecked crew, numbering nearly one hundred men. Ribaut, on finding
that Fort Caroline had fallen, agreed to surrender under a solemn
promise from Menendez that his life and that of his companions would be
spared. But no sooner had Ribaut and his party laid down their arms
than they were set upon by the Spaniards, and slaughtered to a man.
When Laudoniere and the surviving colonists returned to France and told
their sad tale, most of their countrymen only shrugged their shoulders,
declaring that it was a fate Huguenots well merited, and the government
declined to take any steps to punish the murderers.
"The history of the cruel act, however, inspired a Breton gentleman,
Dominic de Gourgue, with the desire of avenging the outrage committed on
his co-religionists. He soon collected round him a small body of
friends animated by his spirit; but as the government would have put a
stop to the expedition, they kept it a secret, giving out when they
sailed that they were bound for the coast of Africa.
"Menendez had, in the meantime, rebuilt Fort Caroline, and established a
colony on the spot. On the arrival of De Gourgue in Florida, he made
friends with some Indians, who, having been cruelly treated by the
Spaniards, gladly welcomed him. Guided by his Indian friends, he made
his way through the forests and swamps, just as Menendez had done three
years before. The French, rushing on, surprised the fort, and put every
Spaniard within it to the sword. This act of retribution accomplished,
De Gourgue erected a monument, on which he inscribed the words, `Not to
Spaniards, but to robbers and murderers.' He then set sail for France,
where he arrived in safety.
"Since that day my countrymen have made no attempt to colonise the
country; and from the view we have had of it hitherto, I consider they
have acted wisely."
I thought Monsieur Lejoillie's account very interesting; but I have
since reflected that although De Gourgue's act of vengeance was
sanctioned by the opinions of those days, it was utterly at variance
with the spirit which should animate Christians, who profess to be
guided by the precepts of the gospel.
After this the Spaniards made no attempt to rebuild Fort Caroline; and
Saint Augustine, which was founded shortly after it some thirty miles
farther south on the east coast, may therefore be considered the most
ancient city on the American continent.
Not a vestige remains of Fort Caroline, which, probably being built of
wood, soon fell into decay.
We continued our course west, up the broad river,--which has the
appearance of an estuary, the country being flat and wooded on either
side,--until, rounding a point, we began to steer due south, in the
direction whence the river takes its rise, three hundred miles or so
away.
Passing Cowford, near which now stands the very flourishing town of
Jacksonville, then not in existence, we continued our course up the
stream, here between two and three miles wide. We could see but little
vegetation on the banks; but as we neared the shore, we saw that they
were covered with forests of pine, live-oak, magnolia, and laurel, with
occasional cypress swamps in the lower ground. The current was so
sluggish that it impeded us very little; and as we made good way, the
judge expressed a hope that we should reach his house--Roseville--early
the next day. My uncle's estate was only a few miles farther on, and
the judge invited us to go on shore at his house, and to proceed there
by land; but as my father was anxious to see his brother, he thanked the
judge, and got the skipper to undertake to convey us thus far in the
schooner, which was afterwards to go on to Bluespring, the most southern
settlement then existing on the river.
As night approached, the weather suddenly changed, dark clouds gathering
in the sky. The thunder roared, the lightning flashed, and the wind
blew with a force which threatened to drive the schooner on the
tree-fringed shore. We shortened sail, and endeavoured to gain the
eastern bank, where we might have anchored in comparative safety. The
generally calm surface of the river was broken into foaming seas, which
dashed up over us, while the schooner heeled over to the blast.
Sometimes I thought that our voyage would end in our being carried to
the bottom to become the food of alligators. Before, however, so
undesirable a catastrophe happened, our skipper bore up and ran for a
creek on the western shore, with the navigation of which he was
fortunately acquainted. After tearing along for a few minutes before
the wind, we saw by the fast waning light an opening in the trees,
towards which we steered, the branches almost catching our rigging.
After lowering every stitch of canvas, we ran on a short time longer,
and, rounding a point, brought up in what had the appearance of a
lagoon, under the lee of some tall trees. Darkness suddenly came down
upon us,--such darkness as I had never before witnessed, making the
flashes of lightning which darted through the air, and crackled among
the cypress-trees, appear still more vivid. The thunder crashed louder
than ever; the wind roared and howled through the forest. The judge's
wife sat in her cabin, holding her boy in her arms and trying to quiet
his alarm, while she herself retained her composure. Black Rosa,
however, looked dreadfully frightened, and, crouching at the feet of her
mistress, hid her eyes whenever a louder crash of thunder was heard.
We at length lay down, wrapped in our cloaks, in different parts of the
vessel--on the top of the cargo, or wherever we could find room to
stretch our legs--leaving the little cabin to the judge and his family.
But what with cockroaches crawling over us, and the mosquitoes buzzing
round our ears and running their sharp stings into our flesh, sleep
appeared out of the question. However, I at length did close my eyes.
When I awoke I went on deck. The storm had passed away. Not a breath
of air ruffled the surface of the lagoon, or stirred the boughs of the
surrounding trees,--among which were cypresses, live-oak, water-oak, the
cabbage-palm, and many others, festooned with wreaths of the gorgeous
trumpet-flower of crimson hue, wild-vines, and parasites innumerable;
while a short way off I could distinguish a meadow of tall grass or
reeds a dozen feet in height at least. All nature seemed alive.
Numberless birds, many of large size, flew through the air or waded on
the banks. Among them were the black and white wood-ibis, which
appeared in large flocks from among the branches of the trees; there
were blue herons, snow-herons, pelicans, and cranes. Ever and anon an
osprey could be seen darting into the water, to rise with a fish in his
claws, which he was quickly compelled by the baldheaded eagle to drop.
This true pirate of the air, soaring above on the look-out to deprive
the weaker bird of its prey, generally seized it before it reached the
water. Here and there, among the water-lilies, I caught sight of a
happy family of small alligators, waiting for an opportunity to lay hold
of the legs of some of the waders, who were, however, too cautious to be
so entrapped.
While I was watching, a herd of deer, headed by a fine stag with
branching horns, came down to the water to drink. The sight excited my
sporting propensities; and rousing my father, Lejoillie, and Rochford, I
proposed that we should borrow the schooner's boat, and try to get a
shot at them. The skipper, who had turned out of his bunk forward,
consented to lend it, but advised us to look sharp, as, should a breeze
spring up, he would sail immediately. Rochford, though the best
sportsman of the party, as he shortly afterwards proved, declined to
come. Tim and I took the oars, while my father and Lejoillie held their
rifles ready to fire, as soon as we got near enough.
On leaving the schooner we kept close to the bank, so that we might
approach the deer without being observed. "We should be afther keeping
to windward; but when there is no wind, sure it's a difficult matter to
say which side to pull," whispered Tim to me.
We selected the side from which a point projected thickly covered with
long grass; and on rounding it, we expected to be close to where the
deer were standing. We roused numberless water-fowl, many of
magnificent plumage; and I saw Lejoillie lift his rifle, as if inclined
to fire.
"If you do, we shall miss the deer, to a certainty," observed my father.
"The birds will stay for us until we come back, so that we can bag them
by-and-by."
I kept my rifle by my side, ready for service. We rowed on, now and
then knocking a young alligator on the nose as he popped his ugly head
out of the water to have a look at us.
"Faith it isn't a place I'd like to be capsized in," observed Tim in a
low whisper.
At length we got close to the end of the point. "Now, give way, boys,"
said my father; and we pulled round it as quickly as we could.
In another instant we were face to face with the deer, not thirty yards
away from us. I drew in my oars. The herd gazed at the boat a few
moments, giving us time to take a steady aim. My father hit the buck;
and the same instant I shot a doe, which had turned to fly, but dropped
before she had got many paces. Lejoillie wounded another; but,
notwithstanding, the animal went off with the rest of the herd.
Tim and I having resumed our oars, we pulled in to secure our prey.
Rushing in among the reeds, we sprang on shore, and quickly put out of
suffering the deer which had first fallen. Not to lose time, we carried
it to the boat, that it might be cut up on board. We were returning for
the other, when a number of figures, bursting out of the forest, rushed
towards us; some running to intercept the deer wounded by Lejoillie,
others bounding along in the direction of the one I had shot. A glance
showed us that they were red men, with feathers in their hair, their
leathern dresses ornamented with coloured beads and cloth.
"Shove off!" cried my father. "These fellows don't look very friendly;
and it will be as well to be out of their reach, until we see what
temper they are in."
Doing as he directed, we pulled the boat a short distance away from the
shore, when the Indians, lifting the deer, carried it off, casting a
look of triumph behind them.
"Sure, that's pretty impudent, to carry off our game before our very
eyes!" exclaimed Tim. "You'll be afther shootin' them, captain, won't
you?"
"I should certainly be sorry to shed blood for a deer," answered my
father; "but we will show them that they do not escape from our want of
the means to punish them." And lifting the rifle he had just reloaded,
he sent a shot which struck a tree a considerable distance beyond the
Indians. Observing it, they redoubled their speed, and were soon beyond
our reach. We had, however, secured one deer, which would afford us
more venison than we could use.
On our return, Lejoillie shot a number of birds of various species,
being highly satisfied with his morning's sport. Disregarding the
neighbourhood of the Indians, he set up the birds on reaching the
schooner, and began drawing them as rapidly as he could.
The judge seemed greatly surprised at the appearance of the Indians, and
their behaviour. "I thought that they had all beat a retreat from this
part of the country," he observed. "It is fortunate that they did not
catch you, for they are treacherous fellows, and would probably have
taken your scalps, as well as your rifles and ammunition; and if they
could have got hold of the boat, they would have boarded the _Great
Alexander_, and to a certainty put us all to death."
Mrs. Shurtleff looked dreadfully frightened, and hugged her boy as the
judge spoke.
"I cannot believe that the noble Indians would have been guilty of so
barbarous an act," exclaimed Rochford. "They probably considered the
deer their own, and that they were justified in carrying it off."
"Wait, my dear sir, till you have seen more of these red-skinned
gentlemen before you pronounce an opinion," said the judge; and Rochford
was silent.
We lost no time in cutting up the deer, and had some of the venison
steaks for breakfast. Soon after, a light breeze enabled us to get
clear of the creek, and once more to continue our course up the main
stream.
The judge talked a good deal about the Indians. "The Redskins require
to be kept in order," he remarked. "They will not, however, dare to
face white men who show a bold front, as our settlers are sure to do if
attacked." I did not forget the judge's remarks. Before long we were
to have fearful proof of the mistaken character of his views.
It was some time past noon when we came in sight of several huts or
shanties scattered along the shore, with a store or two, a chapel of
unpretending architecture, and a few other public buildings, which the
judge pointed out as the commencement of a city. Soon afterwards,
running into a small bay, we hove-to before a house of superior
pretensions, with a veranda round it, backed by an orange grove, a
vegetable garden and orchard on one side, and plantations of various
sorts on the other. It was the judge's home. He warmly pressed my
father and me to accompany him on shore, Rochford and Lejoillie having
accepted the invitation he had given them. But my father, eager, as I
before remarked, to reach my uncle's house, declined promising, however,
if possible, to visit him on a future day.