CHAPTER VIII.....121

A description of the animals and birds seen on the St. John's a century since--Lovely landscape--The happy family--Lake George--Enterprise--Mellouville--Sulphur Springs--Lake Harney and Salt Lake--Indian River--Settlers discouraged on account of the Indians--An order for blood-hounds--Battle of Caloosahatchee--Famished soldiers, and fidelity of the dog--Big Cypress Swamp--Locality of the chiefs--What the Indians cultivate--Their babies never cry--The Prophet, and his influence as a medicine man--Wild Cat in command of Fort Mellon--Speech of Sam Jones--Hanging of Chekika--Major Belknap takes his command into the Big Cypress--Country developed by war--Indian River after the war the sportsman's heaven--Game, oysters, and fish--Scientific theory on the formation of coquina--Fine products of the Indian River country--A resort for consumptives--Camp-cooking--Soothing influences from the surroundings--Coming down the St. John's--The sick man--Stewardess and "'gaitors"--Curious people with curious things--The chameleon--The fawn--The crane--The bug-hunter and his treasures--The many old people in Florida--The sportsman.