Spanish America (Vol.1&2). Sir Richard Henry Bonnycastle
itself into the Bay of Apalachia, in the Mexican Gulf, in 84° 28ʹ west longitude, and 29° 43ʹ north latitude.
St. Johnʼs River, rises in Ekanfanoga Swamp, and after a winding course of two hundred miles, falls into Apalachia Bay, to the east of Apalachia River. This is said to be the purest of American rivers, receiving in its course no tributary streams, but being fed solely by the springs which exist in its banks; it is two hundred yards broad, and twenty feet deep at the Indian town of Talahosochete in East Florida.
There are a few other rivers in East Florida, the names of which are, the Assilla, St. Markʼs river, St. Matheoʼs river, which falls into Apalachia Bay, the Amajura, the Tampa and the Manatte; the two latter of which fall into the Bay del Espirtu Santo, and the Romano, which falls into Carlos harbour; but of these so little is known, as indeed is the case with respect to every thing relating to the Floridas, that a particular description is impracticable. The latitudes and longitudes of many of the above places and rivers, are variously laid down in the maps, and different accounts are given of them by different authors; so that it is not probable that they are exact; the most correct sources of information have been sought, and as no late observations have been made in the country we have been describing, the reader must unfortunately remain satisfied with the imperfect account we are enabled to give of a colony which belonged within the memory of the present generation to Great Britain, but of which, no British author has given an explicit account.
The rivers of West Florida, are the boundary stream, the Rio Perdido, or Lost River, so called by the Spaniards, because it loses itself for a short distance under ground, and then appears again and empties itself into the Mexican Gulf, in Perdido Bay, which is a large basin, though at its entrance not very wide, yet gradually enlarging till it meets the mouth of the river, which joins it in 87° 26ʹ west longitude, and 30° 26ʹ north latitude, ten leagues east of Mobile Point, and four leagues west of the line of Pensacola. This river stretches to the north-east, and in one place comes within a mile of the Great Lasson, that is to the west of Pensacola harbour.
The Rio Perdido, was formerly the boundary between the French and Spanish dominions, and is now considered by the treaty of 1783, as the limit between Mississippi territory and West Florida. By this treaty, the eastern and southern boundaries of Louisiania were fixed, and thus defined; “south on the Gulf of Mexico, from the Bay of St. Bernard, south-west of the Mississippi River, to the mouth of the Rio Perdido, up the Perdido to its source, and thence, (if it rise not north of the 31° of north latitude,) in a straight line north to that parallel, (31° north latitude,) thence along the southern boundary of the United States, west to the Mississipi, then up this river to its source.” The northern and western boundary of Louisiania will be spoken of under the head of New Mexico.
The St. Andrewʼs River runs into a bay of the same name in the Gulf of Mexico, in 85° 40ʹ west longitude, and 30° 17ʹ north latitude.
Swamps.—The great swamp of Ekanfanska, called by the natives Ouaquaphenogaw, forms a striking feature of East Florida; through which the boundary of this province runs by an imaginary line. The swamp is half in Georgia and half in Florida; it is 300 miles in circumference, and in the rainy season, bears the appearance of a vast lake, with several large spots of firm land, which may be denominated islands, as they are nearly always surrounded with water; one of these the American tribes call a heavenly dwelling, which is peopled by a peculiarly gifted race, who enjoy all the pleasures and luxuries of the savage life in perfection; whose women are very lovely, and supposed to be the children of the Sun. These people, who are conjectured to exist there, have been said, though with less of the marvellous, to be a tribe of Indians, who in some wars with the Creeks, had been nearly exterminated and fled here for shelter. The islands in the swamp are fertile; in it rises the river St. Mary and some others. There are several large tracts of marshy ground in both the Floridas, which are extremely fertile.
Lakes.—The lakes of Florida are more numerous than large, the principal one is Lake George, or the Great Lake, and Mayaco, a large expanse of water and swampy land, in which, or near which, the river St. John rises. Lake George is formed by the river St. Juan, filling a large valley with its waters; it is about fifteen miles in breadth, adorned with many beautiful and fertile islands, the largest of which is two miles long, commanding an extensive prospect; on this island are the remains of an Indian town of considerable size. The waters of Lake George, are from fifteen to twenty feet deep; the river St. John, forms in its course many other lakes, but none of them so large as are laid down in early maps, which are all, and even those of a later period, miserably defective with respect to Florida, although that country has been long in the possession of Great Britain. Another lake of some extent is laid down in the best maps near Apalachia Bay; but of it little information has been given; what is called Hillsborough River, may with equal propriety be termed a lake; it cuts off a long slip of land parallel to the east coast, reaching from St. Augustine southwards.
Islands.—The islands on the coast of Florida are numerous, but not of any very great consequence. The chief ones are Amelia Island near the north-west boundary of East Florida in the Atlantic; extending from the mouth of the river St. Mary to the mouth of the Nassau River, and on which is a town called Fernandina, with a small fort.
Corne Island, on the coast of West Florida, ten miles long and one broad, in 82° 32ʹ west longitude, and 30° 11ʹ north latitude.
Roebuck Island, near the same coast, in 84° 45ʹ west longitude, 30° 17ʹ north latitude.
St. Anastasia Island, on the east coast of East Florida, eighteen miles in length, and from one to three wide, in 81° 36ʹ west longitude, and 29° 48ʹ north latitude.
Cluster of the Espiritu Santo Islands, in a bay of the same name, on the west coast of East Florida.
Santa Rosa Island, on the south coast of West Florida, thirty-six miles in length, and two wide, in 86° 50ʹ west longitude, and 30° 26ʹ north latitude.
Talbot Island, on the coast of East Florida, eight miles long and two wide, in 84° 42ʹ west longitude, and 30° 26ʹ north latitude; and some others.
Bays.—The bays of Florida are chiefly the following.
Espiritu Santo, or Nassau Bay, in East Florida or the west coast, a large and fine bay full of islands, which reaches from 82° 35ʹ to 83° west longitude, and 27° 45ʹ to 28° 10ʹ north latitude.
Santa Rosa Bay, on the coast of West Florida, in 86° 5ʹ to 86° 32ʹ west longitude, and 30° 33ʹ north latitude.
Pensacola Bay and the Bay of St. Josef, in West Florida.
The great bay Apalachia, Carlos Bay, St. Maryʼs Bay, and Bay of St. Augustine, in East Florida.
Capes.—The most remarkable capes or headlands are—
Cape St. Blaz or St. Blas, near the mouth of the Apallachicola River, and situated in 85° 35ʹ west longitude, and 35° 44ʹ north latitude.
Sandy Point, the north part of Santa Rosa Bay in West Florida.
Cape Cross, in 84° 80ʹ west longitude, 46° 25ʹ north latitude, coast of West Florida.
Cape Florida, the most easterly point of East Florida, on the west side of the Gulf or Straits of Florida, in 80° 37ʹ west longitude, 25° 44ʹ north, latitude.
Cape Roman, in 82° 25ʹ west longitude, and 25° 40ʹ north latitude.
Cape Sable, the most southerly point of East Florida, in 81° 49ʹ west longitude, and 24° 57ʹ north latitude, and—
Cape Carnaveral, Punta Larga, and the Promontory in East Florida.
We shall close this account with some circumstances relating to the government, the late events which have taken place on the coast of Florida, and the funds allotted for the support of the administration.
The Floridas are usually included under the government of the Capitania-general of the Havannah, forming, with Cuba, one of the great governments of the Spanish American colonies.