Ingraham Expedition: April 9, Saturday
Project Information
Ingraham Expedition: April 9, Saturday
Original Source
Encoded texts are derived from three typescript accounts of the 1892 Everglades Exploration Expedition found in the James E. Ingraham Papers and the Chase Collection in the Special and Area Studies Collections Department of the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries. Digital reproductions of the typescripts are available at:
Moses, W.R., Record of the Everglade Exploration Expedition
Church, A., A Dash Through the Everglades
Contents
- Front Matter
- March 12, Saturday
- March 13, Sunday
- March 14, Monday
- March 15, Tuesday
- March 16, Wednesday
- March 17, Thursday
- March 18, Friday
- March 19, Saturday
- March 20, Sunday
- March 21, Monday
- March 22, Tuesday
- March 23, Wednesday
- March 24, Thursday
- March 25, Friday
- March 26, Saturday
- March 27, Sunday
- March 28, Monday
- March 29, Tuesday
- March 30, Wednesday
- March 31, Thursday
- April 1, Friday
- April 2, Saturday
- April 3, Sunday
- April 4, Monday
- April 5, Tuesday
- April 6, Wednesday
- April 7, Thursday
- April 8, Friday
- April 9, Saturday
- April 10, Sunday
- April 11, Monday
- April 12, Tuesday
- April 13, Wednesday
- April 14, Thursday
- April 15, Friday
- April 16, Saturday
- Back Matter
Electronic Publication Details:
Text encoding by John R. Nemmers
Published by John R. Nemmers.
George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
2015
Licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License.
These manuscripts are available from this site for education purposes only.
Encoding Principles
The three accounts of the 1892 Ingraham Everglades Exploration Expedition have been transcribed and are represented in Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) P5 XML encoding.
Line and page breaks have not been preserved in the encoded manuscripts.
Text: 
Cocoanut Grove, Fla., Saturday, April 9th.
Before breakfast we visited the factory of Mr. Ralph Monroe 1/4 of a mile south of hotel and were shown samples of sisal hemp and dessicated cocoanut. We secured a sample of the fibre, but it was only loaned to us and we promised to return same. The fibre was long and strong. The dessicated cocoanut was very nice and was in two or three sizes. It equalled in appearance and excelled in flavor the ordinary commercial article.
Mr. Monroe is Commodore of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, who have a nice club room and several fine boats. They lease from the United States Government the abandoned Cape Florida light house.
We left immediately after breakfast by the "Margaret", Captains Ned Pent and John Sanders, for Cape Florida, landed and went to the top of the light house. The new light house on Fowey Rocks was visible some 2 miles away to the southward and apparently rising from the ocean. Cape Florida is the extreme southern end of Key Biscayne, which is of some extent containing some 200 or 300 acres. The growth is sea grape which here grows into quite a tree mangrove a few cabbage trees and cocoanut palms and a great many saw palmettoes. The soil is white sand and very poor looking in the vicinity of the light house and the growth on the balance of the key did not indicate very rich soil. We sailed from here by way of the Atlantic northward and landed on the south side of narrows cut to examine the rocks on the edge of the cut or inlet into Biscayne Bay. There were found to be of coral formation.
We found a few cocoanuts scattered along the ocean ridge and quite a number on the north side of Bear Cut which appeared to be doing fairly well. They were a portion of the immense tract set out by Field and Osborne a few years ago. We are told that a large percentage are dead or never sprouted. Those that lived - the best of them could have done much better if they had been properly managed. No clearing was made, the nuts being merely planted in a hole dug to receive them and then left to take care for itself. Thousands of nuts were thus planted extending many miles along the ocean. The captains of the "Margaret" said the experiment was not generally considered a success.
The waters of Biscayne Bay and the ocean especially at Cape Florida show in the sunlight the most intensely blue and green as well as other more quiet shades of color ever seen by any of the party and a picture or painting true to nature, would be considered unnatural in all probability.
There are three schooners aggregating about 75 tons doing business between the various places on Biscayne Bay and Key West besides several other irregular crafts and apparently making a living at it. Mr. W.B. Brickell as before mentioned has a store at Miami and Mr. Charles Peacock one at Cocoanut Grove. They carry fair stocks of general merchandise and their goods come in these schooners from Key West. The rates of freight range from 25 cents per box to 35 and 40 cents per bbl. Groceries range at retail from 20 to 40 per cent higher than on the line of The South Florida R.R.
We reached Ft. Dallas after a most interesting days sail entering the bay through Bears Cut.
Eight more of the men left today on the Three Masted Sharpie "Emily B" for Key West. The schooner is owned by the Jacksonville and Lake Worth Transportation Co. is about 30 tons burden.
Of the 21 of the expedition only 7 now remain here, Messrs Ingraham, Newman, Chase, Baker, Church, Wilson and Moses. April 9th. Went over to Sisal Hemp factory of Ralph W. Monroe at Cocoanut Grove. Has small saw and grist mill. Uses Van Buren's fibre machine of Jacksonville. Mr. Dodge of the Agricultural Department made all his experiments here and Mr. Monroe loaned me pieces of fibre grown at Jupiter or on Biscayne Bay as it is wanted for experiments. Have seen sisal growing at various points along the coast, Miami, Cocoanut Grove and Frizzards, etc. Seems to grow anywhere well if near rock.
Mr. Monroe is also dessicating cocoanut. Looks and tastes well. Not many trees, however, are in bearing, those at Fort Dallas and Brickalls being largest and best seen. Pines do well in the rocky lands, but need fertilizer. Went over to Cape Florida light, abandoned. Sisal growing here wild, also cocoanuts. Biscayne Yacht Club leased old light house. Went to Bear Cut; got sample of rock, seems same as at ledge of Miami Falls.
Cocoanuts planted by Field and Osborne all along the coast from Cape Florida to Lake Worth doing badly,- need care. This was a land speculation.
Magnificent Bay Biscayne,- beautiful ribbons of colored water and shining sand.
Sent bottle adrift with memo. to see tide effect.
Think ledges in Biscayne Bay were once edge of glades. Basin in Bay sank. Large cracks through rock at Falls, Bears Cut and Addisons, also at Punch Bowl so indicated.
Nine men left today for Port Tampa via Key West on schooner "Emily B". [There is no entry for this date. Last date in this text is April 7, 1892.]
Before breakfast we visited the factory of Mr. Ralph Monroe 1/4 of a mile south of hotel and were shown samples of sisal hemp and dessicated cocoanut. We secured a sample of the fibre, but it was only loaned to us and we promised to return same. The fibre was long and strong. The dessicated cocoanut was very nice and was in two or three sizes. It equalled in appearance and excelled in flavor the ordinary commercial article.
Mr. Monroe is Commodore of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, who have a nice club room and several fine boats. They lease from the United States Government the abandoned Cape Florida light house.
We left immediately after breakfast by the "Margaret", Captains Ned Pent and John Sanders, for Cape Florida, landed and went to the top of the light house. The new light house on Fowey Rocks was visible some 2 miles away to the southward and apparently rising from the ocean. Cape Florida is the extreme southern end of Key Biscayne, which is of some extent containing some 200 or 300 acres. The growth is sea grape which here grows into quite a tree mangrove a few cabbage trees and cocoanut palms and a great many saw palmettoes. The soil is white sand and very poor looking in the vicinity of the light house and the growth on the balance of the key did not indicate very rich soil. We sailed from here by way of the Atlantic northward and landed on the south side of narrows cut to examine the rocks on the edge of the cut or inlet into Biscayne Bay. There were found to be of coral formation.
We found a few cocoanuts scattered along the ocean ridge and quite a number on the north side of Bear Cut which appeared to be doing fairly well. They were a portion of the immense tract set out by Field and Osborne a few years ago. We are told that a large percentage are dead or never sprouted. Those that lived - the best of them could have done much better if they had been properly managed. No clearing was made, the nuts being merely planted in a hole dug to receive them and then left to take care for itself. Thousands of nuts were thus planted extending many miles along the ocean. The captains of the "Margaret" said the experiment was not generally considered a success.
The waters of Biscayne Bay and the ocean especially at Cape Florida show in the sunlight the most intensely blue and green as well as other more quiet shades of color ever seen by any of the party and a picture or painting true to nature, would be considered unnatural in all probability.
There are three schooners aggregating about 75 tons doing business between the various places on Biscayne Bay and Key West besides several other irregular crafts and apparently making a living at it. Mr. W.B. Brickell as before mentioned has a store at Miami and Mr. Charles Peacock one at Cocoanut Grove. They carry fair stocks of general merchandise and their goods come in these schooners from Key West. The rates of freight range from 25 cents per box to 35 and 40 cents per bbl. Groceries range at retail from 20 to 40 per cent higher than on the line of The South Florida R.R.
We reached Ft. Dallas after a most interesting days sail entering the bay through Bears Cut.
Eight more of the men left today on the Three Masted Sharpie "Emily B" for Key West. The schooner is owned by the Jacksonville and Lake Worth Transportation Co. is about 30 tons burden.
Of the 21 of the expedition only 7 now remain here, Messrs Ingraham, Newman, Chase, Baker, Church, Wilson and Moses. April 9th. Went over to Sisal Hemp factory of Ralph W. Monroe at Cocoanut Grove. Has small saw and grist mill. Uses Van Buren's fibre machine of Jacksonville. Mr. Dodge of the Agricultural Department made all his experiments here and Mr. Monroe loaned me pieces of fibre grown at Jupiter or on Biscayne Bay as it is wanted for experiments. Have seen sisal growing at various points along the coast, Miami, Cocoanut Grove and Frizzards, etc. Seems to grow anywhere well if near rock.
Mr. Monroe is also dessicating cocoanut. Looks and tastes well. Not many trees, however, are in bearing, those at Fort Dallas and Brickalls being largest and best seen. Pines do well in the rocky lands, but need fertilizer. Went over to Cape Florida light, abandoned. Sisal growing here wild, also cocoanuts. Biscayne Yacht Club leased old light house. Went to Bear Cut; got sample of rock, seems same as at ledge of Miami Falls.
Cocoanuts planted by Field and Osborne all along the coast from Cape Florida to Lake Worth doing badly,- need care. This was a land speculation.
Magnificent Bay Biscayne,- beautiful ribbons of colored water and shining sand.
Sent bottle adrift with memo. to see tide effect.
Think ledges in Biscayne Bay were once edge of glades. Basin in Bay sank. Large cracks through rock at Falls, Bears Cut and Addisons, also at Punch Bowl so indicated.
Nine men left today for Port Tampa via Key West on schooner "Emily B". [There is no entry for this date. Last date in this text is April 7, 1892.]
Text:
Cocoanut Grove, Fla., Saturday, April 9th.
Before breakfast we visited the factory of Mr. Ralph Monroe 1/4 of a mile south of hotel and were shown samples of sisal hemp and dessicated cocoanut. We secured a sample of the fibre, but it was only loaned to us and we promised to return same. The fibre was long and strong. The dessicated cocoanut was very nice and was in two or three sizes. It equalled in appearance and excelled in flavor the ordinary commercial article.
Mr. Monroe is Commodore of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, who have a nice club room and several fine boats. They lease from the United States Government the abandoned Cape Florida light house.
We left immediately after breakfast by the "Margaret", Captains Ned Pent and John Sanders, for Cape Florida, landed and went to the top of the light house. The new light house on Fowey Rocks was visible some 2 miles away to the southward and apparently rising from the ocean. Cape Florida is the extreme southern end of Key Biscayne, which is of some extent containing some 200 or 300 acres. The growth is sea grape which here grows into quite a tree mangrove a few cabbage trees and cocoanut palms and a great many saw palmettoes. The soil is white sand and very poor looking in the vicinity of the light house and the growth on the balance of the key did not indicate very rich soil. We sailed from here by way of the Atlantic northward and landed on the south side of narrows cut to examine the rocks on the edge of the cut or inlet into Biscayne Bay. There were found to be of coral formation.
We found a few cocoanuts scattered along the ocean ridge and quite a number on the north side of Bear Cut which appeared to be doing fairly well. They were a portion of the immense tract set out by Field and Osborne a few years ago. We are told that a large percentage are dead or never sprouted. Those that lived - the best of them could have done much better if they had been properly managed. No clearing was made, the nuts being merely planted in a hole dug to receive them and then left to take care for itself. Thousands of nuts were thus planted extending many miles along the ocean. The captains of the "Margaret" said the experiment was not generally considered a success.
The waters of Biscayne Bay and the ocean especially at Cape Florida show in the sunlight the most intensely blue and green as well as other more quiet shades of color ever seen by any of the party and a picture or painting true to nature, would be considered unnatural in all probability.
There are three schooners aggregating about 75 tons doing business between the various places on Biscayne Bay and Key West besides several other irregular crafts and apparently making a living at it. Mr. W.B. Brickell as before mentioned has a store at Miami and Mr. Charles Peacock one at Cocoanut Grove. They carry fair stocks of general merchandise and their goods come in these schooners from Key West. The rates of freight range from 25 cents per box to 35 and 40 cents per bbl. Groceries range at retail from 20 to 40 per cent higher than on the line of The South Florida R.R.
We reached Ft. Dallas after a most interesting days sail entering the bay through Bears Cut.
Eight more of the men left today on the Three Masted Sharpie "Emily B" for Key West. The schooner is owned by the Jacksonville and Lake Worth Transportation Co. is about 30 tons burden.
Of the 21 of the expedition only 7 now remain here, Messrs Ingraham, Newman, Chase, Baker, Church, Wilson and Moses. April 9th. Went over to Sisal Hemp factory of Ralph W. Monroe at Cocoanut Grove. Has small saw and grist mill. Uses Van Buren's fibre machine of Jacksonville. Mr. Dodge of the Agricultural Department made all his experiments here and Mr. Monroe loaned me pieces of fibre grown at Jupiter or on Biscayne Bay as it is wanted for experiments. Have seen sisal growing at various points along the coast, Miami, Cocoanut Grove and Frizzards, etc. Seems to grow anywhere well if near rock.
Mr. Monroe is also dessicating cocoanut. Looks and tastes well. Not many trees, however, are in bearing, those at Fort Dallas and Brickalls being largest and best seen. Pines do well in the rocky lands, but need fertilizer. Went over to Cape Florida light, abandoned. Sisal growing here wild, also cocoanuts. Biscayne Yacht Club leased old light house. Went to Bear Cut; got sample of rock, seems same as at ledge of Miami Falls.
Cocoanuts planted by Field and Osborne all along the coast from Cape Florida to Lake Worth doing badly,- need care. This was a land speculation.
Magnificent Bay Biscayne,- beautiful ribbons of colored water and shining sand.
Sent bottle adrift with memo. to see tide effect.
Think ledges in Biscayne Bay were once edge of glades. Basin in Bay sank. Large cracks through rock at Falls, Bears Cut and Addisons, also at Punch Bowl so indicated.
Nine men left today for Port Tampa via Key West on schooner "Emily B". [There is no entry for this date. Last date in this text is April 7, 1892.]
Before breakfast we visited the factory of Mr. Ralph Monroe 1/4 of a mile south of hotel and were shown samples of sisal hemp and dessicated cocoanut. We secured a sample of the fibre, but it was only loaned to us and we promised to return same. The fibre was long and strong. The dessicated cocoanut was very nice and was in two or three sizes. It equalled in appearance and excelled in flavor the ordinary commercial article.
Mr. Monroe is Commodore of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, who have a nice club room and several fine boats. They lease from the United States Government the abandoned Cape Florida light house.
We left immediately after breakfast by the "Margaret", Captains Ned Pent and John Sanders, for Cape Florida, landed and went to the top of the light house. The new light house on Fowey Rocks was visible some 2 miles away to the southward and apparently rising from the ocean. Cape Florida is the extreme southern end of Key Biscayne, which is of some extent containing some 200 or 300 acres. The growth is sea grape which here grows into quite a tree mangrove a few cabbage trees and cocoanut palms and a great many saw palmettoes. The soil is white sand and very poor looking in the vicinity of the light house and the growth on the balance of the key did not indicate very rich soil. We sailed from here by way of the Atlantic northward and landed on the south side of narrows cut to examine the rocks on the edge of the cut or inlet into Biscayne Bay. There were found to be of coral formation.
We found a few cocoanuts scattered along the ocean ridge and quite a number on the north side of Bear Cut which appeared to be doing fairly well. They were a portion of the immense tract set out by Field and Osborne a few years ago. We are told that a large percentage are dead or never sprouted. Those that lived - the best of them could have done much better if they had been properly managed. No clearing was made, the nuts being merely planted in a hole dug to receive them and then left to take care for itself. Thousands of nuts were thus planted extending many miles along the ocean. The captains of the "Margaret" said the experiment was not generally considered a success.
The waters of Biscayne Bay and the ocean especially at Cape Florida show in the sunlight the most intensely blue and green as well as other more quiet shades of color ever seen by any of the party and a picture or painting true to nature, would be considered unnatural in all probability.
There are three schooners aggregating about 75 tons doing business between the various places on Biscayne Bay and Key West besides several other irregular crafts and apparently making a living at it. Mr. W.B. Brickell as before mentioned has a store at Miami and Mr. Charles Peacock one at Cocoanut Grove. They carry fair stocks of general merchandise and their goods come in these schooners from Key West. The rates of freight range from 25 cents per box to 35 and 40 cents per bbl. Groceries range at retail from 20 to 40 per cent higher than on the line of The South Florida R.R.
We reached Ft. Dallas after a most interesting days sail entering the bay through Bears Cut.
Eight more of the men left today on the Three Masted Sharpie "Emily B" for Key West. The schooner is owned by the Jacksonville and Lake Worth Transportation Co. is about 30 tons burden.
Of the 21 of the expedition only 7 now remain here, Messrs Ingraham, Newman, Chase, Baker, Church, Wilson and Moses. April 9th. Went over to Sisal Hemp factory of Ralph W. Monroe at Cocoanut Grove. Has small saw and grist mill. Uses Van Buren's fibre machine of Jacksonville. Mr. Dodge of the Agricultural Department made all his experiments here and Mr. Monroe loaned me pieces of fibre grown at Jupiter or on Biscayne Bay as it is wanted for experiments. Have seen sisal growing at various points along the coast, Miami, Cocoanut Grove and Frizzards, etc. Seems to grow anywhere well if near rock.
Mr. Monroe is also dessicating cocoanut. Looks and tastes well. Not many trees, however, are in bearing, those at Fort Dallas and Brickalls being largest and best seen. Pines do well in the rocky lands, but need fertilizer. Went over to Cape Florida light, abandoned. Sisal growing here wild, also cocoanuts. Biscayne Yacht Club leased old light house. Went to Bear Cut; got sample of rock, seems same as at ledge of Miami Falls.
Cocoanuts planted by Field and Osborne all along the coast from Cape Florida to Lake Worth doing badly,- need care. This was a land speculation.
Magnificent Bay Biscayne,- beautiful ribbons of colored water and shining sand.
Sent bottle adrift with memo. to see tide effect.
Think ledges in Biscayne Bay were once edge of glades. Basin in Bay sank. Large cracks through rock at Falls, Bears Cut and Addisons, also at Punch Bowl so indicated.
Nine men left today for Port Tampa via Key West on schooner "Emily B". [There is no entry for this date. Last date in this text is April 7, 1892.]
Text:
Cocoanut Grove, Fla., Saturday, April 9th.
Before breakfast we visited the factory of Mr. Ralph Monroe 1/4 of a mile south of hotel and were shown samples of sisal hemp and dessicated cocoanut. We secured a sample of the fibre, but it was only loaned to us and we promised to return same. The fibre was long and strong. The dessicated cocoanut was very nice and was in two or three sizes. It equalled in appearance and excelled in flavor the ordinary commercial article.
Mr. Monroe is Commodore of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, who have a nice club room and several fine boats. They lease from the United States Government the abandoned Cape Florida light house.
We left immediately after breakfast by the "Margaret", Captains Ned Pent and John Sanders, for Cape Florida, landed and went to the top of the light house. The new light house on Fowey Rocks was visible some 2 miles away to the southward and apparently rising from the ocean. Cape Florida is the extreme southern end of Key Biscayne, which is of some extent containing some 200 or 300 acres. The growth is sea grape which here grows into quite a tree mangrove a few cabbage trees and cocoanut palms and a great many saw palmettoes. The soil is white sand and very poor looking in the vicinity of the light house and the growth on the balance of the key did not indicate very rich soil. We sailed from here by way of the Atlantic northward and landed on the south side of narrows cut to examine the rocks on the edge of the cut or inlet into Biscayne Bay. There were found to be of coral formation.
We found a few cocoanuts scattered along the ocean ridge and quite a number on the north side of Bear Cut which appeared to be doing fairly well. They were a portion of the immense tract set out by Field and Osborne a few years ago. We are told that a large percentage are dead or never sprouted. Those that lived - the best of them could have done much better if they had been properly managed. No clearing was made, the nuts being merely planted in a hole dug to receive them and then left to take care for itself. Thousands of nuts were thus planted extending many miles along the ocean. The captains of the "Margaret" said the experiment was not generally considered a success.
The waters of Biscayne Bay and the ocean especially at Cape Florida show in the sunlight the most intensely blue and green as well as other more quiet shades of color ever seen by any of the party and a picture or painting true to nature, would be considered unnatural in all probability.
There are three schooners aggregating about 75 tons doing business between the various places on Biscayne Bay and Key West besides several other irregular crafts and apparently making a living at it. Mr. W.B. Brickell as before mentioned has a store at Miami and Mr. Charles Peacock one at Cocoanut Grove. They carry fair stocks of general merchandise and their goods come in these schooners from Key West. The rates of freight range from 25 cents per box to 35 and 40 cents per bbl. Groceries range at retail from 20 to 40 per cent higher than on the line of The South Florida R.R.
We reached Ft. Dallas after a most interesting days sail entering the bay through Bears Cut.
Eight more of the men left today on the Three Masted Sharpie "Emily B" for Key West. The schooner is owned by the Jacksonville and Lake Worth Transportation Co. is about 30 tons burden.
Of the 21 of the expedition only 7 now remain here, Messrs Ingraham, Newman, Chase, Baker, Church, Wilson and Moses. April 9th. Went over to Sisal Hemp factory of Ralph W. Monroe at Cocoanut Grove. Has small saw and grist mill. Uses Van Buren's fibre machine of Jacksonville. Mr. Dodge of the Agricultural Department made all his experiments here and Mr. Monroe loaned me pieces of fibre grown at Jupiter or on Biscayne Bay as it is wanted for experiments. Have seen sisal growing at various points along the coast, Miami, Cocoanut Grove and Frizzards, etc. Seems to grow anywhere well if near rock.
Mr. Monroe is also dessicating cocoanut. Looks and tastes well. Not many trees, however, are in bearing, those at Fort Dallas and Brickalls being largest and best seen. Pines do well in the rocky lands, but need fertilizer. Went over to Cape Florida light, abandoned. Sisal growing here wild, also cocoanuts. Biscayne Yacht Club leased old light house. Went to Bear Cut; got sample of rock, seems same as at ledge of Miami Falls.
Cocoanuts planted by Field and Osborne all along the coast from Cape Florida to Lake Worth doing badly,- need care. This was a land speculation.
Magnificent Bay Biscayne,- beautiful ribbons of colored water and shining sand.
Sent bottle adrift with memo. to see tide effect.
Think ledges in Biscayne Bay were once edge of glades. Basin in Bay sank. Large cracks through rock at Falls, Bears Cut and Addisons, also at Punch Bowl so indicated.
Nine men left today for Port Tampa via Key West on schooner "Emily B". [There is no entry for this date. Last date in this text is April 7, 1892.]
Before breakfast we visited the factory of Mr. Ralph Monroe 1/4 of a mile south of hotel and were shown samples of sisal hemp and dessicated cocoanut. We secured a sample of the fibre, but it was only loaned to us and we promised to return same. The fibre was long and strong. The dessicated cocoanut was very nice and was in two or three sizes. It equalled in appearance and excelled in flavor the ordinary commercial article.
Mr. Monroe is Commodore of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, who have a nice club room and several fine boats. They lease from the United States Government the abandoned Cape Florida light house.
We left immediately after breakfast by the "Margaret", Captains Ned Pent and John Sanders, for Cape Florida, landed and went to the top of the light house. The new light house on Fowey Rocks was visible some 2 miles away to the southward and apparently rising from the ocean. Cape Florida is the extreme southern end of Key Biscayne, which is of some extent containing some 200 or 300 acres. The growth is sea grape which here grows into quite a tree mangrove a few cabbage trees and cocoanut palms and a great many saw palmettoes. The soil is white sand and very poor looking in the vicinity of the light house and the growth on the balance of the key did not indicate very rich soil. We sailed from here by way of the Atlantic northward and landed on the south side of narrows cut to examine the rocks on the edge of the cut or inlet into Biscayne Bay. There were found to be of coral formation.
We found a few cocoanuts scattered along the ocean ridge and quite a number on the north side of Bear Cut which appeared to be doing fairly well. They were a portion of the immense tract set out by Field and Osborne a few years ago. We are told that a large percentage are dead or never sprouted. Those that lived - the best of them could have done much better if they had been properly managed. No clearing was made, the nuts being merely planted in a hole dug to receive them and then left to take care for itself. Thousands of nuts were thus planted extending many miles along the ocean. The captains of the "Margaret" said the experiment was not generally considered a success.
The waters of Biscayne Bay and the ocean especially at Cape Florida show in the sunlight the most intensely blue and green as well as other more quiet shades of color ever seen by any of the party and a picture or painting true to nature, would be considered unnatural in all probability.
There are three schooners aggregating about 75 tons doing business between the various places on Biscayne Bay and Key West besides several other irregular crafts and apparently making a living at it. Mr. W.B. Brickell as before mentioned has a store at Miami and Mr. Charles Peacock one at Cocoanut Grove. They carry fair stocks of general merchandise and their goods come in these schooners from Key West. The rates of freight range from 25 cents per box to 35 and 40 cents per bbl. Groceries range at retail from 20 to 40 per cent higher than on the line of The South Florida R.R.
We reached Ft. Dallas after a most interesting days sail entering the bay through Bears Cut.
Eight more of the men left today on the Three Masted Sharpie "Emily B" for Key West. The schooner is owned by the Jacksonville and Lake Worth Transportation Co. is about 30 tons burden.
Of the 21 of the expedition only 7 now remain here, Messrs Ingraham, Newman, Chase, Baker, Church, Wilson and Moses. April 9th. Went over to Sisal Hemp factory of Ralph W. Monroe at Cocoanut Grove. Has small saw and grist mill. Uses Van Buren's fibre machine of Jacksonville. Mr. Dodge of the Agricultural Department made all his experiments here and Mr. Monroe loaned me pieces of fibre grown at Jupiter or on Biscayne Bay as it is wanted for experiments. Have seen sisal growing at various points along the coast, Miami, Cocoanut Grove and Frizzards, etc. Seems to grow anywhere well if near rock.
Mr. Monroe is also dessicating cocoanut. Looks and tastes well. Not many trees, however, are in bearing, those at Fort Dallas and Brickalls being largest and best seen. Pines do well in the rocky lands, but need fertilizer. Went over to Cape Florida light, abandoned. Sisal growing here wild, also cocoanuts. Biscayne Yacht Club leased old light house. Went to Bear Cut; got sample of rock, seems same as at ledge of Miami Falls.
Cocoanuts planted by Field and Osborne all along the coast from Cape Florida to Lake Worth doing badly,- need care. This was a land speculation.
Magnificent Bay Biscayne,- beautiful ribbons of colored water and shining sand.
Sent bottle adrift with memo. to see tide effect.
Think ledges in Biscayne Bay were once edge of glades. Basin in Bay sank. Large cracks through rock at Falls, Bears Cut and Addisons, also at Punch Bowl so indicated.
Nine men left today for Port Tampa via Key West on schooner "Emily B". [There is no entry for this date. Last date in this text is April 7, 1892.]
Textual Notes