Letter from [John Muir] to Louie [Wanda Muir], 1898 Nov 14.
Miama Nov 14 1898SP.N.Dear Louie.We left St Augustine yesterday about ten forenoon & arrived here in the evening at 10.30 The ride down the west bank of Indian River was extremely novel & wild & interesting, miles & miles of the way was through the strangest looking forest of Palmeto...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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Scholarly Commons
1898
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| Online Access: | https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/2308 https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3307&context=muir-correspondence |
| Summary: | Miama Nov 14 1898SP.N.Dear Louie.We left St Augustine yesterday about ten forenoon & arrived here in the evening at 10.30 The ride down the west bank of Indian River was extremely novel & wild & interesting, miles & miles of the way was through the strangest looking forest of Palmeto the shaggy crowns & long straight or slanting columns showing finely in many places along strembanks, & lake shores, & around broad open meadows with finely curved lines that promontorris & bays. While here & there tall grasses02502 [2]& showy flrs & forests on bush like herbacious plants made fringes about the palms.Then after passing through these palm forests you come to wide open spaces sparsely planted with the cuban pine which has a round umbrella like head of spreading branches densely clad with long bright green needles while the ground bright with sunshine is covered with a regular crop of dwarf palmeto which seems to take the place of grass. tufts of [wandy?] grasses & the lovely liatris with tall [wandy?] purple spikes of flowers one of my favorites which I have kept in mind all these years since last I was in Florida, rising in the midst. & then along streams there were wonderful belts of woods of many species.[3][letterhead]all lied together & laden with flowery vines.This morning I began botanizing before breakfast - in the open space besides the hotel, lovely flowers in lavish abundance in trampled waste places.Then we got a carriage & drove all forenoon & afternoon over coral roads through the densest pine & palm & laurel & [panpan?] & banyan forests full of bloom unspeakably rich & exuberant & wild. Kirk Munroe the writer lives on the coast in a nice cottage among groves of wild lemon & coco palms about 3 miles from here02502 [4]61& we paid him a visit Sargent had met him ten years ago but Munroe had forgotten him so he had to introduce himself then he introduced me Mr Muir. He asked eagerly "John Muir is it John Muir the writer?" Then he gave us a grand welcome & said it was the greatest good fortune of the year etc. Then Mrs Munroe came in & she seemed yet more delighted etc etc. [in margin: Goodnight off we go - Goodbye]Munroe had visited the glacier & written a book about the trip. So Alaska & Florida came cordially together today.We are just about to start for the streamer which sails late this evening for Key West, will be there before noon tomorrow We expect to sleep well as out course is mostly through inland water It is warm, some mosquitoes but we are quite well.Love to thee & the darlings & MaggieEver Your loving husband |
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