The harbor of Key West is the ninth port of entry in the country.  It is so naturally impregnable that it escaped capture during the Civil War, when the Gulf Coast ports were a special source of attack and envy.  Legend and history twine around the harbor stories of thrilling interest, many of which have formed the plots for successful and celebrated novels.  The town has peculiar but attractive streets, with tropical trees on both sides.  Seven miles distant is Key West, the most extreme southern point of United States territory.  From the immense light-house pier the distance to the island of Cuba is less than eighteen miles.

Returning to the inland, we may spend a few minutes

  ’Way down ’pon de Suwanee Ribber,
  Far, far away—­
  Dare’s wha’ my heart is turnin’ ebber—­
  Dare’s wha’ de ole folks stay.

This river, as we have seen, forms the western boundary of Eastern Florida.  It is a very romantic stream, running through a country of surpassing beauty, with tropical trees and undergrowth coming right to the water’s edge.  It enters Florida from Southern Georgia, and runs through a country which varies from forest to plain and from upland to valley.  Along its banks there are a number of little Southern homes, few of them boasting of the magnificence of which we often read, but all of them peaceful and attractive.  Of one of these we give an illustration.  At first glance they may not appear to be anything very remarkable about the little house and its surroundings, but on second thoughts and glances something more than poetical will be discovered.  The old negro ballad from which we have quoted above gives in its lines a charming idea of the river and of the memories and thoughts which cling to it.  Excursion parties are very frequent along the river.  Some indulge in hunting, and take advantage of the profusion of game on every hand.  Others prefer to indulge in peaceful reverie and to think only of the quaint old folks, who, as we are told in the song, still stay in the vicinity.

The Ocklawaha River resembles the Suwanee in many respects.  Steamboats run along it for a considerable distance, and there is seldom difficulty in securing passengers.  It is said that there are more alligators to a hundred square feet of water, in sections of this river, than can be found in any other water in the world.  From the deck of a passenger steamer it is quite interesting to watch the peculiar proceedings of these dangerous creatures, and many conjectures are exchanged as to what would happen in the event of any one of the watchers falling overboard.  On the banks of the river, cedar groves are frequently seen.  Florida supplies the world with the wood required for lead pencils, and the inroads made into her cedar forests for this purpose threaten to eventually rob the State of one of its most unique features.  Cypress, a wood which is just beginning to be appreciated at its true worth, is also abundant in this vicinity, and many of the much talked-of cypress swamps are passed.  Pineapples are also seen growing vigorously, and also the vanilla plant, which resembles tobacco in its leaf.  Vanilla leaf is gathered very largely, and sold for some purpose not very clearly defined or explained.