After leaving Rock Island, and when about four miles beyond the Fenholloway River, while off a vast tract of marshes, poor Saddles broke down completely.  He could not row another stroke.  I towed his boat into a little cove, and was forced to leave him, with the fever raging in his blood, that I might search for a creek, and a hammock upon which to camp.  Looking to the east, I saw a long, low point of marsh projecting its attenuated point southward, while upon it rose a signal-staff of the United States Coast Survey.  A black object seemed heaped against the base of the signal; and while I gazed at what looked like a bear, or a heap of dark soil, it began to move, breaking up into three or four fragments, each of which seemed to roll off into the grass, where they disappeared.

[Saddles breaks down.]

I pulled for the point as rapidly as possible, for I hoped, while hardly daring to believe, that this singular apparition might be human beings.  The high grass formed an impenetrable barrier for my curious vision; but nearing the spot, voices were plainly audible on the other side of the narrow point, as though a party of men were in lively discussion.  Rowing close to the land, and resting on my oars to gain time to reconnoitre either friends or foes, the deep but cultivated voice of a man fell upon my ear.  A patriot was evidently haranguing his fellow fishermen, who, after lunching beside the Coast Survey signal, and not observing the proximity of a stranger, had repaired to their boats on the east side of the marsh.

“Yes,” came the tones of the orator through the high grass, yes, to this state have we Americans been reduced!  Not satisfied with having ravaged our country, conquering but not subduing our Confederate government, the enemy has put over us a carpet-bag government of northern adventurers and southern scalawags and niggers.  Fifty niggers sit as representatives of our state in the legislature of Florida, and vote in a solid body for whichever party pays them their price.  They are giving away our state lands to monopolists, and we have tax bills like this one imposed upon us.”  Here the orator paused, apparently taking a paper from his pocket.  “Here it is,” he resumed, “in black and white.  On a wild piece of forest land, and a few acres of clearing, (which they appraise at twenty-five cents, when it cost me only six cents and a quarter per acre,) I was saddled with this outrageous bill.  I will read to you the several items: 

Mr. L. H.................................   Dr.

To State Taxes proper,-----  .70 on - - $100.00
General Sinking Fund,-----  .30 "  - -  100.00
Special Sinking Fund,-----  .16 "  - -  100.00
General School Tax,-------  .10 "  - -  100.00
_______________________

         Total State Tax,—­ 1.26 " — — 100.00

To County Tax proper,-----   .50 "  - -  100.00
County School Tax,-------   .50 "  - -  100.00
Special County Building Tax,.35 "  — —  100.00
County Specific Tax,——­   2.00 "  — —  100.00
_______________________

Total County Tax,—–­ 3.35 " — — 100.00