CHAPTER   IIL

A   TOUR   OF   THE   STATE   WITH   THE   C0MMISSI0:N^ER   OF   IMMI¬
GRATION^.

In the midwinter of 1879-'80 the Hon. Seth French,
State Commissioner of Immigration, decided to make an
official tour through the southern and middle regions of
the State, for the purpose of better informing himself as
to the general character of the people, the soil, the prod¬
ucts, and the facilities for transportation. He kindly in¬
vited the writer to n-ccompany him, and the invitation was
gladly accepted. It was a very extensive tour, and gave
us an unusually excellent opportunity to fully acquaint
ourselves with a very large section of the State. Mr.
French—known to all his friends as Dr. French—is a na¬
tive of New York, but was for many years a resident of
Wisconsin. He is a man of wealth, liberal education, fine
presence and address, social disposition, thoroughly inter¬
ested in his duties, and an enthusiast about Florida—in
all respects just the man for the peculiar and responsible
position which he then held.

At noon of one rainy day late in January, we took
passage at Jacksonville on the old, small, odd-looking but
excellent steamer Yolusia, commanded by young Captain
Lund. It is an up-river steamer, an old-timer, built espe¬
cially for navigating the narrow, crooked channel of the
far-up St. John's. The steamer was crowded with passen¬
gers, including an elderly lady and her husband, from
New England ; a Massachusetts school-ma'rm ; a lady with