p and examined him. But he was not a
pleasant sight to look upon, and a glance or two satisfied them. They
wanted no more flowers, and insisted upon going on board at once.

As we started for the boat, we met a gentleman coming down the path
from the house to the landing. He proved to be the owner of the
plantation, who had come down to see what steamer was at the wharf. He
invited us to his house, and would be delighted to have us stay a week;
but we felt obliged to decline the invitation with many thanks.

"I should not dare to stay here even a day," said Miss Margie.

"Why not, miss?" asked the gentleman, who was a native of South
Carolina.

[Illustration: OWEN AIMED HIS GUN AND FIRED. Page 280.]

"Mr. Garningham has just killed a monstrous rattlesnake; and I should
be afraid of my life to stay where they are," replied the English
maiden.

"We don't mind them at all," replied the gentleman, laughing. "I have
lived here ten years, and not one of our people has ever been bitten by
a rattlesnake. In fact, I hardly ever heard of such a thing as any one
being bitten by a rattlesnake. There are three times as many deaths
from suicide in the South, as from the bites of moccasins and
rattlesnakes put together. You get used to them in a little while, and
don't mind anything more about them than you do the mocking-birds that
sing day and night."

"I don't like them at all," added Miss Margie.

"I can't say that I like them," continued the gentleman. "I make a
business of killing them when I come across them. I have no doubt the
snake you killed was the one that came into my house the other day. We
had a big hunt for him, and couldn't find him; and I am very much
obliged to the gentleman that shot him. Very likely we shall not see
another one for a year."

The gentleman walked with us to the landing, and waited there till the
Wetumpka was out of sight. At five o'clock in the afternoon we entered
Lake Griffin, which I judged to be about ten miles long, and moored at
Leesburg in season for supper. This place is the county-town of Sumter
County, and the head of navigation by the Ocklawaha. One end of the
town was on Lake Hawkins, and there were a dozen lakes within a few
miles of it. We found nothing very different from what we had seen. Our
sportsmen brought in large quantities of small game, upon which we
feasted, and we sailed about the lake, exchanging hospitalities with
the people who treated us like old friends.