January 4, 1766

Journal Entry

"Pleasant morning; thermometer 50. Set out from Whitlow’s Bluff; the river makes a great easy bend, and sends out a branch, then the course is from east to south, then S.E. the east banks being sandy 8 or 10 foot perpendicular, full of live and swamp-oaks, great magnolia. Bay and liquid amber, but none of them very large; then pine-land to the south bend, then lower ground, but on the west side very good swamp; it then takes a contrary bend to the south, then east, where there is a fine orange grove on each side of the river: at the corner of the south bend, the mouth of a lake appears, one mile wide and 2 or 3 long, which we entered; the course is near south and north, the east side is lined with a narrow cypress swamp, and live-oaks alternately; the west-side with pines, but above the marshes are very rich, full of water-reeds and elders on both sides the river, which is about 30 yards broad, and near three fathom deep. We landed where a sandy bluff joined the river; it produced live and water-oak, palms and bay; coasting the east-side, we soon came to a creek, up which we rowed a mile, in 4 and 6 foot water and 30 yards broad, of the colour of the sea, smelled like bilge water, tasting sweetish and loathsome, warm and very clear, but a whitish matter adhered to the fallen trees near the bottom; the spring-head is about 30 yards broad, and boils up from the bottom like a pot: plummed it, and found about five fathom water; multitudes of fish resort to its head, as very large garr, cats, and several other sorts; the alligators very numerous either on the shore or swimming on the surface of the water, and some on the bottom, so tame, or rather bold, as to allow us to row very near to them. What a surprizing fountain must it be, to furnish such a stream, and what a great space of ground must be taken up in the pine-lands, ponds, savannahs, and swamps, to support and maintain so constant a fountain, continually boiling right up from under the deep rocks, which undoubtedly continue under the most part of the country at uncertain depths?"

Lake Beresford is on the left. The secton of the St. Johns River shown on the right is part of the route Bartram traversed on January 4, 1766. This section of the river features several "great easy bend[s]" and "contrary bends" that must have caused his compass directions to change repeatedly

Blue Springs, Courtesy of Florida Photographic Collection, Florida State Archives.

Commentary

The "branch" of the St. Johns that Bartram mentioned may have been today's Dead Branch Run, putting them west of Beresford Peninsula and rounding Hontoon Landing before coming to “the mouth of a lake,” now Lake Beresford. The lake was only briefly explored; Bartram instead focused on the creek that “smelled like bilge water” and the fountain, now Blue Spring Run and Blue Spring. Instead of thirty feet deep (a fathom is six feet), the spring is 120 feet deep. They camped that night at Blue Springs Landing, which Bartram named “Mount-joy.”

William Bartram ventured only as far as Lake Beresford and Blue Springs Landing during his solo journey. He was searching for Beresford Plantation and its agent, Charles Bernard, to explore the terrain in the vicinity and collect specimens. In his 1774 "Report to Dr. Fothergill" Bartram wrote: "we entered a pretty lake, about 3 Miles in length & above a mile wide, On high hills on the opposite side we had a view of Berresford Plantation. crosst over the Lake, went to the house, having a letter to his lordship's Agent, who being at home recieved me very civilly. Next day I spent in examin'g this place, the situation is high, 40 or 50 feet above the surface of the lake, the soil is pretty good, a greyish sandy mold, Yellow & Red Clay under; The high land produces the best crops of Indigo, Corn &c. of any yet on the River, & is the upper House on the River. Here is the largest Indian Mount I have Yet seen in Florida, having a long wide Causey leading from it into the Pine Forest, like at Mt. Royal, I walked above a mile along it where it insensibly terminated in the open level pine Forests. Visited a very amazing large spring that boils up from between high sand hills, & immediately forms a large & very swift stream, of the clearest water, about 20 Yards wide & ten & twelve feet deep; it runs almost a direct course 400 or 500 Yards & discharges its transparent waters into the River...."

In Travels Bartram elaborated on a hurricane in 1774 that wreaked heavy damage at Beresford Plantation. He had intended to cross Lake Beresford to reach the plantation on the eastern shore, but the storm came so quickly he had to seek shelter on the western shore. "Such was the violence of the wind, that it raised the waters on the opposite shores of the lake several feet perpendicular, and there was a rapid flow of water from the creek into it, which was contrary to its natural course." Bartram's vessel was nearly filled with water, and his papers and specimens were soaked.

Blue Springs, Courtesy of Florida Photographic Collection, Florida State Archives.

Damage to the plantation was extensive. "All the buildings on the plantation, except his own dwelling-house, were laid almost flat to the ground, or the logs and roof rent asunder and twisted about; the mansion-house shook and reeled over their heads. He had nearly one hundred acres of the Indigo plant almost ripe for the first cutting, which were nearly ruined; and several acres of very promising sugar-cane, totally spoiled for the season. The great live oaks which had been left standing about the fields, were torn to pieces, their limbs lying scattered over the ground; and one very large one which stood near his house torn down....But what is incredible, in the midst of this devastation and ruin, providentially no lives were lost; although there were about sixty Negro slaves on the plantation, and most of them in their huts when the storm came on, yet they escaped with their lives, though several were badly wounded."

January 5, 1766

Journal Entry

"Rainy morning; thermometer 54. Staid at Mount-joy. This mount is formed of snail and muscle-shells, and is 8 or 10 foot perpendicular, about 150 yards long and 20 broad, on the south-east side of the river, declining gradually at each end to an extensive stiff moistish marsh, producing a great quantity of tall grass, as thick as it can grow, of several hundred acres; a pine ridge appears at half a mile distance on the south side. The mount and its declining sides and ends are full of live-oaks and large palm-trees; there are also some hammocks of live-oaks and myrtles interspersed in the adjacent marsh: opposite to the mount, on the other side of the river, is a large swamp or reedy marsh, and beyond it a cypress-swamp of great extent farther than the eye can reach."

Blue Springs, Courtesy of Florida Photographic Collection, Florida State Archives.

Commentary

Mount Joy, now Blue Springs Landing, was the camp site for a second night.

Blue Springs, Courtesy of Florida Photographic Collection, Florida State Archives.