Paddling under Palmettos

# Paddling Under Palmettos

This 1901 Street & Smith publication by St. George Rathborne presents Paddling Under Palmettos, a serialized adventure narrative following three young northern canoeists—Ned, Dick, and Archie—on an extended paddling expedition through Florida waters. The adventure begins in Jacksonville, where the trio inspects their three newly arrived canoes (Mohican-design craft with cruising sails, tent equipment, and full camping gear) before embarking on their journey. After a social launch on the St. Johns River with the Jacksonville Canoe Club, a sudden norther cold spell compels the party to abandon their week-long Jacksonville stay and push southward. The narrative follows their progression paddling toward Palatka, Indian River, and beyond, incorporating camping, hunting (deer, game birds), encounters with Florida wildlife (alligators, sharks), and the practical trials of extended canoe cruising through the state's rivers, coastal passages, and lakes, including Okeechobee. The story combines adventure-narrative conventions—storms, wildlife encounters, emergency seamanship—with detailed technical descriptions of paddling equipment and Florida geography.