Paddling under Palmettos — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

20 Paddling Under Palmettos. CHAPTER II. THE LONG CRUISE BEGUN. Morning showed no diminution in the force of the cold spell. Ice had formed in all the gutters, and the three canoe cruisers were determined to head the prows of their craft up the St. Johns without delay. This river is, I believe, the only one in the United States flowing directly north through the whole of its course, and our boys had much difficulty in head- ing south to believe they were not descending in- stead of ascending the grand river. | It was noon ere everything was in readiness for a Start. Dinner had been eaten with the captain and mate of the Pelicans, who waved them adieu from the float of the clubhouse as they struck out upon the stormy bosom of the mighty St. Johns. The wind being very fresh, they proceeded under double-reefed mainsail alone. It was exhilarating work, and dangerous withal, Gomicbooks (E(0)