what I have since continued to believe, that there was one feature in the scenery of this region, that the world beside, nowhere else presents. I allude to the apparent snow island of Santa Rosa. It is literally, in appearance, snow banks and snow valleys, formed by the drift of the sands, which are as stainless and as brilliantly white as the clearest field of snow which has laid its crystal flakes over the expanse of an undulating surface in a wintry clime. I have seen extensive wastes of barren sand, and felt their heat and glare beneath a tropical sun. But nowhere else as here, has the pure white surface sent back its reflected light from so stainless an expanse, resembling in all its features the surface of the purest driven snow. On the part of the island the most south and near to the fortification, there is considerable verdure of shrubs, and a small growth of pine. But further up, opposite, and yet more north than Pensacola, no vestige of herbage, for miles, is seen upon this peculiar island; and there are two elevations of considerable height, called the Virgin Hills, which present a beautiful appearance, as they throw back the reflected rays of the sun from their pure and stainless sides. Around their bases the high tides of ocean seem to have rolled, as they have broken over their usual barriers of the sea-beach, and left in the eddy-vales which they have formed, thousands of shells, to bleach on the sand, or when, after a long interval, the tides again come in, to be chafed by them to powder. All other sand than this of which the island of Santa Rosa is mostly formed, which I have elsewhere seen, has been tinged with yellow or brown. But this is without a stain, without a tinge; and the artist Catlin, who has sketched a scene on one part of this island of Santa Rosa, representing this island sand like the barren snow regions of the north, must be deemed extravagant in his picture by any eye that has never seen the original. This same island of Santa Rosa has long laid in my me

mory as one of the peculiarities of physical nature, which has not its associate in the world beside. So are the grand prairies of the west, in their extent and their plains. So is Niagara. They stand alone, by themselves. And though no one could stand without emotion on the lone beach of this island, which becomes yet more profound for its waste and expanse, without an herb or tree for miles upon its surface of peculiar, white, yet few, perhaps, would dignify this island with its coast of barren sand, as one of nature's wonders. And yet, as one stood upon the Virgin Hills, and gazed on the ocean far out, and on the unequalled scene around him, he could not but feel, while he yet should scarce believe that it was the combinations of nature around him, which threw such sublimity of emotion into his swelling bosom. It is the sublimity of nature's desolation. Go ye then, and look at it, from the top of the Virgin Hills, where the snow around you remains eternal, though beneath an almost torrid sun.

This peculiar island of Santa Rosa, with its long line of many miles, forms the extensive and beautiful bay of Pensacola, which is the best, and the only harbor along the western shores of the Gulf, for large vessels. The town of Pensacola is situated some seven miles from the inlet to the bay, north, and on the main shore; and the bay itself would afford safe anchorage for a thousand ships. The Navy Yard is about five miles from the town; and off the Navy Yard our ships are now lying. On Monday, June 1st, I made a visit to Pensacola, to renew some olden associations-review olden localities-and, again, to breathe the land breeze, on shore. The town I found as I had before seen it, some years ago; the same monotonous rectangular streets-the same one or two story wooden houses, with light piazzas-some prettily embowered in green foliage and luxuriant shrubs and flowers but many were dilapidated or patched up and comfortless, as the hot sun was reflected back from the arid sand

of the streets. The climate is favorable for the growth of shrubbery; and the althea and the flowering myrtle reach almost the size of forest trees; while the fig trees richly laden with their luscious fruits, and the orange trees, and the pride of China, tend to absorb the hot rays of the sun, and give shade and beauty to the premises where they are cultivated. There is but little thrift, however, apparent throughout the town-but little that is new and in repair, or of interest to the eye, save the few pretty cottages, found, like birds' nests, secreted among the deep shades of the embowering trees. And in some of these there are what for ever interest-sweet songsters, and at the evening hour the soft strain of music may be heard, coming on the mild air from different points, and borne along in harmonies as well as sound, to the listening ear. Among the calls I made, one of these sweet singers gave me music, which I was glad to hear. The words were known to me, and were sweetly sung. And one trill of the compositon recalled a remembered kindred strain in Handel's water music, which none but one could strike, as it awoke beneath the touch of her snowy hand and gave forth the perception of her beautiful spirit.

And in this town, years ago, I heard music which now will wake no more. Many, whose names I could recall as associated with this place though they were not all of it, have gone to a world where is all harmony or is all discord. The ill-fated PULASKI, that was wrecked off Cape Hatteras, bore some of them to a grave in the sea. Judge Cameron was one. And his accomplished daughter, who sung "Love Not" with incomparable sweetness and simplicity, has also gone to a world where spirits "love" for ever, and "die" not. And J. Loring Woart, who was my travelling companion when I was here before, also perished in that ill-fated steamer, with his devoted companion. I had heard them ex

press a wish that they might die together. But then, did they little dream of the manner and the suffering that should be attendant on their passage to a common and billowed grave. His heart was made up of generous sympathies, and his mind of beautiful perceptions, and his language, often, in public discourse, of a pleasing and placid eloquence. When I heard of the catastrophe of the wreck of the Pulaski, attended by the loss of so many lives, I was half way around the world -at Canton, in China. And I then felt I had cause to deem it one of those mysterious providences which seems at times, if not always, to direct one's individual steps, that I was not a sharer of the fortunes and the grave of the passengers of this vessel, which proved the coffin of thirteen of my acquaintances.

Judge D. is now in Pensacola, and opens his first court on Monday, under the new Constitution of the State of Florida. I was happy to renew an acquaintance with a gentleman of so much interest of character, both in his profession, and as a Christian. After my second discourse on Sunday, in town, he delayed for a moment, to request me to open his court by prayer on Monday morning. I did so—the Judge, in an appropriate and interesting address to the bar and persons in court, premising that it was his usual practice, and it would continue to be, on the first morning of the session of his courts, to have them opened by prayer. He did this because he thought the custom eminently calculated to impress the people that there was a connection between the administration of the laws and the responsibility of those who assisted in carrying them into execution. There was a Providence, he continued, which presides over nations as well as over individuals. And though in this ancient place, where the law has long been administered by the courts, there might be less reason for the adoption of this custom, to awaken these impressions, yet he felt the propriety of the proceeding on such occasions

of acknowledging our dependence on the Supreme Being, and he therefore asked the attention of those present to the prayer that would be offered. I could not but feel how appropriate was this proceeding of Judge D., and politic as it was Christian, as it would enable him always to take an elevated stand, and give a high moral tone to the administration of justice. And I am sure that both equity and law will receive such an administration from his bench, that both justice and piety shall approbate.

On Monday evening I took tea with Dr. and Mrs. A. Judge D. is their guest. Mrs. A. is a lady of interesting manners, and a clever woman. She somewhat prides herself on housekeeping, and likes it, I presume, agreeably to one of Bonaparte's complimentary axioms, that persons always like that in which they excel. The evening was very agreeably spent; and the moon seemed rapidly to have travelled on her course, in these transparent heavens, as I passed out through a path of pomegranates, having bade adieu to my agreeable friends.

The next morning I finished my purchases of many nice things, to add comfort to an expected cruise of some three, four, or five months longer in the Gulf; and with a pretty boquet from a hand which I thanked for gathering it for me, I found my way to the steamer which was to take the stragglers to the frigate ere she should sail on the morrow.

The steamer was a long half hour in making her way from the town to the Navy Yard. Some of the ladies from the officers' families attached to the yard, were on board, and navy officers themselves, in any quantities, from both the ships and yard.

The ship having delayed her departure for twenty-four hours, I re-visited the shore, at the Navy Yard, to make my adieus to the families there.

The Navy Yard itself is neatly laid out, and some atten