“We at last bid adieu to the magnificent plains of Alachua, entered the pine forests, and soon fell into the old Spanish highway, from St. Augustine across the isthmus of Florida, to St. Mark’s in the Bay of Apalache. Its course and distance from east to west is, from St. Augustine to Fort Picolata on the River St. Juan, twenty-seven miles; thence across the river to the Poopoa Fort, three miles; thence to the Alachua Savanna, forty-five miles; thence to Talahasochte on the River Little St. Juan, twenty-seven miles; thence down this river to St. Mark’s, thirty miles; the whole distance from St. Augustine to St. Mork’s, one hundred and eighty miles. But that road having been unfrequented for many years past, since the Creeks subdued the remnant tribes of the ancient Floridians and drove the Spaniards from their settlements in East Florida into St. Augustine, which effectually cut off their communication between that garrison and St. Mark’s; this ancient highway is grown up in many places with trees and shrubs, but yet has left so deep a track on the surface of the earth that it may be traced for ages yet to come.”
Bartram has other allusions to these old Spanish roads, all of which go to show that much work was done on them when the Spaniards were establishing their settlements and the missions in various parts of North Florida.
In a letter from Judge Brackenridge, of West Florida, to Col. White, delegate from the territory of Florida in Congress, written January 24th, 1827, describing the antiquities of Florida, occurs the following reference to that portion of the country north and north-east of St. Marks, through which this road ran:
“The appearance of a dense population, which seems at one time to have covered this country, has induced me to make some inquiry. While at Havana, I could learn nothing: but while at Charleston. I met with an English work. Roberts’ account of Florida. 1763, which gives a niece of history apparently but little known. The district of Apalachee, it appears, was inhabited by a race called the Atimaco Indians, with whom the Spaniards had become intermingled. The Yamassee Indians, who lived near St. Augustine, backed by those of Apalachee, made fre-ouent excursions into the new settlements of North Carolina. threatening them with destruction. In consequence of this. Col. Moore, governor of that state, made three inroads into their country in the yeai-s 1702. 1704 and 1706, marching to the Flint river, and then taking a direction south towards Tallahassee. In his last expedition, he entirely defeated the Spanish governor, a Don Juan Mexia, killing and taking prisoners above eight hundred of the