The facts embraced in the preceding pages, apply to various portions of Biscayne Bay. Before condensing the reports of Col. WILLIAMS and Mr. WM. M. SWAN, in regard to their survey of the land in 1874, it may be well to explain to the reader the history of the “Perrine grant.” Dr. HENRY PERRINE, while United States Consul, at Campeche, in Yucatan, in 1827, received a circular from RICHARD RUSH, Secretary of State, under JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, commencing as follows: “The President of United States is desirous of causing to be introduced into the United States, all such trees and plants from other countries, not heretofore known in the United States, as may give promise under proper cultivation, of flourishing and becoming useful, as well as superior varieties of such as are already cultivated here. To this end I have his instructions to address myself to you, invoking your aid to give effect to the plan he has in view, etc., etc.” In obedience to that circular, Dr. PERRINE devoted nine years of his life to collecting and transmitting to the United States, the valuable plants and seeds of the tropics, a list and description of which will be found in the printed reports of Congress in 1838. Upon his return to this country Congress granted to him a township of land to be located in Florida, below the twenty-sixth degree of north latitude. In 1840, while engaged in the cultivation and domesticating these plants upon the islands of Indian Key and Matacumba, preparatory to their removal to the township after the Seminole war should cease, an attack was made upon Indian Key by the Indians, in overwhelming force. Dr. PERRINE with others was killed, his family, after a concealment of nine hours in the water under a wharf, during which time their house was plundered and burned within a few feet of their place of retreat, and after miraculously escaping death from both suffocation and fire, providentially escaped from the Island in a boat which the Indians were loading with plunder from a store. Congress in 1841, by a supplementary act, gave to the family of Dr. PERRINE the same rights before granted to him. Among the most valuable of the many plants introduced by him into Florida, was the _Agave Sisalana_, (the important Hemp of commerce) * * growing now in great abundance in many localities, and especially on Key West and Key Vacas, as well as on the lands bordering upon Biscayne Bay. The township was duly located in accordance with the conditions of the grant. Owing to various causes beyond their control, but little has been done by the family toward effecting a settlement of this valuable tract. It is their intention now to offer such favorable inducements to settlers as will bring together a goodly sized colony in this favored locality. So much of the land at and near the Miami, (the northern portion of the bay), being held under old Spanish titles, has made an undisputed title an impossibility, and prevented settlers from locating. The “Perrine