GULF OF MEXICO: WESTERN FLORIDA. 553 



condemned. The oystermeu prefer to pay a high price ami obtain the best article. These are 

 steel-toothed and cost $9 a pair. 



MARKET PRICES. The Cedar Keys market prices are: For large roe mullet, fresli, 2 cents 

 each; salt mullet, each, 2J cents; choice fish, 3 cents a pound; bottom fish, 2 cents a pound; 

 turtles (elsewhere discussed) not exceeding 40 pounds, 4 cents a pound; and oysters, 50 cents a 

 barrel. The above are the prices paid to the fishermen. The dealers' prices are now given: Large 

 roe mullet, fresh, 4 cents apiece; salt mullet, 3 and 3t cents apiece; choice fish, 5 and 6 cents a 

 pound; "bottom fish," 4 cents a pound; turtles, 8, 10, 12, and 15 cents a pound; and oysters, $1 a 

 barrel. The prices for fish four or five years ago were about one-fourth more tLan at present. 



200. THE FISHERIES OF LA FAYETTE, TAYLOR, AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES. 



MULLET-PISHING. Along the coast of Florida between Cedar Keys and Saint Mark's there 

 are no good harbors or large settlements; the land being low and swampy, is hardly habitable. 

 There are a few places where fishing is carried on by men coming from the interior. No attempt 

 is made to catch any other fish than the mullet, which, in its best season, is as plentiful here as at 

 other places along the coast. 



The men who carry on this fishery, owning the boats, nets, salt, and provisions, are the most 

 thrifty class of planters, living inland along the rivers. They fish through October, November, 

 and perhaps a part of December. Their o bject is mainly to get a good supply of fish for their own 

 use and a few over for sale. The crews are of the poorer classes, generally white, who are quite 

 ready to work a couple of mouths to secure a small supply of salt fish for their families. 



The points near the river mouths, which are known to be in or near the path chosen by the 

 spawning mullet, are the places where the fishermen pitch their camps. 



Such are the fisheries of Suwannee River, Blue Creek, Finhalloway River, Enconfiria River, 

 and Ocilla River, at which last-named place are two fishing camps. 



Those who use gill-nets have a certain spot for camping grounds, but fish anywhere within 

 several miles of their camps. 



For seine-fishing suitable points are selected, called "seine-yards"; at these alone do the 

 seine-fishermen fish. These seine-yards are more fully described in the section upon the fisheries 

 of Ocklockouee Bay. The apparatus, consisting of boats and nets, is in every way similar to 

 that in use at Saint Mark's and vicinity, with the exception that the seines used at the fisheries, 

 now being discussed, are smaller and made of lighter twine than those in use at Saint Mark's. 

 The lack of means is the only reason for this difference. The methods of catching and curing the 

 fish are also the same as at Saint Mark's. 



PRODUCTS OF THE FISHERY. The majority of the fish are subjected to the operation of 

 keuch-salting alone. Some few are packed with brine in cypress-wood barrels, the object of this 

 being the preservation of the fish for a long time. The fish salted are roughly handled and 

 uuskillfully treated. Their appearance is other than clean and wholesome. 



At one time there was quite an extensive trade in these fish; but the low price for which fresh 

 fish can always be obtained, coupled with the slovenly manner in which the fish were sent from 

 these points to market, has had the effect of cutting it down, so that now but few are sold. 



In 1875 the catch was double that of 1878, fully one-half being sold for cash or exchanged for 

 groceries. Since 1875 the amounts have been annually smaller. When "salted" fish are sold 

 they bring 3 cents apiece. 



