92 IN FLORIDA. 



liome in the native's '^diig out/' the proceeds of 

 a day's hard work on the hay. The Doctor 

 was especially indifferent, and excited universal 

 envy when he told of the wondrous sport we 

 had had during our two months of recreation. 

 While I do not for a moment intend to impugn his 

 absolute veracity, some of the adventures which he 

 related had passed from my memory or had grown 

 since I heard them last. He would make no more 

 violent sporting effort than repeating these tales, 

 and preferred to sit on a chair upon the plaza, re- 

 tailing them, with the encouragement of a sour 

 orange punch, or wander through the coquina built 

 Fort Marion, visit the old Cathedral, or roam the 

 narrow streets. We laid in a supply of native pre- 

 serves, sketched the graceful date palm, and never 

 ceased wondering at the odd and extravagant beauty 

 of the semi-equatorial foliage and plants. There is 

 interesting, although not very extensive sailing in 

 the harbor, and many varieties of bay snipe to be 

 killed. A yachting club, which will show every 

 courtesy to brethren from the North, has a boat 

 house on the shore. 



The further one goes South the better the shoot- 

 ing and fishing become, and I would advise any 

 one, who feels as if it were impossible ever to get 

 enough of either, not to stop in the St. John's, or 

 short of St. Augustine. There he can spend several 

 weeks profitably, and should thence go on South to 

 Halifax Eiver and Xcw Smyrna, where he will tliink 

 nothing of catching a hundred sheepshead in a day. 



