324 THE NATURALIST OF THE ST. CROIX 



climate of Florida much more dry, five days out of six 

 bright and cloudless ; three, four and five weeks at a 

 time, clear and bright, and of most agreeable tempera- 

 ture, and even as far north as Palatka there are gener- 

 ally but two or three nights in the whole winter that ice 

 is formed. Rain rarely falls, and this is the great charm 

 of winter climate and enables the sportsman to be com- 

 fortable in his tent, when in Georgia, Texas or Cali- 

 fornia, he would wish himself in the hotel. The whole 

 coast, east and west, swarms with fish and of a very 

 fine quality ; pompano, sheepshead, grouper, red-fish, 

 king-fish, Spanish mackerel, mullet, turtle, and such 

 oysters — for flavor and size they beat anything to be 

 found North. The St. Johns river is also full of fish. 

 Shad are plenty all winter and in the upper parts of the 

 river black bass were so plenty as to often jump into our 

 boats, and eight to ten pounders are very common. 

 Game, except quail, is getting scarce about the larger 

 places ; but you have only to go into the country to find 

 abundance of deer and turkey. 



When I commenced, I intended from my experience 

 to tell of a more pleasant way to spend winters in Florida 

 than Mr. Beverly's (provided you have money enough), 

 and without costing near as much as to live at the hotels, 

 have a better table and lots of fine sport and withal, the 

 most comfortable and pleasant way a company of gentle- 

 men can spend winters in Florida. Let a half dozen 

 good fellows get up a light-draft stern-wheel steamer, to 

 draw about twenty inches of water — just such a boat as 

 the little Clifton, so well known on the St. Johns river 

 for several years. The writer was on board of her for 

 two winters. She cost about $4,000, built and fitted up 



