15 G YACHTING OX THE ST. JOIIXS. 



attend to every want that might have caused greater 

 exertion than winking, and we were convinced that- man s 

 natural bent was laziness, from the very rapid and com 

 plete surrender of three hurrying, worrying, nervously 

 active Northerners to the abandon of the Sunny South. 



There was but little game in sight as yet. We were 

 on the highway, where from the forward decks of every 

 steamer a fusillade of small-arms is kept up on every liv 

 ing thing, from alligators to the useful buzzards that 

 clustered upon the floating carrion. Every man and 

 boy feels called upon to do some sporting&quot; in Florida, 

 and all are armed with as varied a lot of guns and pistols 

 as would adorn an arsenal. The rapid movement of the 

 river boats prevents any very serious results to the ani 

 mals and birds, unless when now and then the ricochet 

 of a ball kills a cow in the woods ; but it amuses all but 

 the timid people, and is a customer of very great value 

 to the Union Metallic Cartridge Company. 



The birds seem well informed as to the range of 

 modern arms. The stately and beautiful snowy herons 

 spread their white wings only when rifles are raised, and 

 the less beautiful alligator seems to know just when to 

 launch himself to save his scaly sides from harm. The 

 animal life of the lower St. Johns is not of the simple 

 kind, but the denizens of this Broadway know a tiling 

 or two, and are not to be taken in by any cheap tricks. 

 Consequently our guns were idle, and nothing aroused 

 us from the (jiiiet state of enjoyment that is so valuable 

 to the strained minds that have -been keeping puce with 

 the restlessness of Northern life. 



The afternoon found us at Pilatka, where (he larder 

 was reinforced, ice purchased, and a boat obtained. At 

 twilight we pushed on, turning into the narrower and 



