244 THE OKEECHOBEE EXPEDITION. 



nah party that sought Lake Okeechobee. As has been 

 stated, thy were obliged to return after reaching Lake 

 Kissimmee, owing to the illness of one of their number. 

 They found an abundance of game in the islands of 

 Lakes Kissimmec and Cypress, and the woods bordering 

 the river. From the nature of the country bordering 

 the upper Kissimmee, I knew that there would be an 

 abundance of game, such as quail, turkeys, and deer, 

 there being more &quot; hammocks &quot; and less real swamps 

 than upon the lower Kissimmee. If I include the vari 

 ous birds and animals generally called game by many 

 gunners, then the Kissimmee is well stocked. At the 

 ford were hundreds of white ibis and yellow-legs and 

 curlew, while the settlers vouched for several flocks of 

 turkeys in the &quot;hammocks.&quot; Deer were comparatively 

 abundant out on the prairies, wild-cats plentiful, while 

 only a few nights before our arrival, a panther had put 

 in an appearance at a settler s cabin, while the man was 

 away, and carried away a hog before the eyes of the 

 settler s wife and children. One of the party had a 

 Kemington, No. 12 bore, 30-in. breech-loader along, 

 and made quick work with whatever birds came within 

 range. The execution of this gun is remarkable, and we 

 could shoot with equal ease the smallest warbler or 

 largest heron or hank. Its simplicity of construction, 

 plainness, and cheapness, make it jnst the gun for the 

 collector. This gun, with my 9-in. Remington revolver, 

 was amply sufficient in the way of fire-arms, though we 

 had encumbered ourselves with several other weapons. 



There will, undoubtedly, be many visitors to the 

 Okccchobee and Kissimmee region next winter, and I 

 doubt not that the sporting facilities will be thoroughly 

 tested. The boat in which I made my trip I sold to 



