282 SOUTH-WEST FLORIDA. 



this world s goods and can engage the services of a pilot. 

 Occasionally an old coaster will be met with, from whom 

 some valuable information can be obtained regarding the 

 navigation of localities the wanderer may wish to visit 

 and such opportunities should be taken advantage of. 



We may remark at this time that we found our outfit 

 deficient in several important implements. This being 

 our first boat cruise in this section, and having a large 

 amount of plunder to stow and transport, we were some 

 what excusable for leaving behind three important 

 weapons, to wit : a harpoon, grains, and turtle peg. The 

 two former are well known, and can be obtained in fish 

 ing-tackle stores ; but as the turtle peg is seldom seen 

 in the North I may at some future time give a descrip 

 tion of it. In enumerating, on a former occasion, the 

 articles composing our outfit, I neglected to mention a 

 Spanish cast net. I purchased one before leaving tho 

 North, but found it entirely useless. It was made of 

 cotton twine, eight feet wide, and with but six pounds 

 of lead to sink it. For use in southern waters a net 

 should be made of the best gilling twine, twelve to four 

 teen feet in diameter, and weighted with from twelve to 

 fourteen pounds of lead ; a cast net of any other descrip 

 tion will prove useless, and had better remain in tho 

 North to decorate the window of some fishing tackle 

 store. 



Punta Rassa has been very appropriately termed tho 

 &quot;jumping off place of all creation.&quot; At this point the 

 tourist will find two large wooden buildings and some 

 palmetto huts, and a large and substantial dock. The 

 first building is a large structure resembling a warehouse, 

 and is the residence of two operators in charge of the 

 Inter-Colonial Ocean Telegraph wires and station at this 



