A SPORTSMAN S PARADISE. 335 



herrings, a cup of lemonade, and a few soda crackers per 

 man. Our frugal repast was barely finished when we 

 received a pressing invitation to dinner, and as our cloth 

 ing was not very ornamental, we offered as an excuse 

 that we had dined sumptuously. Soon after we noticed 

 a lady running through the rain toward the boat-house, 

 and her pleasant and smiling face convinced us that she 

 was kind and hospitable, and, in words, she informed us 

 that &quot; Mr. Jones was absent, but that she was chief of 

 the establishment under the circumstances.&quot; Finding 

 that &quot; no excuse would be accepted, and that we must 

 make ourselves at home,&quot; we surrendered, and followed 

 her to the dining room. Upon entering we found a 

 large dining table groaning under a supply of edibles 

 that would have gratified both a gourmand and a gourmet. 

 For nearly two months we had not taken a seat at a 

 table, and it was simply a caution to cooks to see the 

 manner in which we deposited boiled and baked sheeps- 

 head, roasted and stewed wild ducks, beef, vegetables, 

 home-made bread, fresh milk and butter, an excellent 

 dessert, and an indefinite number of the most delicious 

 oranges* 



After dinner we expressed a desire to leave and reach 

 the head of the river, but Mrs. J. insisted upon our re 

 maining until Mr. J. returned, and finding that excuses 

 were useless) we accepted the invitation so hospitably 

 tendered. Homosassa was the residence of the Hon. Mr. 

 Yulee before the war, and the house is situated on a shell 

 mound sloping to the river. Along the water s edge a 

 permanent stone wall a quarter of a mile in length has 

 been constructed. Near the stone- wall a row of gigantic 

 fig-trees are growing, the spread of the branches of the 

 largest being fifty-three feet. The river is about ten 



