336 SOUTH-WEST FLORIDA. 



miles in length, and as soon as the weather permitted we 

 examined it to its source, as well as the adjoining country. 

 Two miles above Mr. J. s residence we left the boat, and 

 landed at the lower edge of the old sugar plantation. 

 Here we found an old clearing of several hundred acres, 

 which had been devoted to sugar culture in times past. In 

 traversing the old plantation we noticed deer and turkey 

 tracks in every direction. We reached in the river again 

 at the old sugar house, and took seats in the yawl boat. 

 Proceeding up the stream we noticed large fish in thou 

 sands fleeing before the boat. After a pleasant journey 

 we found ourselves floating in the bosom of Homosassa 

 Spring truly an enchanting spot, a view of which repaid 

 us for all our wanderings. Looking over the side of the 

 boat we noticed a number of huge snapping turtles cling 

 ing to the rocky ledges, and cavalli, red-fish, bass, sheeps- 

 head, weak-fish and red and black grouper in thousands 

 leisurely swimming about the basin. In this spring all 

 the species of fish are ever ready to take a bait, and the 

 follower of Old Isaac can obtain a surfeit of sport at any 

 time. Owing to the voracity of the fish and the clear 

 ness of the water the piscator can select the variety of 

 fish he wishes to capture. In consequence of the pres 

 ence of a number of large turtles and such countless 

 numbers of fish, the water in this basin is not as clear as 

 it is in some others, thirty-five to forty feet being the 

 limit where fish can be seen. We measured the deepest 

 point in the basin and found the lead to reach bottom 

 at forty-eight feet. 



Around the basin and along the banks of the river 

 we found large numbers of water turkeys, cormorants, 

 fish-hawks, and species of the heron and crane fami 

 lies, which were more easily approached than on any 



