HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 



the Hillsboro River, at a place opposite the government Hfe-sa\ino- 

 station. There is an old pump in the road at this place, and Robert 

 Osceola used to camp there a few days every sprint^ while deer 

 hunting. Leaving the road and riding southwest some tive miles, 

 one passes between the upper and lower chain of lakes, and this 

 crossing is the only one suitable for wagons for a distance of thirty 

 miles. The swampy lakes are connected by a little creek called 

 Little Fish Crossing. From this point it is less than a mile to 

 the old government trail which runs north, crossing Jupiter Creek 



(Loxahatchee), and 

 south until it joins 

 the c o u n t y road, 

 about t w o mile s 

 n () r t h of Cvpress 

 Creek. Old marks 

 of the ax " blazes " 

 mav still be seen on 

 the trees, and occa- 

 sionally a wagon 

 track where some 

 hunter or cattle- 

 driver has followed 

 the old trail. Sand- 

 hill Cranes, turkeys, 

 and quail are abun- 

 dant throughout this country : but bears are rare and panthers 

 keep themselves to the edge of the Everglades in the heavy 

 timber. Parties desiring to hunt this country would do well to have 

 their wagons meet them on the old government trail west of Lake 

 Worth. Thev could then hunt the countrv soutii, comiiiii^ out on 

 the count}' road near Cypress Creek. There is only one bad 

 crossing, and that is at the head of the south fork of the Millsboro 

 River. The country to the west of the old trail is " flat woods " and 

 hummocks, interspersed with cypress ponds, which become more 

 plentiful as we near the Everglades. Many of these ponds are not 



A (iREAT DAY FOR KIXCFISI 1 . 



