THE ENGLISH ANGLER IN FLORIDA 



US fretting at a long delay within half an hour of the time at 

 which we were due at Jacksonville. One of the swamp bridges 

 was on fire, and the repairs kept us six hours waiting. Some of 

 the car darkies, who seemed to be frightened out of their timid 

 lives, were afraid of " crackers " (as the blacks of solitary 

 habits inhabiting those wilds are called), and it was evident 

 that you had only to put on something white, and play the 

 ghost, to scare them into fits. 



Jacksonville is but a few miles south of the river boundary 

 of Georgia, and was our gateway to Florida. It is a really 

 Entering important city, and till within comparatively 

 Honda, recent times a reference to Florida, even to the 

 untravelled American, meant Jacksonville and little else. Rail- 

 way lines now centre there from all points of the compass, 

 and it has its Government buildings and a choice of fine 

 hotels. But it was night when we reached the station, and 

 we were not in the humour to admire or get up any en- 

 thusiasm, with the heavy rain and humid atmosphere in 

 which we found ourselves. The comforts of the great Windsor 

 Hotel, where a i^ysi smart people were still staying, were, 

 however, cordially appreciated. We found a good dinner ; 

 and at 8.30 next morning, after early bath and breakfast. 



