THE RAVALLIA. 



II 



ON THE FISHING GROUNDS 



It was something to be thankful for that we were at last at 

 Punta Gorda, and actually on the fishing grounds of Florida, 

 on the coast where tarpon abounded, and where Punta 

 the waters teemed with other game fishes, not per- Gorda. 

 haps so distinguished for heavy weights, but beloved by the 

 angler. Had not one of the pamphlets lying about the saloons 

 in the train informed us ? " Here indeed is the ideal resort of 

 sportsmen and anglers. Located just below the 27th parallel 

 of latitude, the temperature never goes below 40 degrees in 

 winter, and frost is unknown." There was also an alluring 

 paragraph about a modern first-class hotel beautifully located 

 in the bay ; and at half-past twelve at night that was quite as 

 important as, "the scenery is all that appeals to the sentiments 

 of a lover of Nature." But we had literally reckoned without 



