74 THE ENGLISH ANGLER IN FLORIDA vii 



tarpon he had caught this morning at 4 a.m. One weighed 165 lbs. 

 Several other tarpon were hooked, but a shark mangled two of them, 

 leaving only the head of one. 



Jim had good luck before breakfast, for which he returned rather 

 late, having caught two bass of 9 lbs. each, fourteen squeteague weighing 

 20 lbs., and eight lady fish weighing 14I lbs. He had thrown several 

 lady fish in again and lost a very big bass. About 4 p.m. he went out 

 into the Pass after tarpon, and hooked one but lost him. Cooler 

 towards evening ; the wind got up, and it became very cloudy. The 

 mosquitoes seem less plentiful ; last night they were terrible. 



Saturday^ i "ith April. — Under weigh about 6.30 a.m. Wind having 

 all dropped, had to steam. Stopped at St. James ; went ashore and 

 bought some bread and eggs and other things at the store ; then 

 walked up to look at the Don Carlos Hotel, a nice building, with only 

 one gentleman staying there. In the garden, tied to a tree, was a 

 small alligator, about 6 ft. long ; its mouth was bound up with string, 

 it made a most funny noise, and would have lashed one with its 

 tail if you had gone near enough. Steamed up to Red Fish Point, 

 dropped anchor about three, started to fish for tarpon, but had no 

 luck. Wind got up in the evening, and it blew very hard in the night. 

 It had rained off and on all the morning, and was very cloudy. 



Easter Sunday, 1 8//^ April. — Still at Red Fish Point. We started 

 fishing off the boat about seven, before breakfast. Had no luck, only 

 hooked two small sharks. Fished all day off the boat, but caught 

 nothing. Jim rowed down the river a little way and caught some 

 squeteague and lady fish. Fine day with strong wind. 



Monday, 19/// April. — Saw no tarpon about when we looked out; 

 therefore determined to go up the river, and at 6.30 started and 

 steamed three miles above Myers. Jim went out in the row-boat, but 

 seeing no fish about, we started down the river and I went off the 



