GAME AND FISH RESORTS. 35 



man fond of 'gator shooting. Deer hunting in this neighborhood is fair, and the 

 region wouhl be found worthy of a visit. Yellow legs, kill deer, red breasted 

 snipe, and other varieties, coots, pintail, and black ducks, and teal are the game 

 birds found here. Black bass abound. 



Orang:e Dale. Grey and fo.x squirrels, and other game in Hutching's 

 Hammock. 



At Lake George, on St. John's River, large bass and wild fowl in greatest abun- 

 dance. In Hell's Stream, si.K miles from the Drayton Island Hotel, the best 

 bass fishing can be found. This hotel is much favored by sportsmen ; it is kept 

 by a Mr. Crosby. St. John river steamers make this locality easy of access. 



I'ntiiatn County — 



San Mateo. Deer, turkeys and squirrels in abundance ; in the St. John's 

 mullet are taken in large quantities, and Lake May, tix miles distant, is an excel- 

 lent fishing ground for fresh water trout. San Mateo is on the river, eighteen 

 miles below Jaclfconville, and reached by steamer. 



Volusia County — 



Enierprize. Deer, wild turkey, quail, duck and snipe ; black bass. Reached 

 via steamer up the St. John's. A good place for sportsmen is at Aiken's, twelve 

 miles from Enterprize, on the road to New Smyrna. 



Neiv Sinyrtia and the Indian River Country. Deer, bears, wild turkeys. The 

 fishing comprises sheepshead, red bass, salt water trout, whiting, black-fish, 

 grunts, scup, groupers, rock groupers, cavalli, snappers, drum, bezugas, pigfish, 

 catfish, sharks, and rays. Besides these common species, are occasionally taken 

 specimens of more southern and tropical forms, which variety adds much to the 

 interest of a day's sport in these waters. The sheepshead run from one-half to 

 seven pounds ; average, three pounds ; bass from one to thirty pounds : average 

 five pounds ; grouper from one to fifteen pounds ; average, three pounds ; snap- 

 per from one-half to ten pounds ; average, two pounds j trout from one to twenty 

 pounds ; average, four pounds ; drumfish from five to fifty pounds j average, texi 



Eounds ; whiting and pigfish average one-half pound each ; black fish about one- 

 alf pound ; blue-fish, one-half pound. 



In Spruce Creek, excellent black bass, red fish, sea trout, jew fish and tarpum 

 fishing. The bass average two and a half pounds. Go to Major Alden's house, or 

 Mr. Loud's. One of the best guides is Morrison Lewis. His terms are $2 per 

 day, and $1 for the use of a horse, which will be found necessary in hunting the 

 great swamp that extends from New Smyrna to the head of Indian River. The 

 best time for hunting is from 15th December to 1st February. In February the 

 does are with fawn, and only the bucks are fit to kill. Wild turkeys should not 

 be killed after February. The fishing is best after February. 



The Hillsboro' for twenty miles is filled with mangrove and marshy islands, 

 making many exceedingly tortuous channels difficult to follow. " Shipyard 

 Reach," fifteen miles south of Smyrna, is a noted place for ducks ; but the best 

 of all grounds is a little below on the west channel, where they come to a little 

 pool all day long to drink. Parties have been here and shot a hundred to the 

 man in half a day's shooting. Bissett's orange mound is a favorite place ; here 

 the wild oranges glow and gleam through the dark foliage, covering a shell 

 mound, at whose base is a drinking pool where the ducks flock by scores, October 

 and November are the best months, and again in March, the interim being spent 

 by the greater part of the mass of ducks wintering in Florida further south. 



The route to New Smyrna is up the St. John's to Enterprise, thence via stage 

 or hired conveyance across the country. Or via steamer up the St. John's and 

 Deep River to Crescent City, thence by stages which make bi-weekly trips. Boats 

 are transferred for from $1 to $20. 



Titusville and the Indian River Country. Titusville is a point of arrival and 

 departure for more interesting points on the river. For ducks one must go across 

 the river to Dummitt's, ten miles, or to Banana creek, still further. For deer, to 

 Merritt's Island, or to the prairies bordering Salt or South Lakes. Boatmen and 

 guides can be hired to any point on the lagoon and interior. James Stewart, cap- 

 tain of the " Blonde," is perfectly trustworthy and reliable. Jim Russell is thor- 

 ouofhly posted upon the game and fish of Indian River, and will be found of great 

 value to any party contemplating a winter's camp here. 



Indian River, so called, is not properly a river ; but rather a sound or salt 

 water lagoou, bein^ separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of sandy land, 



