THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA. 223 



widest part and two miles long. In the winter season it is 

 a favorite duck ground, as are many of the smaller ponds 

 along the river, and the tropical water birds breed here in 

 great numbers. 



We saw several large flocks of teal, but'did not care to 

 shoot them. Jack took a shot at one flock, however, and 

 secured three for supper. 



It was growing late, and we returned to camp without 

 finding any better game. We proceeded at once to prepare 

 supper, put up the tent, make beds, etc. We dressed our 

 ducks, cut palmetto-stems, split one end, sharpened the 

 points and impaled the birds on them. We then sharpened 

 the other end and stuck it in the ground, so as to hold the 

 duck over the fire. They were soon roasted to a turn. It 

 was now dark. Jack started to the river to get -water for our 

 coffee, and as he passed the end of a large hollow log that 

 lay a few feet from the fire, he heard a slight noise in it. We 

 cut a stick and passed it in, when we found there was " some- 

 thing alive in it," as Dundreary says of his hat. We put a 

 bunch of dry moss in the opening and set fire to it. In a 

 few minutes a 'possum came tumbling out through the fire, 

 and old Rover, who stood there waiting for him, made short 

 work of him. 



After supper we pulled down a large quantity of moss and 

 made a bed in the tent, that a king might have envied. 

 I have been told that this moss was full of red-bugs, and that 

 any one who attempted to sleep on it would find himself 

 drilled full of holes by them before morning ; but we slept on 

 it here four nights, and did not get a single bite. 



We sat around the fire an hour chatting, enjoying the 

 balmy night air and making our plans for the morrow, after 



which we laid down, 



" And all night slept 

 In Elysium." 



