206 THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA. 



monsters of the deep was securely fastened on the hook. By 

 hard pulling I got him in near enough to the wharf to see that 

 he was indeed a monster. I could not land him alone so I 

 hastened back to the house and called Captain S. to come and 

 assist me. He was soon ready for the task and we returned 

 to the wharf. By hard pulling we succeeded in bringing our 

 prize ashore. It proved to be a jew-fish, measuring five feet 

 eight inches in length, three feet nine inches in circumference, 

 and weighing 153 pounds. In his struggles he had broken 

 one strand of the chain and one strand of the rope, leaving 

 but one of the chain and two of the rope between nim and 

 liberty. This fish is very much like the northern black bass 

 in form and color, and might with propriety be termed an 

 overgrown specimen of that family. We were much better 

 pleased with our catch than if we had taken a shark, for this 

 fish, while much more rare than the shark, is valued highly 

 as an article of food. It is prepared in the same manner as 

 the codfish, and the flavor is very much like that of the cod. 

 I -cut off the two pectoral fins, preserved them, and shall add 

 them to my collection of Florida specimens. They each 

 measure fourteen inches in length and nine in width. 



After seeing the jew-fish dressed and put away, I took my 

 rifle and again went to South creek, but saw no large game of 

 any kind. I killed several white egrets and ibises, and 

 again amused myself for an hour or two shooting gars, of which 

 I saw a great number in the upper portion of the creek. I 

 returned home about three o'clock in the afternoon, and Mr. 

 Will Webb informed me that he had prepared a " pan " and 

 had made all necessary preparations for a " fire-hunt ' ' that 

 night, and cordially invited me to accompany him. I gladly 

 accepted, for although I had heard much of this novel method 

 of deer hunting, had never before had an opportunity of 

 participating in it. We split up a quantity of fat pine, or 



