MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. 331 



In the St. John's river, Florida, a fine game fish called the 

 Trout, but belonging to the Perch family, is taken by trolling, 

 or heaving and hauling, with a piece of deer's tail. Like the 

 common trout of the south they give great play, and afford the 

 highest perfection of sport with the rod and reel. The striped 

 Basse or Rock fish are also found along the coast, and in most 

 of the streams running up therefrom. They are taken of large 

 size, and are as active when hooked as those of the more 

 northern latitudes. 



The most daring and exciting sport in the world that is called 

 fishing, is the capture of the inhabitants of the " deep, deep sea." 

 Of this description are Shark and Devil fishing. Parties are 

 made up in the hot summer months from the cities of the Atlan- 

 tic coast, to take a shark or catch the devil. For shark fishing 

 the nearest ship-chandler's store furnishes the line, which should 

 be a rope large and strong enough to hold him, and the nearest 

 blacksmith's shop will get ready to order a large hook and chain 

 with swivel attached, sufficient sometimes to hold him. The 

 hook is baited with a large piece of beef or pork, and thrown over- 

 board from a good sized row boat. The line is fastened to the 

 stern of the boat, which is propelled rapidly along by good 

 oarsmen, until you get a bite. Any lover of ocean sport may 

 imagine that when such an event happens, if the monster 

 be well hooked, how many knots he will go an hour, what 

 will be the course pursued, and what the amount of excitement. 



Catching the devil is practised by the sturdy, athletic sons of 

 the south along the sea coast, but principally in Port Royal 

 Sound, near Beaufort, S. C. Great preparations are made 

 when the devil fish, or " Vampire of the Ocean," begins to school 

 around the sound: large parties of strong men, in large and 

 strong boats, with from four to eight oars, big ropes of great 

 length, long and strong harpoons, hatchets, muskets, rifles, &c., 



