ON THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA. 5 



the age of fourteen years he commenced to row and sail boats for 

 parties fishing for sport, his headquarters then being at that well- 

 known sportsmen's and family winter resort, the Oak Hill House, 

 situated on the west side of Mosquito Lagoon, managed by Mr. Frank 

 W. Sams, then and now the proprietor of the Ocean House at New 

 Smyrna on the Hillsboro River, five miles south of Mosquito Inlet. 

 From the above until the present time Capt. Gardner has been 

 almost constantly engaged during the fall, winter and spring seasons, 

 and often during the summer, in guiding fishing parties ; and in 

 charge of sailboats and yachts on the inside and outside waters of the 

 East Coast. During a few of the summer seasons he has worked as a 

 carpenter and boat builder, having built five sailboats and many row- 

 boats adapted to the East Coast waters and the occupation in which 

 he has been engaged. His home has been : seven years at Oak Hill, 

 seven at New Smyrna, and sixteen at Ponce Park, which village is 

 situated at Mosquito Inlet, eighteen miles south of Ormond, twelve 

 south of Daytona, and five north of New Smyrna. 



All three of above-mentioned places of his residence are well- 

 known sport fishing resorts, and for many years were the leading resorts 

 on the East Coast. Among the many sportsmen he has guided, I will 

 mention a few, namely : Mr. S. C. Clarke of Boston, widely known 

 as an angler, and writer on angling and other subjects, who spent 

 much time at Ponce Park ; Mr. Benson, who fished at Enterprise, on 

 St. Johns River, and at New Smyrna and Ponce Park for many years ; 

 Mr. Samuel H. Jones of Philadelphia, whom he guided five consecu- 

 tive winter seasons, being with him when he caught the first Tarpon 

 ever taken with rod and reel, which occurred at Indian River Inlet 

 during the winter of 1884 ; Mr. C. E. Hillman and Mr. Saury of 

 Nashville, Tenn.; Mr. McFarren and Doctor Diehl of Louisville, Ky.; 

 Commodore Asten of New York ; Mr. George F. Peabody of Apple- 

 ton, Wis.; Mr. W. E. Connor of New York; Mr. Edward P. Borden 

 of Philadelphia; Professor W. A. Walker of Charleston, S. C; 

 Messrs. John G. Prather, John A. Scudder, H. G. Brookings, James 

 Lupe, the two brothers Mandeville, W. H. Gregg, W. H. Gregg, Jr., 

 and Frederic Hawley of St. Louis ; and Mr. Charles M. Hays of 

 Montreal, Canada. 



While with several of the above gentlemen he sailed their boats, 

 or yachts, on cruises extending in some cases from Ormond to Key 

 West, and extending in time from a few days to eight months. 



