FLORIDA AND THE WEST INDIES 231 



by baiting a small triangle with weed. In this way 

 Mr Verley, an enthusiastic fisherman well known in 

 the island, once took a brace of very handsome fish 

 at the irrigation dam, close to Spanish Town, 

 weighing 9 Ibs. and 7 Ibs. The little mountain 

 mullet, which averages no more than half a pound, 

 will take a silver Devon in broken water, but is 

 more usually caught on either fly, grasshopper, 

 worm on Stewart tackle, or a piece of avogado 

 pear. It never jumps when hooked, but is other- 

 wise regarded by sportsmen who know both, as no 

 bad substitute for trout. The largest river-fish 

 taken on the rod, bar tarpon in the estuaries, is the 

 snook, which grows to a weight of at least 20 Ibs. 

 It is taken, generally on live bait, in the Black 

 River, Cabaritta and other waters. For all fresh- 

 water fishes in the island a close time, lasting from 

 ist June to ist October, is strictly enforced. This 

 prevented my making their acquaintance, and I 

 was therefore disposed to agree with a number of 

 resident sportsmen, who are of opinion that, as fish 

 are many and anglers few, such a long close time is 

 quite unneccessary at present, and that a more useful 

 purpose would be served by a stricter prohibition 

 of the use of traps and dynamite both of which are 

 much in vogue among coloured poachers. 



On the 8th July, the Tagus, sister ship of the 

 Trent, and a crack boat of the Royal Mail line, left 

 Kingston, taking with her myself and alligators, 

 besides some passengers who had come on from 

 New York, and a hundred and twenty turtles to 

 tickle aldermanic palates at home. Most of the 

 accommodation was booked in advance from the 

 Spanish Main, Trinidad and Barbados. The 



