230 
FOREST AND STREAM 
bank, by counterfeiting a cripple, nnd keeping on Iho wa¬ 
ter n short distance ahead until we had gone oh some hun¬ 
dred yards, when she dashed into the air and wiuged her 
way back over our heads. By a very narrow, deep, and 
rocky stream, tenanted by large gamy tiout-, of which I 
took some samples, we entered Gull Luke, which, though 
out of our course, proved well worth a visit. It is circular 
in form, a mile in diameter, and environed with forests. 
In the centre is a cutioub group of rocks, the nesting-place 
of gulls, which, high above us, shrieked their alarm at our 
intrusion. Inflamed by the prospect of eggs for supper, 
we made for the rocks, found eggs, but alasl the abodes of 
life. Returning to Barren L., we pitched our tent on one 
of its charming islands. Next morning, through Stony 
Creek and the Stony L. beyond, we reached the English 
Mill, or rather the stream which bears its name, nothing 
being left of the mill but some old timbers. This stream 
is deserving of its local repute, for it seemed full of trout. 
Through the clear water we saw them darting about on 
the bottom, and they broke the water all around us after 
nuturul flies. The big fellows were flopping about in such 
a way that I staid an hour casting over them, but induced 
verv few to take my flies, they seeming to prefer a less me¬ 
tallic diet. This stream connects two large lakes, usually a 
favorite situation for trout. Another portage to get around 
the dam, and we were on Meadow Lake, which is similar 
t® Barren. Paddling through this and inlo a little creek 
as far aB we could go, two miles of woods lay between us 
and Bloody Brook. This portage was made in two trips 
during the afternoon, and we had embarked and paddled 
down a lake before nightfall. The lugging was very wea¬ 
risome in a still air and' under a hot sun, but the sweat that 
flowed from us inconsequence was an effectualculexifuge 
for the black flies. (Wo afterwards got out of “fly oil,” 
and found a mixture of Johnson's liniment and castor oil a 
good substitute). None hut lumbermen, and Iudians had 
ever been through there before, and probably few, if any, 
of my readers will care to repeat the trip. 
« The Bloody Brook is a beautiful stream, about the size 
of the Little River at Kempt. Silvery white birches line 
the banks, aud green meadows stretch away on either side. 
It is deep and clear, with a bottom of clean, coaTse saud 
and gravel, the best of spawning ground for salmon. Hall' 
way down we found a young moose, dead and floatiue in 
the water. We conjectured that it had been driven in and 
drowned by one of the old bull moose. Through a few 
miles of rapids and ten of still water we reached the 
Clyde, and over the placid surface of this noble river we 
paddled four miles through an open farming country, af¬ 
fording extended and pleasing views, reaching at sunset 
the Victoria Falls, whosu roar we heard half a iniloaway. 
Wehad been told by a farmer above that we could not nm 
these rapids “in that thing;" so we landed aud took a sur¬ 
vey of the falls from the “bank. The water ran swift aud 
deep through a channel left in a high dam built for log¬ 
driving, and twenty yards below, foaming aud breaking, 
fought its way through jagged projecting rocks. We map¬ 
ped out a course through the falls, stepped into the canoe, 
and pointed for the descent. 1 knelt in the how, with pad¬ 
dle in hand, while Jerry, armed with a long pole, 
Stood up in the stern, pausing for a moment on 
the brink; with a light touch of the paddle we 
shot straight down the sluice, aud as we neared the rocks, 
tried to check our speed with the pole. It slipped on the 
bottom, and he fell into the canoe, yelling out, “Gone 
sucker!” We narrowly escaped an -upset, but by a few 
strokes of the paddle I succeeded in guiding the cauoe 
through the rocks in safety. Wo lauded below and 
camped for the night. 
Early next morning I went alone in the canoe, and an¬ 
chored among the rapids to ttsh. The trout rose well, aud 
at one cast 1 hooked three, one on each fly, nnd neued 
them all myself from the unballasted canoe. Embarking 
and running more rapids we arrived at Clyde River village 
by noon. 1 was disappointed to find that it was too early 
there for salmon, and after a day of fruitless casting, we 
got conveyance to Barriugion, and embarked on 
the Barrington River. This stream is very rocky, 
the first ten or fifteen miles of fair width and navigable, 
aud connecting several large aud beautiful lakes. A lew 
miles from its source, in Pubuico L., it heedmes so narrow 
that it is very difficult, even for a canoe, to get through, 
and the banks so overgrown with trees and bushes that 
fishing is impossible. At the time wo ascended, the water 
was low, and the fishing had in consequence. Where the 
stream issues from Pubuico L. tbeie are line deep pools 
abounding with fine sea trout in June. This point is about 
thirteen miles from Barrington by road, aud affords fine 
fishing. 
It was necessary to wado the last mile or two, as the 
Stream became too narrow in many places to use either 
pole or paddle. I waded at the how as guide for the ca¬ 
noe, with Jerry at the stern, giving sucu strong aud ill- 
timed shoves ns frequently to send me up to my neck in 
water. We spent two days on tliiB river, aud reached Pu- 
buieo L., vowing never to return to it. This lake is about 
six miles long aud two in width, studded with islands, and 
well wooded. We paddled through it to^a lauding place, 
and the succeeding day got an express to Yarmouth, thirty 
miles distant. A few days more and I was home again, 
looking and feeling vastly better for my trip into the wilds 
of Acadia. 
As some of your readers may wish to visit this region, I 
will add something about the route and equipment. Take 
tent, and blankets must be taken with you; everything else 
had better be purchased at Yarmouth. The most direct 
route is via Boston by steamer, leaving Tuesday noon. The 
season is May and June; the best time to go usually about 
the 15th of May. The black flies are troublesome in Jtine, 
and should he prepared for. Guides aud boats can he en¬ 
gaged by letter to Air. William Broaser, Kemptviilc. Boat¬ 
men aie well paid at $1.50 per day; provisions aud lodging 
ing cheap. The weather is seldom uncomfortably warm, 
and the uights are always cool, making a heavy blanket 
desirable. ' MomiiiunkWiB. 
Vine Growing at ttte Sooth. —If the reports we read 
as to the success met with in growing grapes at the South 
are correct, a. source of industry is open to the people which 
may almost rival cotton growing, being less expensive to 
continue, and requiring less capital at the outset. Vines 
near Mobile six years old, are said to produce three bushels 
of grapes each, making a good wine, It is notorious that 
almost worthless soil is the best adapted for winemaking 
grapes. Worn out plantations may yet be made profitable. 
Let the Western crooked whisky men emigrate, ami try 
mulling wine on the square, 
Jfyv JFm'tet and Sfotam. 
WINTER IN MIDDLE FLORIDA. 
W HY do seekers arter health or pleasure, or both, ever 
go to East Florida, to walk in Fiftbavenue attire 
on the sandy roads and streets of Jacksonville, to see a 
repetition day after day of the flat and uninteresting scen¬ 
ery of the St. Johns? Scenery! Can that he called such 
whose monotone is a weariness to the flesh? Here, in Mid¬ 
dle Florida, is the true «in(er resort for pleasure and 
health-seekers; at least sol have found it among the pret¬ 
ty wooded hills and lovely dells around Tallahassee and 
Quincy. The capital of the State is situated on the top of 
quite a high hill for Florida, said to be 200 feet, or there¬ 
abouts, above tUe sea, and the views in every direction and 
a great distance arc really very fine. Hill upon hill, like 
the rolling waves of the sea, strelch away to the horizon, 
each topped by some pretty farm-house glistening white 
fromamongt.be trees, each covered by groves whose va¬ 
rying shades of green enchant the eye; the noble pine, 
with its high straight trunk and branching top, appearing 
against the sky like a palm tree, and the live oak, that 
handsomest of trees, with its dark green leaves and spread¬ 
ing branches, add beauty to the scene. The eye is reliev¬ 
ed by bright fields that checker the country like a vast 
chess board, and by the exquisite lakes and ponds dolled 
here and there in every direction, The climate is lovely; 
not too warm, but clear, genial, invigorating; a delicious 
breeze fans your cheek, your lungs inhale fresh vigor with 
every breath, and the mere pleasure of life, the simple fact 
of existence, is almost intoxicating. The driyes around 
are, as a rule, delightful, the roads, except to the south, 
being of hard clay, making' it excellent for horse and wa¬ 
gon. The soil is Eirpenor”and produces fine crops of cot¬ 
ton, corn, and tobacco, the two former being mostly in cul¬ 
tivation, and of a quality much above the average, though 
the quantity is small. And here let me notice one of the 
causes of the general poverty iu the South, and the pauci¬ 
ty of the crops. During many days riding and hunting 
over the plantations, both here and elsewhere, we never 
saw a white man tilling the ground, nothing but the ever¬ 
lasting negro, and as tnese only laoor till they earn enough 
to keep them in idleness double the time that they work, it is 
easily conceivable how such unsteadiness and want of ap¬ 
plication affects the productions of the soil, and indeed the 
moral aud material wealth of the whole country, and yet 
tire negro, properly handled, is an excellent worker, und 
with a good head over him, will do more in this climate 
than a white man. As far as my observation went, he is 
the only hard woricer (i. e., iu manual labor) in the South, 
imd as a friend remarked to some gentlemen in Tallahasse, 
if the white Southerners do notiook out a little more sharp¬ 
ly the black man will be his master some day, for, said he, 
“I’ll buck the man that works against the man that loafs, 
be lie white or black.” it is no doubt very unpalatable, 
hut take au instance: A friend hired a carpenter (white) 
to do a job round his house, and on returning home from 
busiuess found his lordship hands in pockets, leaning 
against the wall looking on while a darkie was hard at work 
at the job. Is that darkie going to work for that white 
man long ? No, he will some day take tiie business away 
from his boss and poc.ket the whole profit himself, instead 
of the pittance he now receives. IVhat the negro lacks— 
I speak now of the ordinary field hand and laborer—is am¬ 
bition to lay up something, to possess more than 
the mere necessaries of life. A large number already own 
their little cabin aud acre or two of ground, raise their own 
corn and vegetables, with perhaps a pig or two, and are 
proud of it, loo, but there they stop, and tliiuk not of 
rainy days to come, or hard times, and the provisions nec¬ 
essary for them. Again, look at the enormous rate of in¬ 
terest on money the Southerners submit to. The only 
bank in Tallahassee told us they got two and.one-half per 
cent, per month for loans on undoubted security. Two 
and one-half per cent, per month! What country or com¬ 
munity, commercial or agricultural, can stand that with¬ 
out ruination? And such is the actual result. A planter 
that discounts his crops lo the tune of thirty per cent, per 
annum that does not personalty supervise the work done 
day by day, that spends every cent of his income in ad¬ 
vance, what does he, what can he expect but bankruptcy 
and ruin? There is no money in the South. How cun 
there be under these circumstances? The poorer farmers 
are forced to barter aud exchange kind for kind, and do 
they not lose by it? A cattle ranger gives an approximate 
value in oxen, a farmer in pigs or corn, a few pounds of 
tobacco, or a bug of cotton; in tlie woods the poor cut 
down trees, no matter to whom belonging, rail them to 
town aud exchange for groceries. This may seem exag¬ 
gerated, but it is not, and though surprising to Hie North¬ 
erner, is not even commented on or noticed at the South. 
But let mo turn to pleasanter subjects, and give the 
sportsman some idea of what can he done iu his way iu 
this part of Florida. In the environs of Tallahassee and 
Quincy are great quantities of quail, or partridge, as they 
call ttiem here; all the old fields and hollows are full of 
them, and fine, fat, sweet birds they are. It requires rath¬ 
er quick shooting, as the birds fly low und rapidly, nnd a 
covey scatters in all directions when put up. On the lakes 
and ponds are plenty of ducks—red heads and mallards— 
and a couple of hours in the morning or evening will well 
repay all Irouble, to say nothing of the delightful ride there 
and back. The dogs are of fair breed, point well, hut are 
badly broken, The horses are good under saddle, and 
many will stand fire without flinching. This brings me to 
sugaest, a trip l took myself, and that is for those who love 
deer sialkiuu and a life out of doors to get a guide, horses, 
pack muli-8,“aud a darkie; then, leaving civilization behind 
them, start right out into the pine forests for a couple of 
weeks. No tent is needed; a rubber blanket and n shawl 
for your bed, tea, sugar, coffee, and condensed inillt, with 
a little bacon and flour for grub, some tin ware and cook¬ 
ing utensils, and you can live like a king, getLing all your 
fresh venison, game, aDd fish as you go along. There is a 
superabundance of light wood for fire wherever you are, 
ami the long dry grass of winter makes an excellent soft 
couch. The delieiouB perfume of the pines, the freedohi 
of the woods, the long avenues leading in every direction 
green above and green below, with glimpses of a startled 
deer now and theu, or a herd of cattle picturesquely 
grouped under the trees, added to the excitement of the 
chase, combine to form a hunter’s paradise; and-then the 
glories of the camp fire when, tired and hUDgry, you throw 
yourself full length before it, enjoying its warmth and 
brightness, or when, after a good suxiper, the pipes are lit, 
and the stories and songs go round, the woods re-echoing 
to the shouts of laughter or applause. Some writer has 
remarked that even the highest, educated among men are 
hut part savage alter all, and there is no doubt an intense 1 
•pleasure in the wild nomadic life of the woods. To any 
one with a spark of the man in him the rough life, rough 1 
clothes, and rough work (for it is not all play) give a keen 
zest to life that nothing else can. The expense is not 
much, not over a dollar per day for each horse, a dollar and J 
a quarter pet day for each guide, and three dollars pet 
week for the darkie; provisions are not dear, the main cost 
being Unit one always takes far more than one needs. By- * 
the-way, in the list of articles lo take I omitted one very 
important item, viz: "a drop o’ the craythur,” which is in¬ 
dispensable when wet or cold, nnd au excellent cure for . 
snake bites; for though to say the truth, 1 did not see a | 
snake the whole time I was in Florida, still an ounce of J 
prevention, you know, in that form, is not disagreeable, J 
Speaking of snakes reminds me of Uie enormous quuulily | 
of ferocious animals we were led by our friends to expect a 
to meet in our peregrinations; but alas! alter 
screwing up our courage to encounter all sorts '■ 
of thrilling adventures, and providing ourselves with j 
weapons of offence and defence, we saw neilh- I 
er hear, panther, alligator, nor snake during the 
whole time of our sojourn in the Lund of Flowers. It 
w-as dreadfully disappointing,, especially to the youngest 1 
of our party, who had made up his mind to be particularly . 
brave, and it was sad to return without Borne trophy of our 
prowess. Deer are, however, in great numbers and afford | 
excellent sport, either by stalking or hunting wilh dogs, ■ 
and ’tis a beautiful sight to see a noble buck running 
through the woods, horns back, flag up, and taking such , 
leaps as astonish the beholder, so easy and graceful are 
they, and no fuss over it, either—done jnst as easy aB the I 
traditional roiling off a log. In proper season I have no ,1 
doubt there are plenty of bears aud panthers to he had, as 
we found tracks all over; but they, with their friends the 
alligators and snakes, had all laid up for the wiuter, audl 
not even a laudable curiosity to see real Northerners 1 
brought them out'of their holes. We consoled ourselv«s 
wilh the reflection that their room, under most circum¬ 
stances, is better than their company. 
The hospitality of the Southerners is proverbial, and we 
enjoyed it wherever we went. The ladies are graceful, * 
chatty, and warm-hearted; the gentlemen, though rather I 
given io enormous visionary schemes, a la Col. Sellers, are 
really obliging, jovial, well-informed men, and none will . 
grudge any trouble to make the stranger comfortable and 1 
at home. The great lack of Florida is sufficient traveling I 
accomodation, Not only dostrangers suffer from this, bur.' 
the natives themselves complain of the extreme difficulty 
of communication between one point and another diacom- j 
mode parlies going to that State, especially in the direction 
of Tallahassee. The Atlantic &Gulf R.R., by their want Of a 
common courtesy, force the passenger to lie over at Savau- | 
nail twenty-two and a half hours, the train arriving from | 
the north at 5:25 P. M., and their only train to Tallahassee 
leaving at 4 P. M. But 1 need not trouble my readers wilh 1 
a rehearsal. On the railroads annoyances and hindrances 
are constantly occurring at every step of your journey to 
aDd through Florida, and entirely eause'd by defective I 
management. 
AmoHg the objects of interest near Tallahassee is the - 
famous Wakulla Spring, that fountain of eternal youth,, J 
for which Ponce tie Leon so vainly searched. A pleasant] 
drive of about fifteen miles brings you to it, when leaving 
your horses at a farmer’s near, you get inlo a wretched 1 
scow and paddle out lb rough the long grasses aud lily ( 
patches, and over the blue, blue water till you reach the 
centre. A strange, weired place it is, and a kind of awe* . 
someness comes over one, as oppressed by the intense,, I 
painful silence, one gazes around on the tall gaunt cypress, 
white and ghostly, hung with heavy festoons of the funer¬ 
al moss, the various deciduous trees growing up in the wa¬ 
ter, leafless and bare at this season, that rise around one 
like the walls of a prison, and seem to shut one in from the 
world beyond. You look over the boat’s side and see the 
white sands one hundred feet below you, the smallest peb¬ 
ble distinctly visible, and (he myriads of fish daiting hith¬ 
er and thither iu their frightened efforts to escape. The 
loud, harsh cry of the wliooping crane startles you, and 
you turn to tee that huge bird with its heavy flapping 
wings Blowly sailing away in disgust at your presence.* 
You fancy all this time that you are on a pond, till you 
look around and see that your boat has drifted down the 
stream, which never narrows, but goes on, on, the sawo^ 
width at its source a3 at its mouth. The current is about - 
a mile an hour, which, combined with its depth and widtljH 
(say 300 yards), will give the reader an idea nf the great - 
bulk of water, nothing more nor less than a full-grown 
river flowing out of the earth and away towards the ocean J 
The visitor can also vary his amusements by a trip to the * 
gulf, where fish, oysters, aud ducks abound. There is 4)1 
tri-weekly train from Tallahassee to St. Marks, and from 
thence he can get passage in an oyster schooner to Apalaoh* 
icola, where he will find good accommodations and excel*- 
” The chief expense of a trip to Middle Florida is the fare 
going and reluming. By rail from New York all the way 
there and hack, wilh meals, etc., on the journey, it will 
cost about one hundred dollars, but it can be done by 
steamer, aud taking a return ticket for I believe one-half 
of that amount. The Oily Hotel of Tallahassee, which ifl 
well kept, has large, airy bed rooms, good fare aud attend-j 
ance at two dollars and a half per diem, aud at Quincy* 
several excellent hoarding-houses are to ho found, charging 
thirty dollars per mouth. A carriage and pair wilh drivel. 
from three to five dollars per day, according to distancet, 
traveled, aod a saddle horse two dollars per day, though aj 
bargain for regular use can he made at. much less terms;* 
Even the rales above named are but little over half whatj 
they cost at Jacksonville, and this of itself is a great de¬ 
sideratum to those of moderate means who wish to pass a.* 
pleasant winter at, moderate expense. To all such, whether j 
seekers after health or pleasure, 1 would again recommeutn 
Middle Florida. T. B. L. ■ 
March, 1876. 
—The total number of Indians in the Dominion is re¬ 
turned at 91,911). Of these 15,(1110, (roughly speaking) arc 
in Ontario; 11,000 in Quebec, 25,OU0 in Maliloba and the 
Northwest Territories; 6,000 in Rupert s Lund, and 31,000 ( 
in British Columbia; Nova Scotia und Yw Brunswick eacljj 
containing less than 2,000, while Prluee Edward Island® 
ouly 302. 
—Said an Irish Justice to an obstreperous prisoner on 1 
trial; "We want nothing hut Mteoce, and but little til < 
that. 1 ’ 
