FOREST AND STREAM. 



89 



ROUTES OF FLORIDA TRAVEL. 



Editok Forest and Stream:— 



WINTER is approaching and numbers are undoubt- 

 edly looking forward with pleasure to the period 

 when they will leave Old Boreas in the rear, and bask in 

 the health-promoting sunbeams of Florida, and as the 

 present seems an opportune time, I propose furnishing a 

 few statements for the benefit of those who contemplate a 

 visit to this State. 



As the southwest coast (the scene of my last Winter's 

 wanderings) presents an attractive field for the true sports- 

 man, I shall refer to it in this communication. I fancied 

 that my articles published in the Forest and Stream were 

 sufficiently explanatory, but from the large number of letters 

 I have received, I find that something more is necessary, 

 and I shall endeavor to furnish the required information. 



Steamships leave Boston and Baltimore regularly for Sav- 

 annah. Florida can also be reached by any of the various 

 rail routes, and fares can be ascertained by inquiring at 

 any of the principal offices. Steamships leave New York 

 for Charleston three times weekly, and from Philadel- 

 phia every Saturday, connecting with railroad, and with 

 the staunch, seaiworthy, comfortable and ably officered 

 sea-going steamers, the Dictator and City Point. Fare 

 from New York to .Jacksonville, including state room and 

 meals, $27 50; excursion ticket, $50. 



Steamships leave New York for Savannah three times 

 weekly, connecting with the steamers Dictator, City Point 

 and Lizzie Baker. If travelers prefer it, they can reach 

 Jacksonville from Savannah by the Atlantic and Gulf 

 railroad. Coupons of excursion tickets will be received by 

 the compaay. travelers will find this road supplied with 

 excellent Pullman cars. 



Gelpcke's line from New York to Fernandina consists of 

 the well known steamships, Huntsville and Montgomery. 

 The rates by this line are as follows:— New York to Fer- 

 nandina, $20, excursion ticket $35; New York to Jackson- 

 ville, $22 50, excursion $40; New York to Cedar Keys, 

 $26, excursion $45; New York to Tampa and Manatee, 

 $36; New York to Punta Rassa, rate not received, but pre- 

 sume about $40; New York to Key West, $46. 



A direct line to Jacksonville is advertised, but we must 

 await results before anything definite can be stated. Fare 

 to Jacksonville as advertised, $20, excursion ticket $35. 

 Jacksonville or Fernandina reached, the sportsman can 

 take railroad, daily except Sunday, for Cedar Keys. If 

 Homosassa is the objective point, a boat can be hired at 

 from eight to ten dollars for the trip, or if disposed the in- 

 tending tourist or sportsman can communicate w T ith Alfred 

 E. Jones at Homosassa, and if timely notice is given, Mr. 

 Jones would meet" his guests at Cedar Keys and land them 

 at his attractive home, free of charge. The only difficulty 

 attending this arrangement is the fact, that there is but one 

 mail per week to Homosassa, arriving on Mondays. Ho- 

 mosassa can be reached by another route: Steamer from 

 Jacksonville to Silver Spring, a natural curiosity that 

 should be visited by every tourist. Hack from Silver 

 Spring to Ocala, fare one dollar. From Ocala to Homo- 

 sassa, a distance of thirty-six miles, over a good road, in 

 comfortable vehicle; charge for carriage from eight to 

 twelve dollars, dependent upon number of passengers. 

 Board at Homosassa, from ten to twelve dollars per week; 

 accommodations good, table excellent; fishing and shoot- 

 ing superior; and we may add, rooms large and airy; 

 verandahs spacious; fresh milk and butter; oysters and 

 oranges ad libitum . 



At an early day, we propose taking a trip overland 

 from Ocala to Homosassa, and will furnish your readers 

 with a description of the route. But I must return to 

 Bronson, a point on the Fernandina and Cedar Keys Rail- 

 road, thirty miles from the latter place. The ponds in the 

 neighborhood afford fine bass fishing; quail and duck are 

 plenty, and the sportsman may succeed in shooting turkeys 

 or deer. Accommodations, hotels, fifteen dollars; piyate 

 boarding houses, twelve; board $1 per day or $5 per week. 

 For information interview Mr. G. Levet. 



With the exception of climate, bathing and fishing, 

 Cedar Keys presents but few attractions for tourists or 

 sportsmen. We regret to state that the hotel accommoda- 

 tions cannot be recommended, as A 1. Sportsmen arriving 

 at Cedar Keys and requiring information need but call 

 upon Mr. Gore, editor of the local paper, or on Willard 

 and Roux, and mention that the liberty taken was in ac- 

 cordance with the suggestion of Al Fresco. 



The steamer Valley City, commanded by that jolly sea 

 dog, Capt. McKay, leaves Cedar Keys every Friday for 

 Tampa, Manatee, Punta Rassa, and Key West. Parties 

 desirous of ascending the Caloosahatchie River, or of 

 spending a few weeks on the coast, could take steamer to 

 Punta Rassa, and from there ascend the river or explore 

 Charlotte Harbor. For 'gator shooting, ascend the Caloo- 

 sahatchie to the upper islands, six miles above Fort Myers, 

 and thirty-one from Punta Rassa. Above the islands the 

 disciple of Old Izaak can put in all his spare time in land- 

 ing cavalli ranging from five to fifteen pounds. For fight 

 and pluck we can recommend this fish. They take the 

 spoon, or spinner without hesitation, and we are of the 

 opinion that they would not object to a salmon fly. For 

 hunting and sea fishing we can recommend Tanibel, La- 

 costa, or Gasparilla Islands. For a camping place for the 

 invalid who requires a bracing sea breeze, an equable 

 temperature, salt bathing, and life-giving sunbeams, we 

 would say camp on the northern end of Gasparilla Island. 

 The island is two miles \n length, and is we}! stocked with. 



deer. At the entrance, or Little Gasparilla Pass, the fish- 

 ing is unequalled. On the opposite fiats beach birds are 

 more than plentiful. The main land is distant about three 

 hundred yards. In the centre of the island a lagoon with 

 excellent water will be found; but by digging a hole in the 

 sand (and planting an empty barrel in it) from twenty to 

 eighty yards from the bay beach, fair drinking water can 

 be obtained at low tide. If a party landed at Punta Rassa, 

 a small sloop or schooner could be chartered to transport 

 boat, provisions and camp equipage to camping ground. 

 A few weeks spent on one of the islands in Charlotte Har- 

 bor would do much to restore the invalid. Frosts are un- 

 known; northeasters and northwesters lose their injurious 

 influences before reaching these favored spots. A weekly 

 mail is received at Punta Rassa, and supplies could be ob- 

 tained through Capt, McKay 1 , of the Valley City. We 

 have advised parties to camp on the end of the island, for, 

 by pursuing this course, bushes and grass would be distant 

 some hundred yards, and in consequence mosquitoes would 

 not prove troublesome. To intending visitors I would say, 

 secure coast survey charts of this harbor, two in number, 

 obtainable at any large nautical store. 



Returning northward, sportsmen could run the coast 

 line from Little Gasparilla Inlet to Sarasota Inlet, a dis- 

 tance of thirty-eight miles. But unless they are familiar 

 with sailing, and know how to pick their way between 

 bars, and keep clear of breakers, we would advise them to 

 take themselves and boat on board the Valley City and 

 land at Tampa. At Tampa they would find good accom- 

 modations by calling upon Lt. Wall. Leaving Tampa 

 Bay, with its islands stocked with deer, and every inlet 

 furnishing superior Ashing, they would reach Clear Water 

 Harbor by the Indian Pa.<s. From Clear Water Harbor 

 they could run along within two or three miles of the main 

 land in from three to five feet of water. A barrier reef 

 exists from five to seven miles from the main land, and 

 owing to the shallowness of the water, and the grassy na- 

 ture of the bottom, the water is smooth. Bayous, coves, 

 and small bays will be found in numbers along the coast 

 line, and a good harbor can always be made. The voya- 

 geurs could enter and examine en route the attractive and 

 beautiful springs at the heads of the Wiccawatchee, Ches- 

 eowillshi, Homosassa, and Crystal Rivers. During the 

 Winter months the gulf is usually as c lm as a mill pond, 

 and can be safely navigated with a seventeen-foot White- 

 hall boat; but for the purpose of navigating shoal water 

 and carryiug plunder, we would recommend a batteau, 

 such as is used on the Delaware River. If decked over 

 and supplied with a centre-board and sail, such a craft 

 would be found admirably adapted to the navigation of the 

 southwest. Arrangements could be made for the cheap 

 transportation of such a boat from New York to Cedar 

 Keys by the New York and Fernandina line of steamers. 

 But if money is no object I would recommend intending 

 sportsmen to secure a boat with sailing master at Cedar 

 Keys, Tampa, or Manatee, at an expense of from four to 

 five dollars per day. But I may remark that many of the 

 boatmen along the coast have acquired a weakness, and if 

 peace is desired the whisky bottle must be kept under lock 

 and key. Al Fresco. 



-*^*- 



Choke Bores. — The last issue of the London Field con- 

 tains a description of the performances in the field of one 

 of Mr. W. W. Greener's choke bored guns ordered of that 

 manufacturer shortly after his success in the competition 

 for the Field cup. Although the report winds up with the 

 statement that on the whole the result is favorable for the 

 choke bore system, when used on grousse and partridge 

 after the first week of their seasons, we do not consider 

 the same by any means proven even by the very account 

 in question. It says : — 



"On the 16th five guns were out (by Purdey, Westley 

 Richards, Grant, and Boss), in addition to Mr. Price's 

 Greener; but the day was so persistently wet that the birds 

 would not lie at all, and only a very small bag was made. 

 The "Greener" did well as far as it was tried, killing five 

 out of six shots, one or two at very long distances. Of its 

 long range powers we had no doubt, from our target ex- 

 perience of it; but what we wanted chiefly to ascertain was 

 how it would act at twenty -five and thirty yards when 

 loaded in the ordinary way. Of the six shots only two 

 were within thirty yards, and at this distance it certainly 

 cut up the birds very much, but not so as to spoil them for 

 the table — nor, indeed, more than a good gun of the ordi- 

 nary kind. The 17th was devoted to a trial with it at snipe; 

 but here it certainly failed, and undoubtedly its limited 

 killing circle is too small for this twisting bird. If the 

 "bog-trotter" therefore, has no other gun to use, he should 

 adopt the plan recommended in the report of the trial com- 

 mittee, by which his circle will be increased sufficiently to 

 embrace "master Jack." 



Two days later the choke bore was tried again, but the 

 writer admits that a Purdey, its only competitor on that 

 day, did equally as well, and the report also says that "the 

 choke bore certainly is not suited to a bad shot," and those 

 who only possess one gun would do well to have one bar- 

 rel only choke bored, especially if they are not first-class 

 shots. Mr. Price is of opinion that "the choke bore heats 

 more rapidly than the old plan, and, and thinks in a "hot 

 corner" this will be a drawback; but, as far as our experi- 

 ence goes, we have found no difference in this respect." 



Many of our friends are making enquiries regarding the 

 advisability of purchasing choke bored guns or having their 

 old ones re-bored on this plan. To all of these we can 

 only say wait, and let well enough alone, until further ex- 

 periment, not at targets, but in actual field work, shall 

 have demonstrated the advantages of the hew system over 

 the old. 



r jht 



The Laelin and Rand Medal.— We present herewith a 

 cut, or rather cuts, of the handsome medal presented by the 

 Laflin & Rand Powder Company to the National Rifle As- 

 sociation, to be shot for at Creedmoor during the Fall meet- 

 ing, under the conditions mentioned below. Many of the 

 Creedmoor experts use the Laflin & Rand powder and the 

 medals are probably intended as a recognition of their 

 efforts to excel with it. Capt. Bogardus has also made the 

 name of these makers famous. The design of the medal 

 is admirably conceived and the work well executed. The 

 obverse represents the arms of the City and State of New 

 York combined, surrounded by the national standard and 

 various implements of war, the shields being surmounted 

 by an eagle standing on the top of the globe, the legend 

 surrounding the whole being "Laflin & Rand Powder Co. 

 Prize Medal." The reverse of the medal represents the 

 range at Creedmoor, the targets in the distance; at the 

 firing point, Fame in the act of crowning a victorious rifle- 

 man, who, with rifle in hand, kneels to receive the decora- 

 tion. The medal is suspended by a chain from a pair of 



cross guns; the guns are attached to a plate, or broach to 

 enable it to be worn on the breast. The medal is two 

 inches in diameter, and struck in perfectly pure gold, the 

 attachments being eighteen carats fine. Duplicate medals 

 have also been made in silver and bronze, which the Laflin 

 & Rand Co. have also presented to the association. 



The match is open to members of the National Guard of 

 any State in the United States, members of the National Rifle 

 Association, excepting, however, such members of the 

 Amatuer Rifle Club, who shot in the international matches 

 at Creedmoor or in Ireland. 



This match is to be shot for with breech loading military 

 rifles only, and all specially made heavy barrels intended 

 for long range shooting will be excluded . No cartridges 

 carrying more than seventy grains weight of powder, or 

 more than 480 grains weight of bullet will be allowed; 

 firing position, any within the rules of the Association. 



The Forest and Stream Badges.— The eighth contest 

 for these badges was shot on Wednesday evening, the 8th 

 inst., at Conlin's gallery, No. 930 Broadway. A large 

 number of gentlemen competed, Mr. Wm. Hayes proving 

 the winner by the capital score of 10 inches, being the 

 smallest yet made in these competitions. For those of our 

 readers who may not be familiar with this mode of scoring 

 we would explain that the shooting was done at 25 yards,' 

 the shots being measured from the centre of the bullseye 

 to the centre of each shot. Thus in Mr. Hayes' score the 

 total measurement of twenty shots was but ten inches. 

 The second and third badges were won by the Messrs. Thos. 

 Lloyd and F. Hyde, those gentlemen " having made the 

 scores; nearest to and over fifteen and twenty inches respee. 



