126 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



find the strong flavor which many of them have in this 

 climate is either in the skin, or in the fat just under it. If 

 time serves, give them a soak in salt water for an hour or 

 two. 



May 19tfi— The wind was so light at daybreak that I did 

 not start, but taking the skiff pulled across the channel to 

 the North Island, where I soon picked up seven more birds. 

 I tried fishing for redfish, but with no success. They used 

 to be plenty here later in the season, but ". Clearwater Har- 

 bor is not a great place for fish, when compared with other 

 localities. 



On returning to'the sloop we got'under way; wind from 

 theN. E., but so light that we hardly made headway 

 against the strong tide coming in. An occasional puff 

 would lift us a few feet; and we stood still for a minute or 

 so. It took a good hour and a half to run the quarter of 

 a mile required to take us outside of all shoals. The main 

 channel on the outside runs straight out to sea, with seven 

 feet at low water; have never tried the north "swash," but 

 it looks practicable. The south "swash," I think, has 

 nearly as much water as the main channel; follow the beach 

 close until past the Coast Survey tripod. There is a trian- 

 gular-shaped shoal between the south "swash" and the 

 main channel, which is bare at low tide, and for this rea- 

 son I keep close in on the beach. 



Soon after we were outside it came off calm, and then 

 light from the southward, but before we had made many 

 stretches out and back it hauled around to the westward 

 far enough to admit of our sailing a straight course along 

 close by the beach. About seven miles from the New In- 

 let of Clearwater is another very small inlet communica- 

 ting with the inside passage called India Pass. It is so 

 very small that one can sail witkin 300 yards of the beach 

 and not see it, unless attention is attracted by the breakers 

 on its bar. There are only about three feet of water on the 

 bar at high tide. I have been in and out of this pass sev- 

 eral times, and have never found the deepest water on the 

 bar at the same place, but the channel was almost north 

 and south until the bar is reached, when it usually turns 

 sharp out to sea, yet sometimes keeps on almost parallel 

 with the beach. As we passed here made out the breakers 

 on the bar, but could see no deep streak at all; still, as the 

 wind was fair we did not mind, as five miles farther on is 

 John's Pass, where we proposed to run into Boca Sega Bay. 

 The entrance to this pass is very plain. When coming 

 from the northward I always run in the north "swash," 

 and have never found less than seven feet. Keep close to 

 the beach, as there is a bad shoal between the "swash" and 

 main channel. The latter runs straight out to sea. The 

 south "swash" is not to be depended upon, as I once got 

 aground there when drawing but thirty inches. Fortu- 

 nately there was no sea running, and I kedged off as the 

 tide raised. At a previous time I came through it, sound- 

 ing with a pole, never finding less than six feet. All of 

 these sandy channels are liable to changes, some of them 

 very sudden and extensive. I came in at the north "swash" 

 one time when it was blowing so heavy from the west that 

 it broke all the "way across the main channel, yet the 

 "swash" was tolerably smooth. This time, as soon as we 

 were in, I ran up to the south shore and landed with my 

 fishing tackle intent on redfish. One of those white sand 

 crabs, which are usually seen at a distance stealing so 

 ghost-like to their holes, was speedily unearthed and on my 

 hooks. There is no better bait, if it were not so easily 

 washed off the hook; and I made but few casts before a 

 fine, fresh run five-pounder was flapping on the beach. 

 This was all we needed for dinner, so I wound up my line 

 and got under way again. The channel inside seemed to 

 be perfectly alive with tarpum from six to ten feet long. 

 Not only were they jumping and breaking water all around, 

 but on looking into the clear depths over the sides, from 

 fifty to a hundred could be seen swimming around and un- 

 der us. I have often had fine sport striking them with the 

 grains about a mouth later, when they come out upon the 

 shoals, and are easily approached. The flesh is not esteem- 

 ed, and the oil is of but little value; but when an "iron" is 

 thrown into one about ten feet long, you can be sure of an 

 exciting chase. They often throw themselves double their 

 length into the air in their endeavors to get rid of the load; 

 but when they settle down to work they make a heavy 

 skiff just fly through the water. I have never known them 

 to take bait. 



There are three'channels from John's Pass into Boca 

 Sega Bay, which are available for any craft that can enter 

 the Pass. The northern one follows along some little dis- 

 tance from the shore towards the settlements in the vicinity 

 of Indian Pass, and through it to Clearwater. Another 

 runs almost due east, straight for the main land, where 

 some houses can be seen. If the voyager is short of pro- 

 visions he will probably be able to stock up with potatoes, 

 syrup, etc., at a Mr. Murphy's, who lives here, and who 

 always has those things ^ when anyone in the country 

 does. I stopped here on our return and laid in a. year's 

 supply of the choicest syrup I ever saw. Mr. Murphy's 

 youngest son is a good guide and competent boatman, per- 

 fectly trustworthy in every respect; has been in the em- 

 ploy of a French naturalist during most of the present sea- 

 son. The third channel is separated from the east one by 

 a large mangrove island. Its course is nearly S. E., and 

 takes you out into the middle of the bay, which you should 

 keep until Old Boca Sega Pass opens to the S. W. Be sure 

 that you make this out for a certainty, for when about 

 three miles from John's Pass there is a low place which 

 looks like an inlet, but is not. It is all of six miles be- 

 tween the two passes. 

 The channels in Boca Sega Bay are often bard to follow, 



as the water is usually clouded and they never seem to be 

 where they ought to be. Indeed, the whole bay is quite 

 shoal, and I can scarcely recall a time that I have been 

 through it that I did not get aground more or less, and 

 this time proved no exception to the rule. When Boca 

 Sega Pass bore about S. W. I stood for it. The old chan- 

 nel used to run well up into the pass and then cross over 

 into a channel on the south side, a long shoal dividing the 

 two. On this shoal we hung up for about an hour, as the 

 water was so muddy I could not see its depth until we 

 were on it hard and fast. The shoal has filled up much 

 since I was here last, and I learn I should have kept further 

 on, into the jaws of the pa3s before attempting to cross over. 

 Boca Sega Pass itself is rapidly closing. I never passed 

 through it but once, and then there seemed to be one 

 channel — a south "swash." As we were to keep on inside 

 the bay after we got afloat we kept close alongside the is- 

 land. This channel is plain and deep, almost as well 

 marked as a canal and not much wider. The island upon 

 the right is a favorite range for deer, but does not bear the 

 best of reputation for the harmlessness of its rattlesnakes, 

 still I never had any luck with either here. Speaking of 

 snakes reminds me that all Northern people, and especially 

 ladies, when they first arrive in Florida have a great terror 

 of them; many to such an extent as to almost keep them 

 within doors, and if they do venture out but for a short 

 distance their eyes are scarcely lifted from the ground. 

 As a diligent search of a few months in this manner is 

 seldom rewarded by a glimpse of one their terror wears off, 

 and towards the last of their visit they begin to enjoy ram- 

 bles which should have been from the very first delightful. 

 Now the facts as I understand them are something like 

 these: I think the number of snakes to the square mile is 

 actually greater in any country New England locality than 

 in the ordinary lands of Florida. I account for this by the fact 

 that every spring the whole face of the pine woods is burned 

 over with much of the dryer swamps and hammocks. These 

 fires destroy many grown snakes, and almost annihilate the 

 eggs. The hogs which range free here all over the coun- 

 try assist in this destruction materially, so that it is only in 

 very wet swamps where no one thinks of traveling that 

 snakes are numerous. I admit that there are more poisonous 

 snakes here than in New England, yet it is seldom you can 

 hear of a person being bitten. I have resided now some 

 ten years in different parts of Florida, yet but one instance 

 of snake bite has come to my knowledge. A certain Par- 

 son G , at Manatee Village, took a walk in his "cane 



patch" on Sunday afternoon and was struck with a large 

 rattlesnake in the calf of the leg. Whiskey was handy 

 and three pints, rapidly administered, saved him. He was 

 about as sick for two days as a man ought to be after such 

 a "heap big drink" as that. I would "print a moral:" 

 Never let the jug of snake mixture get lower than three 

 pints per man. I asked a resident physician recently if 

 any cases of snake bites had come to his notice. He had 

 never had any in his own practice; could recall no recent 

 cases in the vicinity. His father, who was an old practi- 

 tioner in this State, had but two. Now, with these facts 

 as to bitos, and also knowing that under all circumstances 

 where it is possible for a snake to get out of the way he 

 will do so, why waste time in looking for them? A few 

 months ago there were a number of letters in "Our Paper" 

 relative to the length of the black snake. We have several 

 varieties here, among them one called the gopher snake, 

 noted both for its length and size. I shot one on Big Sara- 

 sota Key several years ago which I measured off on my 

 rifle barrel. It was five times its length, and as near as 

 may be a half over; this would make 12 feet 10 inches. I 

 once saw one which I think was longer. It was tied up to 

 the top of the rear bow of an army wagon and trailed some 

 four or five leet on the ground. Our black snake called 

 the "racer," is very long and slim, but they have been too 

 lively for me to lay one under the measure. I have twice 

 seen a black snake killing a poisonous snake; one a rattle 

 and the other a "thunder and lightning." The latter is a 

 very pretty snake, that is, if one can see beauty in them, 

 as I do. Its stripes of deep black and bright red show off 

 to great advantage, but it is said (I know not with how 

 much truth), that there is no antidote for its bite. I never 

 kill an ordinary black snake now-a-days near my premises, 

 as poisonous snakes will not come where they are; but 

 those gophers, which can take every egg out from under a 

 sitting hen without disturbing the hen or breaking the egg 

 and then go off in such a state that every egg can be count- 

 ed from the outside (a fact), are not "handy to have in the 

 house." But "to come back to our own mutton," we ran 

 along with the island close aboard on the right until you 

 come to a sharp bend of the shore to the left. Now the 

 channel passes between a mangrove island of the deepest 

 green on the left, and the main island which we h*ave been 

 sailing beside, and you again steer about S. E. for the middle 

 of the bay. This mangrove island just passed is a 

 noted bird key, being resorted to by nearly all the varieties 

 of cranes, curlew, cormorants, pelicans, herons, etc. As 

 we passed it was literally alive with the pink curlew. We 

 ran well out into the middle of the bay until we reached 

 one or two stakes, which I think were put there to show 

 the corner where the course is to chaDge down the middle 

 of the bay; but it seemed to me they were further out than 

 there was any need of. The channel keeps near the mid- 

 dle, but gradually draws back towards the island. Keep 

 on until the light known to coasters and local pilots as Pass 

 Aguille (I am not quite sure of the spelling), opens at about 

 S. W. by 8., and the lighthouse upon Egment Key, at the 

 main entrance of Tampa Bay shows up plain right in the 

 centre of the opening to the pass; then steer for it. As 



you get up to the jaws of the inside of the pass you find 

 yourself in a broad, deep river with usually a very strong 

 tide. A channel runs from here in an easterly direction 

 past Point Pinellus (Point of Pines), leaving the bird keys 

 off it on either hand into Tampa Bay, and so on up to 

 Tampa, or, if the weather is rough, one had ^better cross 

 here if going to Manatee, and so avoid the dangers of the 

 pass, which are not few. As we wished to go to the light 

 we kept on through the river as I call it, first making a call 

 at a bar— oyster— which is up a small bayon on the south 

 side. It is almost at the extreme end, and the best were in 

 the little channels at each end of the main bar. They are 

 a small, deep-cupped oyster, but fat and of good flavor- 

 a little salt just now. Something seemed to have killed 

 off the large oysters a year or two before, as there were 

 plenty of large shells. This is a common occurrence. 



As we began to run outside the sun was only a few min- 

 utes high, and had I known that such great changes had '< 

 taken place in the channels I would not have attempted it 

 at that late hour. Pass Aguille comes out principally 

 through the broad river-like passage I have spoken of, but 

 within a distance'of some three miles ; one or two other 

 small channels debauch from Boca Sega Bay out into the 

 same bay as the river. This causes a very confused state 

 of channels, currents, shoals and sand bars which are con- 

 stantly changing, and which extend nearly if not quite 

 three miles out to sea. Its proximity to the north or main 

 channel of Egmont adds to the confusion and danger. 

 'The worst of it is you never can be quite sure that you are 

 beyond the last shoal; they keep popping up, and you have 

 to keep standing out again, until you finally find yourself, 

 if all right, in the main ship channel. If not all right I 

 won't undertake to say where you will find yourself. There 

 is one exception to this— you can come in from the north 

 by the north "swash" channel without trouble, or go out 

 the same way. Keep close to the beach, and I mean just 

 that, as usual. I have never known the "swash" to change. 

 Yet perhaps others may have done so since I was last there, 

 for all the other channels have been altered so that I did 

 not know them at all. There used to be a kind of inside 

 "swash" channel which crooked around much, yet took 

 you from one outward running channel to another without 

 at any time going out among the breakers, clear across 

 everything to the channel which ran along by the north- 

 west corner of Mullet Key. When there, if high tide, 

 slip out through the "swash" with usually about five feet 

 water, and tb.e dangerous and difficult job is done. I 

 started to run for this "cross swash," but just a3 I was 

 getting well into it I saw before it was too late that things 

 were not as they used to be. Islands of several acres in 

 extent were gone. A "turtle crawl" which used to be a 

 very important landmark in the trip was missing, and 

 where deep water used to be now was an angry mass of 

 roaring and foaming breakers. There was nothing to do 

 but put out to sea in the main channel of the river, and 

 this I did. We passed two or three small sand islauds 

 which were just black with cormorants and sea gulls. 

 The latter used to lay their eggs here in immense number?, 

 but as these eggs are of nearly as good flavor as those of 

 hens they have been robbed so persistently that it has 

 nearly broken them up, and now it is difficult to secure 

 any, for when the gulls discover a boat approaching they 

 rise screaming in a perfect cloud, while many dash back 

 and break the eggs with their beaks. I have no recollec- 

 tion of seeing this fact noted in natural history, yet I will 

 vouch for it as a fact and produce any amount of testi- 

 mony. After passing these bird islands the channel was 

 plainly marked by breakers on each side. It was quite 

 dark, yet I could see them flash as they broke; so we held 

 on with confidence until it looked as though the channel 

 closed ahead. The breakers ran clear across. There was 

 nothing to do but keep on as the tide was running out like 

 a mill race, and the wind was light. I had decided to run 

 there if necessary, but just as that seemed to be the only 

 alternative I discovered smooth water to the left. The 

 channel made a sharp turn to the left, and I kept away to 

 follow it, hoping that now we were past all of them, as the 

 water was soon clear as far as I could see. Every time, how- 

 ever, that I headed for the light I soon found myself cut off 

 by a line of breakers and would have to luff up again for a 

 while. I kept feeling along this line of breakers until I 

 found the end at last. I think now that there was plenty 

 of water for me to have run them almost anywhere, but 

 with my crew I had nothing to do but keep on the safe 

 side whenever there was a choice. At last I found myself 

 swinging up the main ship channel, with strong head tide 

 and a good fair wind which made a lively chop sea. 



There is a wharf at the north end of Egmont quite near 

 the lighthouse. A schooner lying there hailed as we pass- 

 ed clear alongside, but as the wharf is usually a very 

 rough landing place for small craft I ran around for half a 

 mile on the east side of the island where the water is 

 shoaler, and with the westerly wind then blowing was a 

 smooth landing place. 



In former years I had been well acquainted with the 

 lightkeeper and his family, yet during my absence from 

 south Florida waters, I had been unable to hear a ^ word 

 about my old friends, and feared that perhaps in this age 

 of reform he might have been r eformed out of office. 1 

 went ashore in the skiff alone to reconnoitre, and to my de- 

 light met Mr. Coons taking an evening walk on the beach. 

 His surprise and pleasure at meeting me were apparently 

 equal, and my crew were soon landed and turned over to 

 the hospitable care of Mr3. Coons. 



Perhaps I may be pardoned for saying a few words or 

 this family, as I am sorry to say they are rather exceptional 



