= ov, 15, 1884, 1 + 
repre a ic ie com nen 
In most Highland valleys there is the laird par excellence, of 
whom all the gillies for miles around speak with respect, 
and whose doings are hardly looked upon in the light of a 
tyrannical dog in the manger, who cherishes the silence of 
his moors during ten months of the year in order that for 
the remaining two he may awake their deepest echoes in a 
fusilade de jeu. The same old clannish spirit, only of more 
peaceable type, resides in the Dougals and Macnabs of to- 
diy as in the “good old times,” when the difference of a red 
or teen stripe in the tartans of chance-meeters was sufficient 
warrant of mutual enmity to send the hands of the wearers 
to toy with the hilts of their claymores, Of course 
not a few of these lairds owe their position to the 
recent acquirement of wealth, when the respect that 
is meted out to them is merely a serving of mammon and 
unstable, but in the majority of cases they represent through 
long past ages the countless traditions of the clan. With 
lairds who trace their ancestors back into the days when 
chieftains were demi-gods and heroes in the eyes of their 
followers, small wonder is it that the peasantry have not 
wholly lost their ancient instincts, And such sansculottic 
brethren as would tumble down all these mile stones of 
history, mayhap will find here, before putting into practice 
their cry of the Jand for the people, a stone in the machinery 
which shall prove hard to extract, Yet grievances the 
crofters undoubtedly have, and mightily offensive ones too. 
While deer refuse to fraternize with sheep, and the rich 
land owners insist upon making Scotland one vast Chevy 
Chase, the sheep must go. Then comes the counter 
claim of the many but poorer classes to have liberty 
of erazing their cattle on these zealously protected pleasure 
srounds, And so far wealth and power haye conquered, 
but the of] on the troubled waters is thin, and a litle storm 
will break it. It is one of the political riddles of modern 
times rather than a Scotch joke which may require a sur- 
gical operation to solve. 
For a weary long seven years the kine of the crofters have 
been lean; but it is in no dream that these same crofters ask 
if the time has not come when the kine shall stand in full 
pastures and be fat. J. B.A 
Nurtees, Glengyle, Scotland, Aug, 9. 
FLORIDA AGAIN.--VI. 
nes the fresh-water sailor and fisherman who can enjoy the 
cupture of large-mouthed bass, the St. John’s River 
offers an extensive field for adventure. The creeks emptying 
into the river are stocked with bass, which will takea spoon 
fiy or live bait. The river can be easily ascended in a sail- 
boat to Lake George, but above that point a tow behind a 
steamboat had better be secured to Lake Monroe. Above 
the latter point a boat can be rowed or sailed to the head 
waters of the river. If the cruisers are disposed to enjoy a 
long gail and explore the interior of the State, they can trans- 
port their boat by railfrom Sanford to Kissimmee. Launch- 
ing their craft, they can cro:s Lake Tahopekaliga, descend 
the Kissimmee River, and skirt the western shore of Lake 
Okeechobee unti] the Diston drainage canal is sighted, 
Passing through the canal, the Calloosahatchee River will 
be reached at Fort Thompson. By descending this river the 
fisherman will arrive at Punta Rassa. 
To the east and south of Waldo (on the Transit Railroad), 
within a radius of fifteen miles, more than a dozen beautiful 
lakes will be found, where the canoeist can enjoy sailing, 
fishing and shooting. The lakes vary from one to seven 
miles in length, and as the majority of them are but a short 
distance apart, a canoe is easily transported from one to the 
other. The Jand between the lakes is high and rolling, and 
quail will be found in plenty. The lakes are well stocked 
with bass and bream, and many of them are the winter re- 
sort of ducks. In the lowlands about some of the lakes 
snipe abound. To reach these lakes a canoe or boat should 
be transported by rail to Waldo. A canal has been exca- 
vated from this place to Lake Alto, and from it to Lake San- 
ta Fe the former is one, and the latter seven miles long. 
From Santa Fe a good road leads to Five Mile Lake, two 
iniles distant. By short portages at least one dozen lakes 
can be reached, and as a finish, the Etoniah Creek can be 
descended to the St, John’s River, This lake region offersa 
fine field for the canoeist and taxidermist. 
Owing to the adventurous spirit of my friend, George W. 
Haines, Esq., of Savannah, Ga., a new field has been opened 
up to the hunter and fisherman, I refer to the Okefinokee 
Swamp of Georgia, near the Florida line, Mr. H. has made 
three trips, and has thoroughly explored the region. He has 
ascertained that the headwaters of the Suwanee River can 
be reached within a short distance of the Savannah, Florida 
& Western Railway. During the winter ducks and snipe 
are numerous in*the streams and marshes, The streams, 
lagoons and ponds teem with bassand bream. In the region 
are several large islands on which deer and bear are plenti- 
ful. From information obtained I have reason to believe 
that rattlesnakes are somewhat numerous on the islands, but 
if the weather is cool they will not prove troublesome. If 
the sportsman should yisit these islands it might be well for 
him to patronize No. 3 cotton duck leggings or a pair of 
long-legved india rubber boots, By using a canoe or a light 
flat-bottomed boat the Suwanee River can be descended to 
the Gulf. From Hllaville to within twelve miles of the 
ovean the fishing’ will prove very poor. Boats can be trans- 
ported by rail from Savannah or Jacksonville to point of 
transshipment. Persons desirous of visiting the Okefinokee 
Swamp should communicate with George W. Haines, office 
§., F. & W. Railway, Savannah, Ga., and ascertain charges 
for freight on boat and the point where boat 1aust be re- 
moved from frain, Mr. H, has prepared a map of the rerion 
based on surveys and explorations, and we feel assured that 
he would supply sportsmen with copies at the mere cost 
of making same. Of what we know of Okefinokee we 
ate assured that sportsmen would find it worthy of their 
notice. 
Lake Ware, on the line of the Florida Southern Railway, 
is worthy of attention. It is a beautiful sheet of pure water, 
surrounded by high banks except at its westerly end. At 
this point there are islands, grassy flats and extensive patches 
of lilypads; and as a consequence ducks and black bass are 
plentiful. On the south shore, distant about one mile from 
the railroad depot, is the South Lake Ware Hotel, where the 
sportsman can find good accommodations at two dollars and 
a half per day, I-tried tle cuisine last winter and can 
speak in its favor. In the woods quail are plenty and in the 
hamaks squirrels will be found. 
Leaving Jacksonville in the evening a pleasant ride can be 
enjoyed in a sleeping car to Cedar Keys, At this point that 
practical joker, Willard, runs the Suwanee Hotel. As fa 
host he will be found affable and obliging, and ever ready 
to aid strangers, Atthe railroad tunnel north of the town, 
~~ = 
<_ — 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
sheepsheading can be enjoyed. On the young flood, at the 
easterly end of the railroad dock, sea trout can be captured 
with live minnows or cut mullet bait, About one hundred 
feet from the end of the dock is a pile of stone ballast where 
the sea-trout fisher should anchor. In fishing at this point I 
always use a float. At Cardigan’s reefs, three miles from the 
town, fair fishing will be found for sheepshead, sea trout, 
channel bass and blackfish. At this point boats with com- 
petent captains can be chartered for a cruise to the southward. 
But it must be remembered that snake antidote is in demand 
on the Gulf coast, and that sportsmen must govern them- 
selves accordingly. nt 
Leaving Cedar Keys and proceeding twenty miles in a 
S. E. direction, the mouth of the Withlacoochee River will 
be sighted; but as fish are few and far between at this point 
it is unworthy of notice. Ten miles further the large oaks 
at the mouth of Chrystal River will be noticed. A few miles 
from its mouth large sheepshead will be found. Salt River 
is a creek running through the marsh to the Homosassa 
River, and if advantage is taken of the flood tide a boat of 
light draft can be navigated through it, Leaving the mouth 
of the Chrystal River, the mainland will be left to port, and 
St, Martin’s Keys to starboard. A large rock will be noticed 
in the bay, and this should be kept close aboard on the port 
hand; and about one mile beyond will be seen a shell bank 
covered with trees, and here will be found the Homosassa 
River. Soon after entering the river, it takes a sharp turn to 
the right, and the oyster bank in the center of the stream 
must be avoided. Proceeding five miles up the stream the 
remains of Jones’s house will be noticed on a shell mound on 
the right bank. No more will ‘‘Mother Jones” dispense the 
hospitalities of my favorite Homosassa—a place where 
rodsters did congregate, and where “Mother Jones” fed them 
on luscious oysters, venison and sheepshead. In this stream 
fishing is excellent, but to be successful a resident of the 
locality should be hired to point out the “drops.” At this 
point the fly-fisher can revel in his favorite pursuit, and land 
cavallii, lonefish, sea trout, black bass, brim, brown snappers 
and channel bass, In the upper portion of the river the 
noble tarpon will be found during the winter months. At 
the ship rock, about»a mile from the mouth of the river, 
large channel] bass can be captured on the young flood, At 
this point the water is shallow and a float should be used. 
The next streams met with are the Pithlachestacootie, Ches- 
sioueskii and the Wickawatchiee, but as fishing points they 
are unworthy of notice. 
Sixty miles south of Cedar Keys the Anclote Keys will be 
sighted, and must be left to starboard. Passing the Keys, 
Anclote River will be noticed. Following this stream for a 
short distance Tarpon Run will be seen to the right, and it 
can be followed to the spring. ‘The basin of the spring is 
large and deep, and is much frequented by the Silver King— 
the tarpon. I have not visited Lake Butler, but have been 
informed that it teems with large bass (trout), My impres- 
sions of the Anclote River as a place for piscatorial sports 
are not favorable. I may haye been ignorant of the drops, 
and in consequence unsuccessful. The rocky bottom in the 
Gulf outside of the Keys is a great resort for professional 
fishermen, and by anchoring near some of the fishing vessels 
the lover of salt-water fishing will be rewarded. By the 
time travel opens a staunch and new steamboat will be 
placed on the route between Cedar Keys and Tarpon 
Springs, and she will make three trips per week. This point 
can also be reached by steamboat to Sandford, railroad from 
Sandford to Tampa, and stage from Tampa to Tarpon 
Springs. At Tarpon Springs a large new hotel has been 
erected. But the great attraction of the place is the ‘‘Old 
reliable Mother Jones,” Alfred and ‘Mother Jones,’ of 
Homosassa fame, have leased the hotel, and this alone will 
fill it. Ten years since, when cruising on the Gulf coast, I 
found Homosassa and made the acquaintance of ‘‘Mother 
Jones.” In the columns of the ForEsr AND STREAM I 
directed the attention of anglers to the locality and the 
accommodations furnished at my favorite Homosassa, and I 
painted no fancy picture, as hundreds who followed in my 
wake will testify. As to the clean beds and the character 
of the table at Tarpon Springs Hotel, I need but say that 
“Mother Jones” will boss the job. 
South of the Anclote isthe beautiful Clear Water Harbor, 
with its high bluff, studded with luxuriant orange groves. 
According to . y experience, the fishing in this locality is 
poor, aud not worthy of the notice of the expert. Proceed- 
ing southward, noble Tampa Bay will be reached. Near 
Egmont Key good fishing can be found, and ‘‘drops” will 
be pointed out by the lighthouse keeper. At the Cool Rocks, 
near the mouth of old Tampa Bay, grouper and cavallii 
will reward the fisherman. At the oyster bars off Gadsden’s 
Point, fair sheepsheading will reward the angler, At the 
young flood, at the mouth of the Hillsboro River, sea trout, 
cayallii, and channel bass will take the hook. On one occa- 
sion I tested the fishing at this point, and captured nothing, 
I have not fished the river above Tampa, but last winter, the 
Rev. Mr. Prime tried the fly two or three miles above the 
city, and hooked sea trout, cavallii, bass, and the fighting 
ravallia. And what is more strange, he hooked two large 
tarpon; but as a matter of course, lost them. In his pub- 
lished letters he went into ecstacies over the noble fight 
made by the rayallia. He discovered that an eight-ounce 
split bamboo rod was too light an implement, and advocated 
the use of a heavier one, 
Leaving Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay is entered, and Long 
Boat Inlet will furnish a fine field for the rodster or hand 
liner, Billy Bow Legs’ Creek is a tributary of this bay, and 
a few years since my friend Dr. Forbes fished a pool near its 
mouth, and found it swarming with ravallia and eavallii. 
At each cast he would hook one or two of the former, and 
would land them unless a large-sized cayallii interfered and 
appropriated a rayallia. At the southerly end of Big Sara- 
sota is Little Sarasota Bay, where superior oysters can be in- 
indulged in. In the winter of ’80—81, a friend was weather- 
bound in Little Sarasota Bay, and on his return he assured 
me thatit “swarmed with Spanish mackerel,” and in a few 
minutes’ trolling he could supply the Jarder. At the south- 
erly end of this bay is Casey’s Pass, At this point the fish- 
ing is yery good, and that delicious fish, the grouper, can be 
captured. 
From Casey’s Pass, an outside trip of fourteen miles will 
bring the tourist to Kettle Harbor. At this point the fishing 
will be found to be fair. Sawfish visit this bay in great 
numbers and the athletic fisherman can indulge in muscular 
fishing, From Kettle Harbor, an inside passage leads to 
Charlotte Harbor. Lam averse to grounding on mud flats, 
and disturbing the peacefui slumbers of bivalves, and never 
attermpted the inside passage, Those who haye traveled over 
this Florida Jordan have assured me that the trip can be 
made at or near high tide with a light draft boat. 
Entering Charlotte Harbor at Little Gasparilla Pass, a 
303 
sandbank must be avoided on the starboard hand, The 
northerly end of Little Gasparilla Island is a good camping 
ground. A fresh-water pond will be found in the center of 
the island where good drinking water can be obtained. The 
neighboring mud flats and oyster bars will be found well 
supplied with beach birds. Fishing in the channel at the 
end of the island, on the flood tide, with minnows or cut 
bait, cavallii, bonefish, sea trout and channel bass can be 
captured untilarms ache, On one occasion I was encamped 
at this point, and noticed large bass driving the minnows 
ashore, aud with feet and crab net we secured hundreds, 
using minnows for bait we hauled in bass until we tired of 
the sport. In this connection, 1 may remark, that I am not 
a pot-hunter but merely tested the fishing for the benefit of 
others. and returned the fish to their native element. ‘The 
wilful destruction of fish in Florida is a disgrace, In days 
gone by, so-called fishermen visited Homosassa, and on their 
return to Jones’s house they would bring back dozens and 
hundreds of fish to illustrate their success. They would 
place the dead fish on the dock where they would lay until 
thrown overboard by Jones’s employes, In this way the 
grand fishing of the well stocked Homosassa suffered. 
In the shoal water in the Gulf, near the entrance at Gas- 
parilla Pass, large sheepshead will be seen lazily swimming 
about, and if the fisherman will present them with crab bait 
they can be captured ad likiium. A sand spit extends (or did 
extend) some distance from the point of the island into the 
Gulf, The water was shallow and clear, and I noticed large 
bass cruising in search of food. I would cast in front of 
them and instantly the bait would be seized. In an eddy 
inside the point countless numbers of bonefish from three to 
six pounds have congregated, and the instant a bait touched 
the water it would be seized and jumping and rushing com- 
meuce. On the bay side of the island, near the point, the 
bank is steep and composed of broken seashells. The water 
is from four to six feet deep, and sheepshead from one to 
three pounds can be seen nosing among the shells in search of 
food. With crab or fiddler bait they can be captured as 
rapidly as hooks can be baited. For a week's sojourn this 
point would prove satisfactory, At Boca Grande entrance 
excellent trolling for channel bass can be enjoyed, and this 
locality will be found a resort of very large sharks, The 
channel is bounded by sandbanks, which extend over two 
miles into the Gulf. These banks are a noted resort and 
feeding ground of large channel bass. Before leaying home 
the fisherman should provide a Government chart of Boca 
Grande entrance, as it will be a guide to find the channel's 
deep holes and points of hard bottom on or near the bars. 
At the Gulf end of the channel kingfish and Spanish mack- 
erel can be taken with the trolling line, At any of the 
passes, by rowing a boat near the shore and fishing with 
hand line or rod and reel, with a large, strong spinner, large 
numbers of channel bass can be captured. 
At the dock at Punta Rassa, sheepshead exist in great 
numbers. It was at this point where the Hon, Matthew 
Quay, of Philadelphia, captured fifty-six sheepshead in sixty 
minutes. By ascending the Calloosahatchie River to a point 
above the islands, the great resort of the tarpon and large 
cavallii will be reached. A fisherman resides on the island 
opposite the telegraph station, and visitors might find it ad- 
visable to secure his services fora few days, and thereby 
acquire a knowledge of the best fishing localities, The visi- 
tor cruising -by steamer can secure accommodations at 
Schultz’s, at telegraph station, or at Jake Summerlin’s, 
On Sanibal and Pine Islands, deer will be found; but none 
of the roaring ‘‘American Lions,” so prominentiy referred 
to by a writer who owns a yacht, and whois open for a 
charter. In some of the lagoons at Sanibal and at Matla- 
chase, the largest and finest oysters can be obtained in 
quantity. On the beaches, mud flats, and oyster bars, 
beach birds exist in great numbers. On the maiiland north- 
east of the harbor there are no inhabitants, and deer are 
plentiful. 
Punta Rassa can be reached each week from Tampa by 
steamer Dictator, and we feel assured that Capt. McKay 
will extend every attention and courtesy to sportsmen, At 
this point the sportsman can enjoy the privileges of a regu- 
lar mail and the telegraph. If we take into consideration 
the accessibility of Charlotte Harbor, its mail and telegraphic 
facilities, the climatic conditions, and its sporting resources, 
it is well wosthy of the notice of sportsmen. At an early 
day Charlotte Harbor is destined to become the sanitarium 
of the United States, and a popular resort for fishermen and 
gunnists. Owing to the water protection and the warm 
water flowing in with the tidé from the Gulf, west and 
northwest winds are robbed of their chilling influence. The 
bleak northeast winds occasionally exert an unhappy influ- 
ence upon invalids, but before they can reach Charlotte 
Harbor they must cross the peninsula, and are robbed of 
their harshness, All that is required to make Charlotte Har- 
bor a place of resort is for some enterprising person to erect 
a hotel. To reach this point the sportsman should take the 
Transit Railroad to Cedar Keys, steamer Cochrane to Tampa, 
and steamer Dictator from Tampa to Punta Rassa. Or eat 
dinner in Jacksonville, take steamer to Sandford, breakfast 
there, take South Plorida Railroad and dine at 8 P. M. in 
Tampa, twenty-four and a half hours after leaving Jackson- 
ville. From Tampa to Punta Rassa by the stanch and ex- 
cellent sea boat the Dictator, The camper-out can have a 
supply of provisions sent him from Tampa by the Dictator, 
or they can be obtained at Fort Myers, twenty miles above 
Punta Rassa. : 
YANKEETOWN, Ind., Noy. 8.—Quail wintered well. Sol, 
Vannoda fed about twenty until pairing time, but there were 
few young ones seen in the spring. We had a storm of wind, 
rain and hail, that 1 think killed them. You claim that the 
blue-tailed hawk does not destroy many quail; I beg to differ 
with you. We had two or three gaugs of quail in the corn 
(about fifty acres), and a hawk of this species was a ‘‘con- 
stant quantity.” The hawk: is stillon hand, but the quail 
are not there. Iknow they were not shot. Ducks and 
geese are in the riyerin small bunches. Our best ducking 
isin the spring. Ruffed grouse have disappeared; I do not 
know what has become of them. I have lived here twelye 
years, and have not learned of but one being shot in that 
time. Five years ago there were many to be found in the 
thickets of Cypress Creek. J haye not heard of any wild tur- 
keys as yet, although they are fairly plentiful in the flats 
every winter. Squirrels have been more plentiful than for 
several years. ‘Coons and oposstims plenty. Woodcock 
were plenty in the spring and hatched well. 1 am not a wing 
shot and do not hunt them, but think a good shot and good 
dog could find some yet. Would like to have some good 
fellow to hunt with for a week or two this winter, nota 
dude, but one that could eat corn bread and sow belly and 
not snore of nights.—J. H. P. 
