Jan. 0, 1881] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



468 



day to an interested audience, and I may say a gentle- 

 manly one, for they never once laughed nor sneered at 

 him. How much more pleasant this is than to come into 

 camp after an unlucky day, tired and worn out, and be 

 joked and jeered by tlie other members of the party. I 

 have noticed that those who indulge in this are them- 

 selves unskillful hunters and poor shots. The true hunter 

 is always more considerate and never makes sport of 

 others' misfortunes. 



In the morning we started again up the creek, accom- 

 panied by the Governor and Jack. As soon as we got out 

 of the isines I could see the goat just where we left him 

 the previous evening. We now walked leisurely along, 

 and in due time Cecil reached the spot where he had fired 

 the last cartiidge the night before. Bang! went his gim, 

 and the goat fell from his perch and came whizzing down, 

 striking a ledge now and then, and finally stopped short. 

 The great 1) eight from wjiich he fell broke every bone in his 

 body. His skull was as soft as a ball of putty; the bonis 

 were hanging to the skin by mere slu-eds, and tlie entrails 

 all lay just imder the skin on the back. The hide was not 

 injured. One ham only of all the meat was fit to eat. 

 With these I returned to camp, while the others went up 

 toward t)ie head of the basin. 



I fomrd camp deserted, and, after pegging out the hide, 

 I took a cold bite and sti'etched out for a. snooze. The 

 Colonel and Joe came in about 4 o'clock. They had been 

 up toward the Goat Moimtain, but had seen nothing more 

 than ti'acks. Just licfore sunset I twk tlie glasses, which 

 had been recovered, and seated myself on the lake shoi-e 

 to take a yiew of tlie sm-roxinding coimtry. The first 

 thing that met my eyes after adjusting them was a band 

 of thi-ee goats directly opposite, just above timber and 

 in a small basin. I called out to the others, and we 

 watched them until too <lark to see, not forgetting to 

 take a survey of the surrormding country to find tlie best 

 route to them. Expecting the hunters in any moment, 

 we waited until 8 o'clock before we had supper, and after 

 another hour had passed without sight or soimd of them, 

 we turned in and were soon asleep. 



Early the next morning, just as we had breakfast ready, 

 the belated ones came in, bringing a goat hide Avith them. 

 After I left them they had gone to the head of the valley, 

 and, after sitting around an hoiu- or two, saw a band of 

 goats high up, right under a glacier. They figured 

 around a long time trying to get near them, but found 

 no place ^vhere they could climb. As a last resort they 

 fired at the band at long range, and Jack killed one. 

 They did not have far to go then to get it, for it fell 

 5.50yds. (at least that was the elevation of Jack's gun 

 sight) and landed almost at their feet, a shapeless mass of 

 flesh and bones. Yet the hide was not spoiled. I believe 

 there is no American ruminant except the buffalo which 

 has as thick and tough a skin as the goat. By the time 

 they had the skin off it was dusk, and when they reached 

 timber it was dark and they could travel no further, so 

 they made a fire and stayed there till daylight. We fried 

 some of Cecil's goat for breakfast. As the steaming odor 

 rose from the pan somebody hinted that there were 

 muskrats around camp. Every one tasted of it, as in duty 

 bound, but that was all. It was tough and strong flav- 

 ored. 



Not only was our little band of goats still in sight, but 

 during the night its numbers had been augmented by one. 

 Of course those who had been out all night did not feel 

 Uke himting, so the Colonel, Joe and I took one of the 

 boats and quicklj^ crossed the lake, Tlie traveling was 

 steep but good, the pines being open and the footing- 

 rooky, with a thin layer of dead needles on top. We 

 went very leisurely, stopping now and then to rest, and 

 in two and a half hours sighted the goats. Crawling up 

 to within 250yds. of them, we sat down behind a couple 

 of scrub pines and watched them a couple of hours. They 

 seem to be very restless animals. They would feed a few 

 minutes, paw a bed in tlie shade, lie clo\vn, get up again 

 in a few minutes and go to feediag. To reach choice 

 bunches of moss tbey would stand on their hindlegs, 

 then front feet against the rock wall. In shape and 

 action they are much like the buffalo bull. Their long 

 beard gives them a melancholy appearance, and when 

 they sit down on their haunches they are the most ludi- 

 crous-looking animal imaginable. While we were watch- 

 ing them another goat came down the steep mountain 

 side and joined them. They seemed to think this an in- 

 trusion. One stepped out," dehberately smelled of the 

 new comer, backed off, running up sideways gave him a 

 butt and then struck at him with his front feet. 

 The new comer didn't mind this a bit, but butted 

 and struck back. Then they Avould stand for some min- 

 utes looking sideways at each other most surlily and re- 

 peat the performance. After sparring thus with two of 

 the goats the newcomer was let alone and they all began 

 to feed together. Meanwhile we had eaten our lunch and 

 wanted to smoke, so M^e decided to kill or scare, and then 

 fill the pipes. In full sight of the goats, and one especially 

 which had lain down head toward us, we crawled up an- 

 other Inmdred yards. Then the Colonel sat down, 

 placed a handful of cartridges in his hat before him, and 

 taking deliberate aim, fu-ed and wounded one, which 

 hobbled toward us. The Colonel downed him with 

 another shot, and opening his gim , the extractor dropped 

 out. ^^Iiile bnjiting for this the other goats ran back 

 and forth, and Joe commenced shooting at them. Every 

 time a bullet struck the rocks they would jump away 

 from the place as if they thought that was what was 

 after them. .Joe wounded one, and the rest, at last satis- 

 fied that something was wrong, struck a shambling trot, 

 disappeared behind a ledge and struck up the mountain. 

 The wounded goat had a broken hindleg, but kept hob- 

 bling round the basin and ascending. Joe tried to foUow 

 him, but found the climbing too dangerous. When we 

 left the basin we could see him standing on the opposite 

 side, more than gunshot above us. We arrived at camp 

 about 4 o'clock and found dinner Avaiting us, and our 

 success was related between bites. 



The others had slept most of the day. The Governor 

 had caught a fine lot of ti-ont which averaged 2^1bs. 

 When they heard the sound of our guns they got out" the 

 glasses anS^ saw the goats going up over the mountain. 

 The nest morning broke dark and windy. Soon after 

 breakfast, the Governor and Jack started for NatOye txippo 

 and Cecil and I for Goat Mountain, leaving the Colonel 

 and Joe in camp. We soon returned, however, as we 

 foimd the wind too strong to climb with safety. About 

 noon the others came in, bringing the hide and" meat of a 

 young doe or nanny goat. This animal was the stupidest 

 pf all. Emerging from the pines they saw her about 



100yds. away, standing on a ledge. The goat saw them, 

 too, and instead of nuining away it lay down out of 

 sight. Laying down his gun .lack ascended to the ledge, 

 walked up close to it and halloed and waved his arms. 

 The goat rose up, its haii- bristling forward like an angry 

 dog's and acted as if it wanted to fight. Then Jack began 

 throwing rocks at it and finally drove it in sight of the 

 Governor, who put a bullet through it. 



After dinner some of us got into one of the boats and 

 rowed up to the head of the lake. Aji excellent view of 

 the valley can I>e had from the water. For about eight 

 miles it is heavily timbered and about two miles wide, 

 then a round, flat-topped mountain rises from the center 

 antl the va lley branches to the right and left. Three or 

 four miles fiiTtlipr i^ii i:, the head of each fork, on the 

 main divide. Some immense glaciers line the mountains 

 there, the streams floA^ing from them forming the head- 

 Avaters of the 8t. Mary's. This flat-topped mountain is 

 covered Avith pine, and is the only one in the country 

 covered with timber. Leaving the boat, we strolled np 

 the valley a mile or two, foUoAving the coiu-se of the 

 stream. We tried fishing, but did not get a rise'. The 

 Avater is milk -colored at the depth of a foot, bottom can- 

 not be seen, perliaps trout will not stay in such water. 

 We saAA^ several fresh eUc signs, and found where some 

 moose had yarded the previous Avinter. Guided by the 

 soimd. we came to a very pretty set of falls, three in 

 number, the loAvest and largest being about 100ft. in 

 height. The highest and most picturesque fall I have yet 

 seen is one tliat pours into the A'alley from a large basin 

 on the right hand side. The stream is a good-sized one, 

 and the fall is not less than 1,000 feet, broken in only two 

 places by projecting ledges. 



On the next day Cecil and I rowed down opposite Goat 

 Mountain. We saw some goats and spent the Avhole day 

 trying to get within range of them, but did not succeed, 

 owing to a high rock Avail which ettectually barred oirr 

 Avay. The Governor and Jack liad the same experience, 

 but the Colonel and Joe killed two. They were walking 

 along a ledge when two goats suddenly confronted them. 

 The Colonel killed one and the other jumped doAvn on to 

 another shelf some six feet below and tried to hide. Joe 

 leaned over and shot it, fairly powder-burning the beast. 



I will not Aveary the A\'Titer witli a further recital of our 

 adventm-es, which, day in and day out, were pretty much 

 the same as herein narrated. 



From our experience A\nth the goat we are led to the 

 following conclusions: First, his eyesight is poor: second, 

 he is clumsy, not near as fleet nor as sure-footed as the big- 

 horn; third", he is, altogether, the stupidest animal we 

 ever hunted. I quite belie\'e Mr, Griffin's story — related 

 in Forest and Steeam some time ago — that a goat once 

 came and lay doAvn near Ms camp-fire. The wonder is 

 that he didn't come right up and ask for a plate. We 

 considered the flesh of the female goat very good meat. 

 It is tender and has not the musty odor peculiar to that 

 of the males. The heaviest goat we killed was estimated 

 to weigh ISOlbs. .J, W. ScHUi/rz. 



MOISTAKA, 1886. 



A NIGHT CRUISE DOWN THE ANCLOTE. 



TT was the 3d of August, and the monsoon season. 

 The cheerful Dominie had left us for his home in 

 Minnesota, and time hung heavy on our hands, Avhen 

 Tarpon proposed that Ave fill out a couple of weeks by 

 making our long-talked-of cruise up the coast to the 

 Weik-e-wach-ee River, he to paddle the Bucktail, I the 

 ten-pound Rushton. I had my doubts about it. It is 

 true the weather was settled and fine, but it Avas equally 

 true that there Avas a pretty stiff breeze every day from 

 west to southwest, blowing 'directly on shore with an open 

 water sweep of a thousand miles. And it was by no 

 means clear to me that a lOlb. canoe Avith only 3in, of 

 deadrise could ride the short, crisii Avaves of the coast 

 without getting waslied with xmpleasant frequency. As 

 the Avater anywhere along the coast is A'^ery shoal, this 

 would be more disagreeable than dangerous. But it 

 spoils all the pleasure of a cruise to be continually nm- 

 ning ashore to build fires and dry out rlothing and duffle. 



Tarpon explained that there was a time in the early 

 morning, and again in the evening, when the water was 

 comparatively calm; and, by taking advantage of this, 

 we could put in about six hom-s with the i^addle, which 

 would leaA^e us six or seven hours in the hottest part of 

 the day to run ashore, get dinner, shoot, fish, explore the 

 country, or lie off in the shade. T thought this looked 

 reasonable enough; so we got our duffle ready oA-ernight 

 and paddled out at early dawn the next moniing, passing 

 North Anclote Key by a little after simrise. The coast 

 Avas all before us where to choose, -^ith a Avaldemess of 

 Avaters on our port beam, and a pretty sharp sea. For 

 the Avind rose AAuth the sim (it always does at that season) 

 and before we reached Bailey's Point, where we ran 

 ashore for breakfast, it took alf the spare muscle I was 

 master of to lift the frail craft OA-er the waves Avithout 

 taking in water. 



Bailey's Point is an exceedmgly fine place for camping, 

 subject to the usual drawback of" the coast, /. f., there is 

 no fresh water to be had. 



The coast is a succession of bays and out-reaching 

 points, and it was five miles across the next bay to the 



Eoint. Tarpon advised to swing into the trend of the 

 ay, thereby having less sea and shallower water. But 

 if I A\ as to be headed off by a fair sailing breeze, it was as 

 Avell to knoAv it at the start; so I made a straight wake for 

 the next point and reached it AAdth everything in the 

 canoe wet. Tavo hundred yards more would have 

 SAvamped me, and I was very tired. Another start, Avind 

 and sea rising; and it soon became clear to my mind that 

 the canoe was too light for heavy business. Every few 

 minutes a steep wave with a white, curling crest Avould 

 rise above the gunwale and gently drop about a pint of 

 salt water inside: and at each repetition of this the canoe 

 grew duller and more loggy. At last three crisp, sharp 

 Avaves came in quick succession. I lifted her over two of 

 them, but the third one caught me aU wrong and nearly 

 filled the canoe. I stepped sadly overboard and ignomini- 

 ously waded ashore, while Tarpon paddled up to the head 

 of the bay to prospect a camping groimd, I saw him 

 meandering along the shore for nearly an hour; but at 

 length he hailed and I soon joined him. He had selected 

 a fine, dry, shady spot, and we soon had a brisk fire 

 going. We Avere near the mouth of Trouble Creek, and, 

 as it was a nice, lonely spot, with plenty of beach bu-ds, 

 and the creek had a high reputation for redfish and sea 

 trout, we decided to take things easy tiU the -wind went 

 down. It did not go down, however, }mt poreased 



rather; and we spent the day fishing, trying to shoot 

 beach birds and exploring the land. The fishing was a 

 failure, though we did our best on a bayou where, a few 

 weeks before, a party from the Springs had taken lOOlbs. 

 of large fish in a few hours. The beach birds, too, went 

 away as the tide rose, and Tarpon tramj)ed off landward 

 to look for quail and squirrels, wliile I ex])lored a large 

 dry lagoon east of the camp. 



These dry lagoons are usually f'oiuid on the keys, but 

 sometimes on the mainland. They are always interest- 

 ing. Level as a floor and dry enough for pleasant walk- 

 ing at low tide; they are apt to haA^e a slight covering of 

 salt w ater Avhen the tide is full. They are much resorted 

 to by shore birds, and nearly ahvays intersected by well- 

 trodden ]jaths, made by raccoons, possums and otters. 

 The one in question had paths leading to nearly every 

 point of the compass, and the tracks Avere fresh. Only 

 for the fact that fur so far south is of little Avorth it Avould 

 be worth while for a trapper to put in a Avinter among the 

 keys and along the coa,st. 



Late in the afternoon, as the Avater was still rough, 1 

 bedded the canoes in turtle grass and half filled them 

 with cedar broAvsp, intending to sleep in them in prefer- 

 ence to bimking on the ground. 



Tarpon came to camp before I had finished, and he 

 brought five quail Avliich lie had ground-sluiced at a sin- 

 gle shot — not a sportsman-like proceeding, but the camp 

 needed the bhds, as he explained. 



After a good supper and a long chat by a pleasant camp- 

 fire we turned in, and Tarjion Avas soon asleep. I was not 

 so lucky. Tliere seemed to be munerous insects or rep- 

 tiles constantly crawling over and around me, and there 

 was a steady, Ioav, buzzing noise in the canoe Avonderf ully 

 like a ground rattler. I tumbled out, raised a light, and 

 proceeded to investigate. The cause Ava.s not far to seek. 

 It was a host ot fiddler crabs Avhich liad craAvled u]3 the 

 tm-tle gra-ss and blimdered into the canoe, but were unable 

 to get a toe-hold on the smooth varnished wood. Their 

 constant scratching as they strove to climb out was what 

 started me. I cleaned them out, rearranged tlie canoe, 

 and made a resolute set at the droAvsy god. but in vain. 

 And it Avas not until late in the middle Avatch that I suc- 

 ceeded in getting an hour or so of uneasy slumber. We 

 turned out at daylight, had a strong drink of hot coffee 

 and x>addled out. 



"To-night we'll camp within ten miles of Bayport," said 

 Tarpon. (Bayiiort is at the mouth of the Weik-a-wachee.) 

 As we roimded the first point the sun came up, and also 

 the wind, which in ten minutes managed to put Avliite 

 crests on the waves, and in crossing the next bay I again 

 commenced taking in a supply of salt Avater. It was of 

 no use tiying to cruise on an open coast with a smart 

 breeze on the beam in such an eggshell, and it happened 

 that we were just then abreast of the pleasant little post 

 office town of Port Richie, where Ave had intended to 

 stop for our first camp. So I headed straight for a neat- 

 looking cottage that stood at the head of the bay, about a 

 mile distant. It proved a sensible and timely niove. The 

 Avmd soon rose to a pitoh that would have driven us to 

 land, and we happened to make the acquaintance of an 

 interesting and intelligent family from the North, who 

 were not only glad to see us, but treated us to a n excellent 

 breakfast. 



Mr. Richie, the patron of the Httle hamlet, was only two 

 years in the place, of which he was the first settler." But 

 he had managed to get things in pleasant and home-like 

 .shape, and I would have thought the place had been twice 

 as long settled. But he had been very fortunate in select- 

 ing the site for a town. The soil was exceptionally good 

 for Florida, and the bay on which he had made his plant 

 is at the mouth of the Cootie RiA^er, which is navigable 

 for sloops several miles up, and the banks of which have 

 a liigh reputation for fertility. 



We were told that there Avas excellent fishing for 

 channel bass and sea trout in the bay, and Tarpon got out 

 his hand fine and commenced trolling, holding the line 

 in his teeth, as he alAvays does. I watched him with 

 much interest and some" expectation of seeing a funny 

 dental operation in case he happened to stiike a large 

 redfish, which he soon did, but managed to save his 

 teeth, to my surprise rather. He landed the fish hand- 

 somely, and, as we had no use for it, gave it to oiu- host. 



Then Mr. R.'s daughter, a buxom lassie of twelve, 

 became possessed AAdth a strong desire for a cruise in one 

 of the little canoes, and Tarpon stoAved her in the f orAvard 

 stem of the Bucktail and paddled her up and doAvn and 

 across the bay for an hour, bringing her to the landing 

 safe and dry, though the bay was white Avitli cris|), steex) 

 Avaves. And the day was 'before us with the coast too 

 rough for the canoes. "Why don't you cruise up the 

 Cootie a few miles and come back as the wind dies doAvn?" 

 asked Mr. Richie. Sure enough, why notV Tlie Cootie is 

 an interesting stream, with high," dry banks, gamy, 

 lonely, and of excellent repute for fishing. We decided 

 to try the Cootie as far up as the neAv bridge, near Avhich 

 lived a new settle]' with whom Ave bad some previous 

 acquaintance. 



Deer, bear, and turkeys may be plenty on the banks of 

 the river; Ave did not go ashore to try for them. Pish, too, 

 may be plenty at times. 1 only knoAv that I trolled my 

 best all the way up to the bridge (five miles) and did not 

 get a rise. Alligators were very numerous and tame. 

 Landing at the bridge, we climbed the steep bank and 

 Avent to the cottage of Mr. Anderson, and found a, really 

 neat, home-like dwelling of squared logs and plank, that 

 was like a Northern settler's home. And here Ave found 

 Joe Grouse, who was putting the finishing touches to the 

 doors and windows of Mr. A.'s cottage. Joe is a rough 

 carpenter of the Florida type, and he is also a guide, 

 himter, sponger and fisherman, Avliile no man is better 

 acquainted with the country lying about the head waters 

 of the Cootie and the Anclote. He told us that both 

 rivers made a bend at tliis point, and it Avas oiibr two 

 miles across the woods to the banks of the la tter stream. 

 Also that it Avas only eight miles in a direct Line to Tarpon 

 Springs, while by the route we had come it Avas tA\-enty. 

 From the upper bridge of the Anclote it was about thirteen 

 miles to Tarpon's ranche, and there was a half tlood in the 

 river Avith a swift current that would take ua riglit along. 

 Why not carry across the Avoods and paddle down to camp, 

 taking another time and larger boats for the cruise to the 

 Weik-a-wach-ee? No sooner said than done. Yv"e engaged 

 .Joe as guide over the caiTy and started, each with aU the 

 load he wanted to tote. 



The distance proved to be full measure and Tarpon 

 swore it was a long four miles. Anyhow it was within 

 an hour of sundown when we launched the canoeg ati 



