322 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 14 1S89- 



Jpri? ^ofkn\m %onmt 



A WINTER IN FLORIDA. 



AFTER a week's tour through the interior of the State, 

 and while sojourning for a time in the quaint old 

 city of St. Augustine, my attention was attracted by ob- 

 serving a large number of men, women and children, 

 gathered upon the long bridge that spans the St. Sebastian 

 River, busily engaged in casting with all manner of 

 tackle into the water below. This was just at the begin- 

 ning of ebb tide, and they were taking out in goodly num- 

 bers the beautiful sea trout. It was too much temptation 

 for an old angler to withstand, and the result was that a 

 trip ensued to the hotel, an Acme seven-ounce split-bam- 

 boo rod, with accompaniments, was quickly put in readi- 

 ness, and I made an arrangement with a boatman to fur- 

 nish a supply of shrimps and pull his boat to the fishing 

 ground. A light float was adjusted just above the six- 

 foot leader, and the bait was allowed to run with the 

 tide until some fifty or sixty feet of line had been payed 

 out, unless in the meantime the shrimp in mid-water had 

 tempted a hungry trout, which in turn was struck by the 

 "man at the wheel," and would then take the "bit in his 

 teeth" and pay out line with more rapidity until brought 

 to check, and eventually to the landing net. The fish 

 were biting with avidity, and in two hours enough had 

 been captured to suffice for supper, for the sea trout is 

 worthless for food unless killed and cooked within a very 

 short time after being taken from its native element, and 

 the guests at the hotel apparently enjoyed the treat. 

 Their capture certainly afforded me considerable sport, 

 and elicited the admiration of the oarsman and a number 

 of spectators, who had never before seen game fish 

 brought to creel with "such light rigging," and could 

 scarcely comprehend it. During the next few days a 

 succession of trips were taken up the Matanzas and also 

 down to the inlet, and a few channel bass of moderate 

 sizes rewarded my piscatorial efforts. 



My objective point for a few weeks of salt-water fishing 

 being the Mosquito Inlet, whose ebb and flow gives cm- 

 rent to the so-called Halifax and Hillsborough rivers, I 

 Avent by train via Palatka to the handsome tropical-look- 

 ing Daytona, situated on the Halifax, seven miles above 

 the inlet. The broad streets, in which are left the native 

 palmetto and live oak trees festooned with moss, the 

 gentle rise from the river front, the neat residences on 

 the ridge land, the enterprising class of citizens, and the 

 comfortable hotels, all combine to make the place very 

 attractive. Oranges of the finest quality are here grown 

 in the greatest profusion, and command good prices. It 

 will repay one to visit, as I did, Mr. White's famous 

 Anita Grove and note the results of systematic cultiva- 

 tion, as also to partake of his hospitality. At Daytona 

 the principal recreation is sailing and rowing upon the 

 river, and numerous are the craft, and many among 

 them have won a record for fleetness. On a bright moon- 

 light night scores of gaily decked boats freighted with 

 youth and beauty— and frequently, too, with those who 

 are older and Tjerchance not given to beauty — may be 

 seen enjoying the outing, and making merry with voices 

 and musical instruments. There are also a few private 

 steam launches owned by residents here. A steamer 

 makes regular trips from Daytona to Titusville on the 

 (80-called) Indian River, making connections with the 

 regular line of boats from there to Rock Ledge and Mel- 

 bourne, as well as through the Jupiter River. 



A peninsula that extends down from the Matanzas 

 Inlet to the Mosquito Inlet, shuts off a view of the ocean, 

 but a ferry— if not indeed at this writing a bridge— affords 

 opportunity for a carriage drive across it to the shores of 

 the Atlantic, one-half mile distant, and at low tide a drive 

 on the hard smooth sand beach mav be had extending 

 many miles each way. No finer beach for that purpose 

 can be found anywhere, and it affords a magnificent view 

 of old ocean in all its glory of rolling surf through 

 boundless space. One. can spend hours in the enjoyment 

 of the scenes presented on this elegant drive; 'and the 

 curiosity hunter is well rewarded by the number and 

 beauty of the shells that may be obtained for the trouble 

 of picking up. 



The Halifax, at and above Daytona northward, is par- 

 tially freshened by the streams that flow into it, vet it 

 affords very fair fishing at this point. The principal 

 sport in this line, however, is had in surf fishing across 

 the peninsula, and many a fine catch has been duly re- 

 corded in the Halifax Journal, whose editor, Mr. Mann, 

 is one of the most enthusiastic anglers, and ever readv 

 to extend a hearty welcome to all true sportsmen. It 

 was my good fortune to form the acquaintance of an 



attorney, Captain , who was a charming entertainer 



and a devotee of the sailboat, and I was invited to form 

 one of a party of ladies and gentlemen to sail with him 

 to Ponce Park, the name given the post-office at the little 

 hamlet on the peninsula side, a short distance north of the 

 Mosquito Inlet. Here, finding filled to repletion the ang- 

 lers' hotel, the unpretentious home of the veteran fisher- 

 man B. Pacetti (known to all readers of the Forest and 

 Stream through the articles from the pen of your old cor- 

 respondent, C. C. Clarke), we were kindly taken into the 

 hospitable home of the genial Captain Hasty, and well 

 bestowed. 



The next day was set apart for a fishing picnic, in 

 which the ladies were to join: and when the morning 

 came all were found ready for embarkation upon the 

 sailboat, with tender, that soon landed the party on the 

 sandy beach near the inlet. In a short space of time 

 each was engaged in affixing the lively fiddler crab to 

 hooks adapted for catching the sheepshead that were 

 abundant in that locality. It w^as enjoyable to witness 

 the excitement and efforts of the ladies in landing their 

 first fish ever caught. They soon grew more accustomed 

 to the modus operandi, and in many instances handled 

 their rod with considerable skill for novices. When suf- 

 ficient had been caught for immediate use a halt was 

 called, and all hands turned in to assist in gathering fuel 

 and getting dinner. Mrs. Pacetti, by unanimous consent 

 superintended the cooking of the fish: and when all was 

 m readiness the avidity with which they were devoured 

 testified to their excellence, as well as to the appetite of 

 the party, sharpened somewhat doubtless by the exercise 

 and invigorating sea breeze. Then an hour or two of 

 lounging, smoking and shell gathering over the dunes 

 and the near sea coast was indulged in, prior to again re- 

 suming aggressive operations at the fishing bank When 

 enough sheepshead, together with a few channel bass 



and two remarkably fine sea bass that the veteran Pacetti 

 caught in the surf, had been obtained to furnish another 

 meal for the party and their friends at their hotel, all 

 but the writer returned to Daytona. 



Finding a promise of varied sport, and being fortunate 

 in securing excellent accommodations at Captain Hasty's 

 house, which had but a short time previous domiciled 

 our old friend "Nessmuk," whose 16 pound cedar boat, 

 Nessmuk, Jr., had become the property and was reserved 

 for the use of Mrs. Hasty, I determined to spend a couple 

 of weeks here, Pacetti and the few other well-known 

 oarsmen having been previously engaged by some genial 

 sportsmen from Louisville and Nashville, I cast about for 

 some one acquainted with the intricate channels amid the 

 labyrinth of mangrove-covered islands to handle a boat 

 and in some degree act as a guide to the fishing localities. 

 Happily I found Bert Stevens ready and willing to do the 

 best he could; and before we finished our two weeks' 

 cruising he proved, for a novice, quite an expert in prop- 

 erly handling the oars after a large fish had been struck, 

 and I wanted no better man. Bert was used to throwing 

 the Spanish cast net, and was consequently an adept in 

 securing all the mullet desired for bait. The usual 

 method of luring the red channel bass was by the use of 

 split mullet rove on to the hook and the upper part fast- 

 ened in place by a bit of thread or fine wire. Casts 

 would then be made at the foot of a bar or where a swift 

 current ended in deeper water, or in the vicinity of an 

 oyster reef. My favorite way, however, was by'the use 

 of a moderate-sized live mullet, hooked either through 

 the lips or through the body just beneath the dorsal fin, 

 as it required more skill to hook the bass; and although 

 not as many could be caught, it afforded more sport, 

 and enough were obtained to supply two tables, besides 

 an occasional string supplied to the workmen en- 

 gaged in finishing Uncle Sim's new lighthouse in the 

 vicinity. Occasionally in going to and from the fishing 

 grounds I would put out a Hill's spinner, from which I 

 had filed off the superfluous third hook, and woe to the 

 bass or sea trout that snapped at it. 



The only fish that I found in this locality that would 

 take a fly were the ladyfish and sea trout, and occasion- 

 ally finding a school of these, I had plenty of sport in 

 that way. When using split mullet for bottom fishing, 

 the bait would sometimes be taken by a prowling shark, 

 and if by a large one a section of line would be certain to 

 go with it. I succeeded in reeling in three of moderate 

 size, and when they were near the boat despatched them 

 with my rifle. Their carcasses were utilized for fertiliz- 

 ing the garden of my friend Stevens. A stingaree or 

 sting ray occupied my time and undivided attention 

 for two hours one afternoon, and after having broken a 

 ferrule on the second joint of my rod, was nevertheless 

 finally reeled up to the boat and shot, and then towed 

 upon a sand beach, and his sting of about Gin. length 

 secured as a trophy. The beast was estimated to weigh 

 about 361bs., and was a dead weight when attached to the 

 bottom. 



This reminds me to state that the naturalist who visits 

 Ponce Park can find quite a collection of birds, incident 

 to this portion of Florida, at Capt. Hasty's house, all pre- 

 pared, and many of them procured by the hands of Mrs. 

 Hasty herself , who as a self-taught taxidermist, is entitled 

 to much credit. In addition thereto, she is well posted 

 as to the name, species and habits of each, and takes 

 pleasure in showing her "curiosity shop" to visitors. 

 One finds in this vicinity some of those remarkable shell 

 mounds that have excited the attention of scientists. Of 

 course a trip up the Spencer Creek to the spot where 

 "Nessmuk" camped during the greater part of his sojourn 

 here, was quite in order, and 1 felt well repaid for the trip. 



During my stay at Ponce Park the greater portion of 

 time in favorable weather was spent with rod and reel. 

 On two occasions only did I go out for a day's sport with 

 rifle. I saw but one deer, and that so small and scrawny, 

 when compared with the deer of the Adirondack region, 

 that although opportunity presented, I would not draw' 

 trigger. A few squirrels and ducks made up the extent 

 of my bagging. I saw a number of birds of beautiful 

 plumage, that with a fowling piece could have been 

 secured for specimens, but I did not disturb them. I was 

 informed that but a few years ago there were hundreds 

 of t hese natural beauties where now they are rarely seen, 

 having been almost exterminated by hired hunters to 

 Supply the demands of fashion and her votaries. 



While sitting on the wharf at Ponce Park one after- 

 noon, I saw three fine tarpon playing in the water within 

 a hundred feet, and as they leaped from their native 

 element their bright scales shone like silver. They were 

 the first that I had seen alive, and their size and beauty 

 convinced me that the appellation of "Silver King " had 

 been correctly bestowed. Hailing Bert, I told him to run 

 for his cast-net and find some fresh mullet, while I rigged 

 my heavier rod with reel, line and hooks appropriate; 

 and as an incentive for briskness on his part, promised 

 him an extra five-dollar bill in case we got out in time to 

 find their whereabouts and I succeeded in getting a single 

 strike. Bert did his best; but mullet were apparently 

 scarce just then, for it was a full half hour before he got 

 asingle cast. In the meantime my tarpon had not been 

 seen for twenty minutes. We pulled out to the vicinity 

 and cast here and there, letting the bait drift in every 

 favorable spot, and until darkness set in did we persevere 

 in our attempts to obtain a strike, but without avail. 

 These were the only tarpon seen by me on the East Coast! 

 I was informed that a few had been taken at Indian 

 River Inlet during the reason. 



Ponce Park is truly a deligbtf ul spot. Situated on the 

 peninsula, with salt water washing each side, and far 

 enough— one-fourth of a mile— from the sea, so that the 

 live oak, palmetto and orange trees protect from the full 

 force of the breeze. The air is balmy and delicious, and 

 what is yet a greater consideration, there is a perfect im- 

 munity from those pests of the mainland— mosquitoes, 

 fleas and malaria. Here is a charming location for a 

 good and commodious hotel. It is easily reached by a 

 daily line of steamers from the railroad terminus above 

 and below Daytona and New Smyrna. The sea shore is 

 conveniently near both for rambles, surf bathing and 

 surf fishing, while the view from the lighthouse is one 

 never to be forgotten. Nearly all varieties of East Coast 

 fishes are found here, and afford any amount of sport. 



After a pleasant stay of two weeks I started on a tour 

 through the lower country. Leaving Ponce Park in a 

 sailboat with an expert skipper, we soon passed from the 

 Halif ax into the Hillsborough, touched at New Snivrna 

 Oak Hill and Shiloh, noted for their orange groves, all 



on the broad Mosquito Lagoon; thence through the canal 

 at the head of Merritt's Island, into a wide bay at the 

 north end of the arm of the sea known as the Indian 

 River; and running under fair canvas with wind astern, 

 we soon reached the enterprising town of Titusville. At 

 this point the skipper was dismissed, and an arrangement 

 made with the captain and owner of a natty tittle steam 

 launch— using kerosene for fuel— whereby the captain 

 and his launch were to be at the disposal of a party of 

 three, who desired to take all the time necessary for an 

 exploration of the Indian River, the Banana River, St. 

 Lucie Sound, St. Lucie River; Halpatiokee River, Jupi- 

 ter River, North Creek, Logoohoochee River, as well as 

 for fishing and hunting when the spirit so moved. 



The first run was to Rock Ledge, where we spent a 

 couple of days very pleasantly in rambling through this 

 long one-street town, or towns, for City Point, Cocoa 

 and Rock Ledge are virtually but one, with an orange 

 grove background and handsome water frontage. We 

 also visited Merritt and Georgiana, pretty hamlets on 

 Merritt's Island, and while cruising about 'shot a few of 

 the numerous coots that could be seen in every direction. 

 Having a satiety of oranges and groves, as well as of the 

 enterprising real estate dealers, who did their utmost to 

 induce us to invest, we provisioned our craft, and, with 

 colors flying and band playing— the writer with cornet, 

 composed the band— we steamed down to Tropic, and 

 landed to feast our eyes on extensive banana and pine- 

 apple plantations in that vicinity, partaking also of pine- 

 apples freshly plucked, and delicious; and then passed 

 around the needle point at the foot of Merritt's Island, 

 and steamed northward as far as Canaveral, on the 

 Banana River. 



Retracing our course through the Banana to the Indian 

 River, we found at Melbourne quite a settlement of prin- 

 cipally Ohio people, whose enterprise was apparent in 

 the appearance of the town. Here we were nicely ac- 

 commodated at the neat and home-like hotel, and' were 

 also invited to attend a hop that was to take place in the 

 vicinity that evening. The tourists were too modest to 

 think of appearing at a society ball in sportsman's outfit 

 and with faces so sunburned that rouge gave no contrast, 

 and so excused themselves: but were afforded a look at 

 the merry dancers. The Captain, however, having a 

 spare suit in the locker, arrayed himself in nobby at tire 

 and went in for "all the fun that could be shook out,'"' 

 and being withal good-looking, and an excellent dancer, 

 he did not lack for partners, and cut quite a figure. 

 Parties attended from miles up and down the river, ali 

 coming by sail or rowboats, except such as came from 

 longer distances by the regular steamer line. 



Leaving Melbourne, our next run was made to Sebas- 

 tian, consisting of one store and dwelling near the mouth 

 of the Sebastian River (fresh water). Here we indulged 

 in some very palatable peach cider, obtained good meals 

 and had good beds, but the Doctor was astounded at the 

 number and size of the immense spiders that appeared to 

 be holding a conference in his apartment, and he com- 

 menced a war of extermination, in which he was soon 

 joined by the Commodore and the Captain. The writer 

 philosophically concluded to live and let Jive, but before 

 retiring drew the bed into the middle of the room, and 

 raised the bed clothes to cut off communication, unless 

 by a drop from the ceiling. But these herculean spiders 

 were not so well educated as the Irishman's bed bugs— as 

 related in the story— and his slumbers were not disturbed. 



A short excursion up the Sebastian River was made, 

 and then a run down through the famous and truly 

 picturesque Narrows of the Indian River, without parti- 

 cular incident other than a stop for fresh water at the 

 Narrows post office, kept by a family from Iowa, living 

 in a neat palmetto thatched cottage that was quaint and 

 picturesque in the extreme. Here we strolled about the 

 island for exercise and sight-seeing, and after an hour 

 thus pleasantly spent pushed on, making a short stop for 

 oil at Fort Capron, and thence to the comfortable hotel at 

 St. Lucie, kept by Mrs. Johnson, of Warren, Ohio, where 

 we secured accommodations to our satisfaction. St. 

 Lucie is an unpretentious hamlet of but few buildings, 

 but being situated directly opposite the Indian River 

 Inlet, a famous fishing ground, is sought out by numer- 

 ous anglers, who spend" inore or less of the winter months 

 at this attractive resort. We engaged oarsmen and spent 

 a few days in fishing for cavalli, sea trout, channel bass 

 and the gamy cobia, or sergeant fish, also picking up a 

 few groupers and snappers. 



A 221b. sergeant, caught with light rod and tackle, 

 gave the writer more sport than anything heretofore 

 taken. No more fish would be taken each day than were 

 sufficient to supply the table at the hotel, and the wants 

 of a few of the natives in the vicinity, who were glad to 

 obtain an addition to their larder without money or work. 

 Next to the sergeant fish the cavalli proved an admirable 

 second in fighting qualities. A solitary flounder was 

 taken, and was an exception to the general rule that thiB 

 species of fish does not take bait. Here also we found 

 extensive reefs of the finest oysters that we had met with 

 on our trip, and our out-of-doors mid-day meals invaria- 

 bly had two courses of the bivalves, raw and roasted. 

 Excursions to the beach, across the narrow intervening 

 Hutchinson's Island, were daily had, that surf bathing 

 and a propensity for collecting the beautiful sea shells 

 here abounding might be indulged. 



One day— it being necessary to lay in a supply of oil to 

 run the engine on our more extended trip to the south— 

 the Commodore and Captain having decided to take the 

 launch and run to Port Pierce, while the Doctor and the 

 Scribe were to be landed on the island side and put in the 

 time at the seashore. After a delicious bath, the Doctor 

 decided upon surf fishing, but was at a loss for bait. This 

 the Scribe soon supplied by standing on a coral reef and 

 firing a rifle ball into the midst of a school of mullet, 

 whereby a sufficient number were stunned and secured 

 for the purpose. After the nearly naked Doctor had 

 blistered sufficiently in the heat of the sun, he resumed 

 his apparel and went to the extremity of a coral reef and 

 indulged in casting, while the Scribe, from a headland, 

 took an occasional shot at sharks, porpoises and pelicans. 

 In the enjoyment of the sport, the M. D. was oblivious to 

 the fact that the rising tide was cutting off his return 

 dry shod to the beach; and was only brought to a realiz- 

 ing sense thereof by a shout from the Scribe, who had 

 returned and observed that the Doctor was then on an 

 island instead of a continuity of reef. The M. D. met 

 the emergency by taking off his clothes and wading to 

 terra firm a. ■ e. S, W. 



[TO BE CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.] 



