April 22, 1905.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
S17 
IMISIFMIIME 
Log of the Mystery. 
Gasolene cabin launch Mystery, 42ft. long, lift, 
beam, 20-horsepower gasolene engine, sloop rigged, 
chartered by Trask and Newberry, of Cleveland, Ohio, 
for a month's cruise from Miami to Punta Rassa, via 
the Keys of Florida. 
Charles R. Meloy, owner, captain and cook, 35 years 
old, born in New Haven, Conn., tall and strong, has 
been prize-fighter, railroad man, and now owns the 
Mystery and charters her to fishermen. 
Captain John R. Roberts, pilot, 40 years old, born 
in Wisconsin, a gentleman by birth and training, hand- 
some, agreeable, with property enough to support him 
comfortably. Has been in the United States Volunteer 
Army in the Philippines and got a captain's commis- 
sion there at close of war. Traveled over most of the 
world, now makes his home in Miami and fishes, shoots 
and guides as part business and part amusement. 
Walter Jenkins, assistant engineer, deck hand, gen- 
eral utility, "cracker" by birth and education. Sixteen 
years old, tall and thin, smokes cigarettes all the time. 
A well-intentioned boy, but apt to forget things and 
be picturesquely cursed by the captain in consequence. 
J. C. Trask, general agent of a big insurance com- 
pany, short, stout and jolly. 
A. St. J. Newberry, lawyer and manufacturer, tall, 
thin, and the keeper of this log. 
Monday, Jan. 16. — Sailed from Miami i P. M. High 
north wind ; bright sun ; trolled down Biscayne Bay 
without results. Went aground at mouth Caesar's 
CreeK, 24 miles south from Miami, about 5 P.M., on a 
falling tide. Stuck there all night. 
Tuesday, Jan. 17.- — Cold north wind; rainy; got off 
ground about 6 o'clock with great difficulty; anchored 
in Csesar's Creek for breakfast; went after crawfish for 
bait and the table in a branch creek; got a lot of them 
with the spear, weighing up to five pounds each. Very 
good sport and food, tasting like lobster. Found a 
school of silver moonfish up the creek, and secured 
seven by casting the spear; the most beautiful fish I 
have ever seen. One I2in. long and loin. across, was 
^in. thick, and all shining like mother of pearl and 
silver. Caught a few grunts in channel late in the 
afternoon — very good on table. 
Wednesday, Jan. 18. — Sunny; northeast wind. Caught 
a parrot fish and a grunt fr om the anchorage. Moved 
up creek again. Speared crawfish and moonfish. Tied 
up to mangroves, where water was about 12ft. deep 
and perfectly clear. Alany blue and yellow angelfish 
and snappers visible; but they would not bite. A large 
school of salt-water chub in a cave under the bank. 
Caught a dozen of tliem about two pounds each with 
light rod, small hook and a very small bait; very active 
and strong fish, and interesting fishing. 
Thursday, Jan. 19. — Warmer; showers; wind, east. 
Down channel and outside keys to Angelfish Creek. 
Caught a few grunts. After lunch ran up through creek 
and down inside keys to Steamboat Creek. Fished 
there for snapper; caught one and two little sand perch. 
At five ran down creek and anchored outside. Fished 
for snapper at mouth of creek. Mosquitoes fearful. 
Trask caught three snappers, small, and then hooked 
a 4ft. stingray, which towed him round awhile and 
was led out into the bay. We got gaff and grains; 
Roberts grained him, the hook giving way then. I 
gaffed him, and we both towed him to the boat. Cap- 
tain grained him again. Walter broke the barbed lance 
in his tail with an oar, and we hoisted him on deck. 
Estimated weight 80 pounds, dark olive back, white 
below. Slept in bay that night; no flies; fair night. 
Friday, Jan. 20. — Wind, west, light; bright and warm. 
Back to Angelfish Creek. Down outside to Indian 
Key, about 30 miles south of Angelfish. Rigged tarpon 
rods and wire leaders for expected big barracuda. 
Trolled down, some strikes from mackerel; no fish. 
Anchored one-quarter mile north of Indian Key. 
Caught abundance of runners (or hard tail), snappers, 
grunts, a yellow tail and fifteen or twenty of the 
curious "half-beak" — a silvery fish from loin. to isin. 
long, about lin. deep, tail with lower blade the longer, 
and a long protrusion of the lower jaw making a 3in. 
or 4in. beak, the upper jaw short. These swim in 
schools near the surface, and take very gently a small 
hook with piece of crawfish about ^in. square. Very 
lively, but too small to give sport. A 4ft. shark made 
a dash at one of my hooked fish, and nearly got him. 
Saturday, Jan. 21. — North wind; fresh; cool. Landed 
on Indian Key, shot two doves and could not find 
them. Tried to catch groupers in rock holes along 
shore. Saw some of five to eight pounds, but could'nt 
get them to bite. Caught some small porgies and 
grunts off the cay. Moved to our last night's anchor- 
age. No fish, but a school of half-beaks. Caught eight 
with one bait. Later got several good mutton fish, 
runners, etc. Fish bit for last part of ebb tide only. 
I fell backward from the after deck into the cockpit, 
campstool and all. Ought to have broken my neck, 
but got off with a scare and a few strains. , . 
Sunday, Jan. 22. — Wind, north; light, falling to al- 
most nothing; warm and pleasant. Up at 5:30;' break- 
fast. To Alligator Reef Light, 3 miles southeast. 
Trolled around light with tarpon rod, reel and line, 
piano wire leaders, lo-o hooks and 6in. bait, pork rind 
or fish. Caught twenty-one barracuda, from- 10 to 30 
pounds, five amber fish from 25 to 60 pounds, five 
groupers from 10 to 70 pounds, two Spanish mackerel 
8 pounds each. Lost a good many fish and several hooks 
and leaders. Perfectly wonderful sport. Very gamy 
and strong fish, especially the amberjack, which, in 
sustained* power, excel every fish I have known, weight 
for weight. Is first cousin to the California "yelldw- 
tail." ./The work very hard, and after each big fish 
was gaffed, ow wanted tQ sit down gasp, §nd 
his aching muscles. I was astonished at the strength 
of the tackle, and got to think it would hold anything, 
so lost two big amberjack by holding them too tight 
and breaking my line at the leader knot. A hammer- 
head shark, about loft. long, swam close around the 
sloop while we were anchored for lunch. Tried in vain 
to shoot him; fished for him. with shark hook, but he 
wouldn't bite. 
Our total catch was thirty-three fish, and I estimated 
total weight over 700 pounds. Trask had two reels 
fail him and broke his line twice, and so took my spare 
line and reel to go on with. His click slipped off, the 
reel overran and snarled the line, and the next rush 
broke it. Largest grouper was about 4ft. long, 70 
pounds; largest amberjack, 4^ft., 60 pounds; largest 
barracuda, S^ft-, 30 pounds. The barracuda plays like 
a salmon, making long side runs and often leaping re- 
peatedly. One of my large fish went clear out five times. 
The amberfish play deeper and do not leap, but are 
much stronger weight for weight and fight longer. The 
groupers surge heavily, play deep and get into a hole 
if they can. Took fish to Indian Key, photographed 
them, and gave to a "Conch," as the natives of the 
keys are called, all but four, so none were wasted. 
Find inside of sole leather brake pad deeply hollowed 
bv friction against the coil of line on the reel. Had a 
plunge off the sloop. Very fine. 
Monday, Jan. 23. — Wind, northeast, light; fair. 
After breakfast started for Bahia Honda, outside the 
keys, a run of 40 miles. Passed fleet of spongers about 
9 A. M., and of mackerel seiners, each schooner with a 
big seine boat in tow and a look out on the jibboom 
end, about eleven. Toward noon saw several mackerel 
jump, but they would not strike the squids. About 
2:30 two struck at the same moment, and were landed, 
4^ pounds each. About 3:30 entered Bahia Honda 
Harbor, passing near a small rocky islet with a large 
flock of pelicans on it. Shot at them muchly with 
small rifles with no results. Landed on Bahia Honda 
Cay. Low coral reef, with rank grass and bushes on 
the higher part, and a few cocoanut palms in the dis- 
tance. Caught a lot of small crabs for bait from under 
stones, and I speared a nurse shark about isin. long. 
Back on boat, and caught a lot of small porgies and 
grunts before sundown. Going back to boat we saw 
a large stingray, speckled this time; but he got away 
too quick for me to spear him. They move through 
the water by motion of their wide flanges, which is 
singularly like the flight of a bird. 6 P. M., wind north, 
light; quite warm. These southern keys have white 
beaches, and are inclined to be rocky and dry, quite 
different from the mud and mangrove cays for the first 
50 miles south of Miami. Trask snores regularly every 
night, but not violently, and it don't seem to bother 
me any. He is very cheerful and jolly and a very 
pleasant companion. 
Tuesday Jan. 24. — Anchored in channel before break- 
fast; caught large grunts and porgies of about 2 pounds, 
and one pork fish, silver with yellow and black stripes. 
Started for Key West about 8 o'clock. One valve 
stem of engine broke about 10 o'clock; drifted for two 
hours and repaired it. Trolled with big rods over 
some reefs for about an hour after . lunch. I caught 
a is-pound grouper, and had one more strike. Trask 
got one strike, but no fish. Started for Key West 2:15 
P. M., about 18 miles away. Timed the boat for an 
hour this morning. She made 7^ miles towing her 
rowboat behind, and with two trolling lines out. A 
perfect day; north wind early in day, and quite brisk. 
Now, 2:30 P. M., soft S.W. wind; very warm and per- 
fectly clear; water, turquoise with purple patches of 
rocky shoal; wind, light, northerly, increasing. 
Wednesday, Jan. 25. — Wind, northerly fresh; fair 
weather. Took some photographs, bought supplies, etc. 
Dropped my glasses into the harbor while trying to 
photograph a 200-pound jewfish tied to dock. A 
genial colored gentleman fished them out and seemed 
grateful for a quarter. Wind rose rapidly, by noon 
blowing a norther. Shifted boat to south of steamer 
pier; cold and cloudy; dined at hotel; a very bad dinner. 
Cold night; wind high. 
Thursday, Jan. 26. — Norther still blowing very cold. 
Sun out about 10 A. M.; warmer. Think we are stuck 
here for a day or two. Storm all day, very cold, extra 
blankets bought and slept in underclothes and stockings. 
Friday, Jan. 27.— Fair; cold north wind. Many fish 
picked up by boys, so numbed with cold as to be help- 
less. Wind falling and somewhat warmer. Drove with 
Trask to Martelo Towers, old forts east of town, and 
took some photographs. We had been told this could 
not be done without a permit, so drove to the bar- 
racks, and were told that the commanding officer was 
at Fort Taylor. Drove to the fort, passing through a 
gate where a sentry was stationed, who said nothing 
to us. After some inquiry found a group of officers 
at one of the batteries, prominent among whom was 
a stout red-faced, grizzled personage. I lifted my hat, 
and he said, "Well, sir." I said, "We are told that 
permission to inspect the Martelo Towers is necessary, 
and beg to ask leave to do so." He thundered, "How 
the devil did you get in here?" and, without waiting 
for a reply, began to abuse our driver for bringing 
citizens into the fort and' threatened him with the 
guard house; ordered the officer of the day to arrest 
the sentry at the gate and have him tried by court 
rnartial. Said to me most grufffy, "Am sorry I can 
give you no permission to see any of the fortifications," 
and stalked away. The whole performance was so 
absurd that it struck me as funny, and I did not begin 
tp realize that our dignity as American citizens had 
been offended until about next day. The army is amus- 
ing when it gets''6ri its hind legs and prances, and 
this particular individual may have been a very good 
officer, hut mM' to have Jacked- training pi§ a f^li^Ie- 
man. We found the towers practically ruinous, and" 
nobody objected to our visit to them. 
The islands where not cleared is a desolate wilder- 
ness, sand and rock covered by scrubby jungle. Got 
some more supplies and hope to start in morning for 
the west coast. This storm appears to have been gen- 
eral all over the country, with zero or below in north- 
ern cities and freezing or below far down into Florida, 
and has doubtless done great damage. Saw a jewfish 
on dock, _ about 6ft. long and very thick and heavy, 
\yould weigh at least 300 pounds, brown, mottled with 
lighter shade and very ugly. Large turtle crawls on 
dock next us. Full of green turtles. Some very large 
ones. Toward' night wind much lighter, and tempera-' 
ture much milder. Night cold, but not nearly so bad 
as the last one. 
Saturday, Jan. 28. — Cloudy; light northeast wind. 
Started at 9:30. On the way passed a small shark and 
a hawksbill turtle, circled to try and spear them, but 
they both got out of the way. Reached Bahia Honda 
3:30. Landed on Pelican Key, got two shots at flock 
of small beach birds with shotgun: Killed several, but 
only got two, others washed away. Fired four shots 
at pelican on the water, about 300yds., with .22 rifle; 
first shot short; second and third nearer, but still short 
Fourth caught him through the neck and killed him 
instantly. Picked him up with launch, full-grown 
female, very handsome plumage, spread ' of wings 7ft. 
Much larger bird than I supposed. Anchored inside 
channel. Quiet night. 
Sunday, Jan. 29. — Cloudy; heavy black bank to the 
east Started for Cape Sable 9 A. M. Skinned the 
pelican; beastly job. Partly cloudy; light north wind. 
Are running up inside keys, and shall strike across in 
an hour or so and get out of sight of land. Bay of 
Florida. Water shallow, to-day muddy from long 
storm, so pale turquoise. Cape Sable about 3 P. M. 
Up along shore to Sawfish Hole. Very shoal water. 
Anchored off post-office of Flamingo, near some small 
keys. Few drops of rain in evening. Quite comfortable 
temperature. The pelican skin kept me busy for four 
days, hanging it up to the sun to dry, covering it with 
canvas when it rained and putting it away at night. 
It got wetter and worse smelling every day, and I 
finally gave it up as a bad job and threw it overboard. 
Monday, Jan. 30.— Fair, light east wind, comfortably 
warm. Up at sunrise. Went to keys with shotgun 
and rod. Shot a great white heron and a qua bird, 
or night heron. Caught a sea trout three pounds. 
Roberts speared a drum of about same size. Picked 
up a chilled burrfish. Yellow ground, fine black stripes 
in pattern, emerald eyes, yellow border, spined pro- 
lusely on back and head to tail; 8in. long. Afternoon, 
speared a red drum, shot a Florida cormorant and 
young white ibis, called "curlew" here. Fired many 
shots. Shot (No. 8), too small. Warmest night yet. 
Tuesday, Jan. 31.— Fair, light east wind; warm. 
Fished for drum around keys, no bites. Shot at a red 
drum and missed him. Speared a gray drum, 20 
pounds, which croaked repeatedly when in the boat 
Roberts picked up a 50-pound tarpon, dead, evidently 
killed by cold; no mark on him. After lunch started 
for Shark River on west coast. East wind became high 
about noon. Still quite warm. We were disappointed 
at not seeing a sawfish, for which this last spot is 
noted. Had cormorant and curlew stewed for dinner. 
Both horrid. Tender, but with a dead and gone after- 
taste that was abominable. The red drum proved an 
excellent table fish. About 2:30 ran hard aground on 
bank a mile from shore. Tide went out and boat lay 
over 20 degrees or more. Engine broke down just 
after we struck. Tinkered it tide came in and we 
got off about 7:30 and anchored in channel. Big lot 
of porpoises puffing and jumping around us. Wind 
fallen; warmer. 
Wednesday, Feb. i.— Fair; wind east fresh. Fished 
off boat. Trask caught four sand perch; I didn't get 
a bite. Ran along coast past the triple capes called 
"Sable," toward Shark River. Reached same about 
noon. After lunch went up river in boats. Fished, but 
caught nothing. Shot two Louisiana herons and a 
young one of the "little blue heron." This last was 
pure white, the ends of the primaries very slightly 
marked with bluish. In about two years the bird be- 
comes deep blue all over. Trask shot an adult. Took 
skin of back and wings of my Louisianas. Two por- 
poises in river; Trask shot at them with big rifle and 
missed; Walter chased them with grains, but couldn't 
reach 'em. Mosquitoes numerous here. Shall pull 
out for Marco and Pavilion Key or Punta Rassa in 
morning. A. St. J. Newberry, 
[to be concluded.] 
Golden Trout Shown in San Ffancisco. 
Golden trout from an icy stream 7,000 feet up the wild 
sides of Mt Whitney were one of the attractions of the 
Forest, Fish and Game Association's show in San Fran- 
cisco last week. The fish were caught in Whitney Creek 
by R. W. Requa, foreman of the Sissons hatchery. With 
two assistants he started up the towering mountain. One 
of his companions turned back when a blinding "snow- 
storm came on, but the other two proceeded. Requa got 
about three dozen of the trout, which were brouo-ht 
down in a bucket of water and ice. Plenty of ice was 
kept in the tank in which the fish were shipped, and a 
large chunk of it floated in the water in which they 
lived at the pavilion. 
; The Wag, 
From the New York Times. 
He laugheth best who laugheth last, 
So on the mundane ball 
The dog, who chuckles with his tajl, 
. Mljllitlwgbt the best 9f §11 
