FOREST AND STREAM 
137 
Music. — In these days of comparative failure of Italian 
Opera, when impressarios are seeking release from contracts, 
and disconsolate song birds wing their Sights to native and 
more congenial climes, it is pleasiug to note the success 
and enthusiasm which greets the home bred article. Miss 
Kellogg has organized a company which both in this city 
and Boston, lias met with well merited recognition. Mad- 
ame Jennie Van Zandt, who is the “right bower” of the 
troupe, aud whose merits as an artiste are well known, was 
the recipient of a benefit and ovation ou Thursday last, the 
warmth of which must have been equally gratifying to 
the lady and the singer. 

— Fayette S. Giles, Esq., late President of the Blooming 
Grove Park Association, sailed for Switzerland iu the 
steamer “Amerique” last Saturday. He gave a parting 
entertainment on board to a few friends. 
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA— NO. 4. 
BEING NOTES OF A TOUR OF EXPLORATION— BY OUR OWN 
COMMISSIONER. 
P ERSONS undertaking a boat cruise on the southwest 
coast should provide themselves with the published 
charts of Charlotte Harbor. These show the soundings of 
Boca Grande, aud Caloosa entrances; and San Carlos Bay 
to the mouth of the Caloosahatcliie River. Outsidu of 
these localities the tourist will be compelled to pick his way 
unless he is well supplied with this world's goods and can 
engnge the services of a pilot. Occasionally an old coaster 
will be met with, from whom some valuable information 
can be obtained regarding the navigation of localities the 
wanderer may wish to visit — and such opportunities should 
be taken advantage of. 
W u may remark at this time that we found our outfit de- 
ficient in several important implements. This being our 
first boat cruise in this section, and having a large amount 
of plunder to stow and transport we were somewhat excus- 
able for leaving behind three important weapons, to wit : a 
harpoon, grains, and turtle peg. The two former are well 
known, and can be obtained in fishing tackle stores ; but as 
the turtle peg is seldom seen in the North I may at some fu- 
ture time give a description of it. In enumerating on a 
former occasion the articles composing our outfit, I neglect- 
ed to mention a Spanish cast net. I purchased one be- 
fore leaving the North, but found it entirely useless. It 
was made of cotton twine, eight feet wide, and with but 
six pounds of lead to sink it. For use in southern waters 
a net should be made of the best gilling twine, twelve to 
fourteeu feet in diameter, and weighted with from twelve 
to fourteen pounds of lead; a cast net of any other descrip- 
tion will prove useless, and had better remain iu the North 
to decorate the window of some fishing tackle store. 
Punla Rassa has been very appropriately termed the 
“jumping oil place of all creation.” At this point the 
tourist will find two large wooden buildings, and some pal- 
metto huts, and a large and substantial dock. The first 
building is a large structure resembling a warehouse, and 
is the residence of two operators in charge of the Inter-Co- 
lonial Ocean Telegraph wires and station at this point; and 
also of two observers representing “ Old Prob.” North of 
the telegraph building is a large wooden structure belong- 
ing to C’apt. Henry, and used as a post olfice and lodging 
quarters for the employees of Capt. H., and those engaged 
in shipping cattle. The palmetto huts belong to a gentle- 
man who has an extensive fishery at this point. This is the 
point where cattle are shipped from southern Florida to 
Key West and Cuba. The operators and observers at this 
point treated us with great courtesy and attention, and we 
are prompted to thus publicly express our thanks. 
Finding nothing to interest us at this very uninteresting 
point, we left on the morning of the 26tli for the Caloosa- 
lmtchie River, and found the entrance a difficult piece of 
navigation. By advice we took the boat channel, and were 
favored with a head wind and ebb tide; a narrow, crooked 
channel, bounded and obstructed by mud flats and coon 
oyster bars. After one hour's beating we made one thou 
sand feet, and surmounted the difficulties incident to the 
navigation. We ultimately reached the widest part of the 
river, and found it to be a grand stream, nearly equaling 
in size the St. Johns between Jacksonville and Orange 
Mills. We found the shores high and clothed with pine 
timber of fair quality as far up as Fort Myers. At 6:30 we 
moored to the dock at the last named place— 25 miles dis- 
tant from Puuta Rassa. This was an important military 
post during the first and second Indian wars. At the ter- 
mination of the late unpleasantness some malicious per- 
sons destroyed by fire all the buildings but one. At the 
present lime the pluce contains a population of about 100 
persons, nearly all of whom are engaged in cattle raising 
or herding in southwest Florida. We found the residents 
courteous and hospitable and ready to oblige us in any way. 
As an evidence of the tropical character of the climate 
at this point I need but refer to the fact that the wanderer 
will find eleven cocoa nut trees growing on the margin of 
the river and producing fruit. We see no reason why tro- 
pical fruits and plants should not be profitably cultivated 
on the banks of the Caloosahatcliie. If we were young 
and disposed to make ourselves a home in a new country, 
we would without hesitation locate on the banks of this 
stream. The winters are pleusant, and the summers not un- 
comfortably warm. Northern people entertain the opinion 
that “ the range of the thermometer iu southern Florida 
must be much higher than iu the North !" but this is a 
mistake. To illustrate this position I shall select at random 
a few statistics from Blodgett’s excellent and reliable work 
on Climatology ; and for the purposes of comparison again 
refer to observations at Punta Rassa for the year 1874 — 
thereby illustrating the highest aud lowest thermometric 
ranges : — 
Iincc. 
New York City. . . 
Philndi'lphln 
Wii-hington, D. C. 
St. Lours. Mo 
Cmcinnail. OUio 
Fort Snellln.', Mlun. 
Key Went, Fla 
Key West, Flu 
Key West, Fin 
l’uuta Ruaxa. Fin 
Dntc. 
1821 
lavs 
1S55 
1855 
1851 
1851 
tail 
1818 
18.34 
1871 
•Ion. 
Feb. 
M'clt. April. 
May. 
lilts 
5 lit 
it n 
3; 67 
5,63 
36:15 
5t)|82 
61180 
68 81 
ISlHI 
10|70 
a is 
a a;* 
5 67 
16 80 
20,58 
57180 
M!81 
61 81 
Ml! 83 
22181 
3:80 
16 02 
II 93 
in 
* « 
86 1 86 
a 8 1 
68 83 
33 1 87 
21181 31 OS 
‘2187 10 93 
23i86 8595 
32,93 38 95 
28 92 42 91 
9,81 32 03 
O.’lHS 70,87 
63 83 61 87 
00,90 73 90 
,V» 90 39 ill 
Plnco. 
New York City 
Philadelphia 
Washington, D. C.. 
St. Louie. Mo 
Cincinnati, Ohio... 
Fort SneUlng, Mlnu. 
Key West, Ha. .. 
Key West, Fla 
Key West, Fla 
Punta Itnssa, Fla. . . 
Date. 
July. 
Aug. 
Sc|*t . 
Oct. 
Nov. 
lice. 
• 
o 
9 
9 
9 
o 
o 
a 
o 
• 
. 
1822 
100 62 
01 
00 
89 
.30 
86 
37 
71 
33|63 
13 
I860 
98 
6 1 ] 90 
.VI 90 
II 
78 
A3 
31 61 
9 
95 
52 90 
47 
90 
42 
23 
21 63 
13 
1855 
96 
60,01 
63 j 99 
17 
81 
24 
71 
21 65 
4 
1851 
95 
61196 
58199 
40 
83 
35 6.3 
24 58 
15 
03 
55 93 
30,88 
39 
. 1 
23 , 60 
11145 
8 
88 
78 87 
75189 
77 
81 
7l|82 
69 1 SO 
60 
1838 
as 
73 8S 
75,88 
75187 
71183 
66,82 
51 
1851 
89 
78 89 
73 84 
77 
81 
72 
187-1 
in 
70 91 
7l|9l 
67 
85 
6482 
59 KO 
49 
* 3 •' V uv "HW 1IUU. (I,\13 
to grind, and those who have visited the Indian River coun- 
try, go into ecstacies over the superiority of the climate of 
the Southern Allaulic coast, and spread their opinions 
broadcast over the land. Brinton in his excellent work on 
“Florida and the South" remarks : " The highest Winter 
temperature observed anywhere ou the mainland of the 
United Stales was at Fort Dallas on the Miami River, aud 
at New Smyrna, some miles north of it, both on the east 
coast of Florida. Furthermore their range is less than any- 
where else. During four years that the army officers watch- 
ed the thermometer at Fort Dallas the highest point reached 
by the mercury vtas 95% the lowest 35° ; a range therefore 
of 60° in four yeurs." The highest range »f the thermo- 
meter for the last three years at Punta Rassa was 05, and 
the lowest 40, a range therefore of but 55°. From these 
data we are inclined to believe that the climate of the south- 
west coast will favorably compare with that of the Miami 
and Indian River sections. 
In Southern Florida calm, warm and sweltering nights, 
during the Summer months are unknown, but on the con- 
trary a refreshing breeze exists, and blankets become al- 
most a necessity. During the nights of July aud August 
when northern people are suffering from a calm and sultry 
atmosphere nnd praying for a refreshing breeze to enable 
tbcm to sleep ! the residents of Southern Florida sleep 
soundly, and arc refreshed by cooling and invigorating 
zephyrs wafted from old mother ocean. 
During the Winter months in Southern Florida rains are 
unfrequent, but in Summer when vegetation is active, 
moisture demanded, aud frequent rain storms desirable and 
required to favor vegetable growth and cool the atmosphere, 
such rains are of almost daily occurrence. From the time 
we left Sarasota Bay until we readied Clear Water Harbor 
on our return, we did not sec a drop of rain. For the pur- 
pose of rendering our statements more clear and authori- 
tative, we shall quote from Blodgett’s Climatology, some 
data showing the mean annual precipitation of rain and 
melted snow at a few points in the United Slates:— 
Year . 
s s s s 
3 g 3 5 
3 S 3 3 8 
CD CO C 5 C 
1 3 8 3 $= 
uuininvi 0 _ „ 0 
1 " ~ - 
jjuimns 
3 3 8 5 
g s; 2 V. 
Suyds 
S o 8 cS 
CD CO © 
•joquiwaQ 
sms 
e» ei co 
‘ 23 (|D 13 AO^ 
8 § ?} S 
ei © ci co 
jaqopo 
9 $* 3 2 
w « w « 
Maq mojitos 
3 3 3 s 
•x» o> co cn 
•|*n 3 nv 
£ S 3 f£ 
O ® N v 
3 *lOjp 
11.10 
8.45 
6.15 
4.22 
•ounp 
3 8 8 S 
c « m' ot 
c 3 § 8 
CO CO w w 
•IlidV 
8 ~ s S 
00 <-4 co 
i 
•q 34 BK 
$5835 
« ^ 
15 2 3 2 
AJBIUq.ljJ » 91 « 
1 
'Aronavf 
a s s s 
Ol CO Ol so 
® 
a 
o 
3 
e n 
i : 
• 9 - 
3 3 
E E 
«r •£ : a 
•f l g \ 
jj ft % 
C 9 « o -o 
t C 5 = 
£ £ g t 
To those contemplating a change of location, more es- 
pecially if they intend engaging in the cultivation of tho 
soil, wo would urge the advisability of considering climatic 
conditions, as tending to health, longevity, bodily com- 
forts, ami pecuniary results. Wo often hear Hie objection 
urged that the climate of Florida is enervating nnd debilita- 
ting, and Dial people settling there become lazy ns a se- 
quence of clhnntic conditions. Wo admit that an exco 
81 ,y high thurmomotrlc range associated with a clo'e 
moist atmosphere, will relax ami dcliilitale tin- human sys- 
tern, but these conditions do not exist in southwest Florl- 
da; and the emigrant will not become indolent unless lie is 
constitutionally lazy. The residents of the South are often 
referred to as wanting energy and perseverance, lint when 
such references are made we must remember that during 
the reign of King Colton to labor was unfashionable, and 
that slaves were plenty and ever ready to minister to the 
wants of the white, either adult or child. Cynics, who am 
evei ready to assail the South aud Southerners, must re- 
member that the male portion of our northern population 
have been educated to some calling in early life- that labor 
ami activity have become a second naluro with them. Edu- 
cation has more to do with active habits than climate. Wo 
often hear ungenerous and censorious people refer to tho 
“indolent nature of tho Southern people." but if they 
bring Into review the unmbeis engaged on the Confodernto 
side during the late unpleasantness, and l ho results attained 
by a comparatively small number of half starved and hall 
armed men, they will be forced to confess that laziness and 
iudolenco did not characterize tho Confederate armies from 
’61 to ’65. In tho South to-day kite female portion of tho 
population liavu accepted the situation, placed their 
shoulders to tho wheel, and industry and thrift are promin- 
ent. Cynical people, who wish to find indolence, laziness, 
nud false pride among tho female sex, need not extend their 
observations any further tlmn tho females of American 
birth in the Northern States— a portion of tho world whom 
industry and labor are considered disgraceful by a majority 
of those who were intended by a wise and beneficent Crea- 
tor to become helpmates of man. In our many wander- 
ings in the Southern Slutcs wo have mot with numerous 
Northern people who, after years of residence in tho South 
were as active, industrious, nnd enterprising as before they 
left a more inhospitable climate. I am prompted to write as I 
do iu consequence of having daily unit hourly listened to the 
unkind, unjust, anil censorious criticisms of Northerners— 
persons who should extend the baud of sympathy anil 
speak words ot kindness to a suffering and struggling peo- 
ple. I am a Northerner, but must confess, that I am disgust- 
ed with tho want of Christian charity that characterizes 
many bigoted people ol my section: “ Let us have peace," 
and to bring about this halcyon state let us treat the South 
cru people as we would be treated— extend to them the 
baud of brotherhood, and use words of sympathy and 
kindness, instead of censure and words of reproach mid 
condemnation. To those who intend visiting the South ns 
tourists or Hportsmen 1 would say, ho generous, he kind, ho 
honest, and a “ true Southern welcome" and unbounded 
hospitality will greet you everywhere, from tho mansion 
to the palmetto hut. 
In our Northern States wc have thousands of persons 
who are suffering from rheumatic, pulmonary and chronic 
diseases, whose health would bo Improved and lives pro- 
longed, if they could be induced to settle iu the genial eli 
male of Florida. Independent of bcnuflttlng themselves 
they would advunce the interests of tho tender branches 
clinging around tho parent stem. 
The old Romans used this pregnant expression : Ini-nicu* 
srnilibu* hyems — " Winter, the foe of tho aged." Modern 
research proves its correctness. An eminent statistician , 
calculating from nearly 55,000 coses over 00 years of ago, 
discovered the startling fact that the deaths in January 
were within a fraction twice as many its in July. Such a 
statement reminds us of the significant expression of an- 
other distinguished observer, who hud closely studied the 
relation of mortality and temperature, and wrote: “Waves 
of heat are waves of life; aud waves of cold are waves of 
death." 
I am fully prepared to admit that some localities In (lie 
State ure very unhealthy, nnd that malarious diseases oc- 
cur to a great extent in certain portions of the State, but I 
likewise contend that certain sections of the State cannot 
bo equalled by ony portion of the world for healthfulness; 
and some of the latter localities will be found on the south- 
west coast. 
Army returns are generally the most reliable, and exceed- 
ingly importuut when we come to estimate (lie sanitary ad- 
vantages of any given section. During the Florida war 
the soldiers were exposed at all seasons in various portions 
of the State, and only those who hove visited the peninsula 
can form any idea of how terribly arduous must he cam- 
paigning through the swamps and everglades of the State. 
Yet, according to the urmy medical statistic*, the yearly 
mortality from disease in the army there, was only 26 per 
1,000; and the average of the army elsewhere was 35 per 
1,000; while in Texas it rose to 50, and on the lower Mis- 
sissippi to 44 per 1,000. Ai. Fresco. 
—The National Rifle Association have resolved to adopt 
the form of target in use at Wimbledon, viz,, the circulur 
disc, retaining four of the old first class targets for the use 
of the international team. The Amateur Rifle Club have 
elected Capt. II. Fulton President; Col. Jno. Bod i no, Vico 
President. Full reports of the meetings in our ne. t 
issue. 
