November, 1918 
FOREST AND STREAM 
033 
. 
A 
he power launch was ideal for trolling 
kality an Everglades slough, emptying into 
lie bay. The passage at one point was 
[arrow, but they made their way through 
i id up into a calm body of water shaded 
r mangroves. 
“Fresh water when no tide 
l ish up,” grunted Hendry, “you 
■itch black bass before you go 
|i> sleep.” And he busied him- 
•lf with a line for John, 
k. First the guide fussed around 
shore until he discovered a 
|*orm or two, in the rotting 
liarts of flag stems. These 
ere used to land several very 
[nail bream. Mr. King’s own 
d, six and a half feet long. 
:k line, Xo. 2 Sproat gut snood 
Jok, was used, there being no 
iom for trolling. Hendry 
tied for a small phantom, an 
;e tally small spoon, and then 
r<ched for a bream. 
Casting!” exclaimed John. 
Je guide nodded, with just the 
iggestion of a grin wreathing those mis- 
fijaws of his. 
Kin Everglade streams, the black bass are 
S they returned to the Mae, the sun 
was going down across the far 
reaches of the saw-grass country, 
miles and miles westward. A lone pelican, 
preening himself, floated in the golden 
sunset path like a large decorative cork, 
his plump body bobbing up and down on 
the waves. 
There were cormorants, too, and endless 
processions of wheeling white gulls, and 
mullet snapped to the surface as if paying 
homage to the day’s majestic decline. 
The thousand and one sounds of the day 
hushed into silence. Out of the growing 
At picturesque Miami the various types of fishing boats con 
gregate, using it as a sunswept headquarters 
>htks of many varieties are always in 
v i<nce; indeed they often follow close 
' n ie catch and nip off an entire line 
darkness came faint, murmurous stirrings 
presaging the awakening of night life on 
the neighboring shores of Angel Fish Key. 
Overhead through the warm atmosphere 
that hung like a heavy curtain above the 
Mae came the brightening beams of star 
after star as each showed itself in its ap¬ 
pointed place in the tropical heavens. Be¬ 
neath, the tiny ripples sang a liquid slum¬ 
ber song.against the boat. To the east lay 
Garysfort Reef from which the friendly 
lighthouse blinked a cordial “goodnight 
and pleasant dreams” to the happy voy¬ 
agers, as well as a message of warning to 
the ship far at sea. Everything was quiet, 
peace and content. It seemed such things 
as cruelty, rapacity and ruthless avarice 
could not exist in such a world as this. 
“I never want to return home,” John 
sighed, “and to think the snow is flying 
North. It seems unbelievable.” 
They had made the power boat fast for 
the night and were lounging on the deck¬ 
house. Hendry busied himself making 
things ship-shape. He was expert in all 
matters pertaining to comfort in sea-quar¬ 
ters as well as in shore camps. 
“You’ll have enough of it before we re¬ 
turn,” Mr. King suggested. 
“I’m not so sure of that,” John replied, 
“and then there are the specimens. I will 
bring back hundreds of them for my collec¬ 
tion. Perhaps I might find .” The 
The waters were alive with fishing craft 
of every description, all making unusual 
catches. Stingrays seemed to be popular 
boy for a moment hesitated inquiringly. 
“Yes,” his father interpolated. 
“I was about to say ... an 
egret,” John resumed, realizing, 
however, that this was delicate 
ground. 
“There will be no killing of 
egrets,” declared Mr. King em¬ 
phatically, “you know my feel¬ 
ings in the matter.” 
“But the Indians, in Miami—” 
began John, “I have seen 
them . . . .” 
V es, I know what you have 
seen. You will see MORE, too, 
of both Indians and egrets dur¬ 
ing the weeks to come. I trust 
you will see enough to make 
you a Game Warden at heart.” 
“But, Father,” John broke in, 
“are we to watch them—to 'try 
and find out anything? 
“It’s time for you to go to bed, my son,” 
was Mr. King’s quiet rejoinder. 
(to be continued next month) 
Fisherman lands a giant sword-fish 
ravenous and Hendry’s little creek had not 
been “fished out.” Even the amateur 
profited and by nightfall they had caught 
three wonders—more than they could pos¬ 
sibly need for culinary purposes. But the 
sport of it was right royal, especially as 
the banks were mangrove-lined and trop¬ 
ically interesting. 
