The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1876-05-03

mOur OOaJ soon landed, ana on Delng
rallied, offered to bet oD his boat, but
found no takers. When we got up to
the house the Captains wife came out
to get some venison to cook for dinner,
"and mourned because she found it
not"
Dinner, smoke and rest. Then Far
rell proposed fish. So he, Chapman
and ourself got some lines and went
out 20 the inlet. The first thing was
to get bait. After much digging and
poking around among the sand, we
found lot of fiddler's crabs, which is
the only bait used here except mullets.
The iddler's crab is a queer looking
specimen, of which there seems to be
nothing but legs, piucers and eyes.
The latter are very prominent and
very bright, sticking out like beads.
When discovered, they make off for
their holes in the sand, at speed that
is astonishing; the strange part of it
is, they run sideways. When cornered
they stop and put up their claws, ready
for fight, and are really fierce. look
ing little creature.
With dozen or two of these ain
sects' we commenced to fish, But a
few moments elapsed before Farrell
pulled out a fish called the "blue cat,
which resembles our catfish, save that
its skin has blush cast. This fish is
not considered fit for food. We caught
several of these chaps, but could not
get any other fish. Finally our bait
gave out, and we cut up catfish, and
put large piece on our hook Pres
emily something took the bait, aud we
observed our line going out moderate
~, and pulled in. For an instant
there was considerable resistance, but
whatever had hold let go, and we pull
ed up our BAIT; observed that it had
been violently tampered with. Threw
in again, with the same result, and
repeated several times. Finally we
gave the animal more time, and this
time came nearly getting it ashore ;
but about ten feet out our hook
Strengthened, aud we lost our "catch, 4"
also our temper. We supposed we
had lost big fish, but upon explain
ing the circumstances to Capt. Ar.
mour, he told us that We had hooked
a green turtle, which would have been
more valuable than fish of the same
weight. We concluded We would
take stronger hooks when We next
visited that place.
On the morning Of the 26th, all
things being ready, we started for
Sand Point, with fair wind. Chap
man was added to our former crew,
and was valuable addition. Capt.
Armour and Mr.. Moore going ahead
in the Dolly Warren" and plotting us
over the oyster beds, and past conch
bar. Here they took leave of us, and
we were sorry to part with them, hav-
ing found them very pleasant and gen.
tlemanly fellows.
l will remark right here, that Mr..
Moore went to Florida, about five
years ago, expecting to die of con-
sumption. He is ROW as hardy as
any man could wish to be, and has NO
trouble whatever with his lungs.
Through Jupiter narrows we pulled
easily, having Chapman, a good oars,
man to help us out. At the head Of
the narlows we stopped at "Indian
Camp" and cooked some dinner. Soon
we struck st, Lucie Bay, and sailed
along briskly. On the ocean beach
not far north Of this bay, We observed
the buildings for a "life.saving sta.
tion" had been commenced since we
went down, At these stations are O
number of good seamen, placed by the
government, with life,boats and appa,
ratus to afford aid to vessels needing
it, and to rescue passengers and sea
men, should any vessels be wrecked
off their territory.
Nothing of any moment occurred
until we reached ST. Lucie P. o..
about 8 O'clock in the evening