The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-06-15
A VIVID SCENE IN FLORIDA.

Battle o The Sharks and the AUigators-
The Water Reddened soiM their Blood
"A correspondent of the New York San
gives the following graphic description of
scenes witnessed on barren and nearly in
accessible point on the coast of Florida =
1t you will look at the map of Florida, away
down the eastern coast of the fnger-like
peninsula, you may see spot marked "Ju-
piter," or "Jupiter Inlet" Some maps
make it Juniper" This is wrong. It's
namesake was old Jupiter, the slave of an
army officer, who was stationed at this point
during the first Seminole war. JdB7tsrshs
between latitude twenty-six and twenty
seven degrees. Although only 12O miles
north of Key West, it bulges to the east
nearly degree of longitude beyond Cape
Canaveral. 1t is probably the most inac-
cessible and barren nook on the whole Flori-
dian coast, and can be reached only in light
draught boats, sailing the whole length of
the Indian river. Sharp coral reefs fringe
its shore, and high hillocks of white sand,
sprinkled with thick clumps of scrub and
cactus, rear their heads above the inlet
The lively sand crab. catches freAies osf{hS
beach, and huge turtles deposit their eggs
in the sand. This attracts scoressof' +bears
from the swamps and hammoeks ,b5fastSg
the Everglades; for to them the turtle and
its eggs are toothsome delicacy. Spotted
tiger cats play among the sand hills by moon
light, and the fierce puma prowls along the
shore in quest of king crabs or more substap-
tial diet. The largostlpuma ever seen in the
State was shot in this region by the keeper
of the lighthouse. 1t was as formidable
as royal Bengal tig ger, and measured over
thirteen feet from snout to tip.
The shallow salt water swarms with fish
Schools of mullet and pompino flash in the
sunlight, and cavallo, bonafsh bluefsh, red
bass, drum, snappers and groupers are here
in myriads. Jewish have been caught
weighing over 500 pounds. Sawfsh, the
size ofyoung whales, sug. through the
narrow channels and ravenous sharks from
twelve to twenty feet in length keep rigid
blockade outside As the tide rises they
come within the inlet in search of prey
The bass and other fish that have been feed
ing upon the mullet, become in turn the
victims of the shark. The smaller fish dart
to and fro, making the water boil in their
efforts to escape. Millions are slowly but
surely driven into small bay by the sharks,
who whip the waves into foam in their hun
cry fury. Penned at last, the doomed fish
leap in the air with terror, and shoals of them
run ashore. The sharks charge with rush.
Their jaws snap like pistol shots, and mutt
lated fish are scattered over the water
Schools of porpoises join in the slaughter,
aud ocoasispsll aHssla alligator. shovos 7efs
from the shore, sinks himself like a subma-'
rine battery, and steals bouuteous meal.
Ncr is an alligator the only free feeder.
The air is filed with thousands of lilac feath
cred terms and gulls. Full we'll do they un
derstand the situation. The rush of their
wings is like breeze in forest Of pines,
and their screams are deafening. BY pla-
toons they dash into the agitated water, and
soar off above the roaring surf each with
fish in its bill. The very air sparkles with
fish, for the gulls toss their victims up until
they catch them by the head. Then they
are easily bolted. High above the terms
float flocks Of gray pelicaus, larger than
geese, and grave and fornmfasjudges. The
wind whistles beneath their great wings, but
they make no audible expression of satisfac.
ton. Dropping into the waves with great
splash, after few lubberly maneuvers they
fill their pouches, and sail away as though
the whole affair had been arranged for their
own exclusive benefit. A party Of stalwart
herons pace the strand in their Austrian
uniforms, and pick up the tiny silver fish
stopping ashore during the general commo-
ton. And last and least, our little North
ern kingfsher, clad in a sky blue suit,
springs his little rattle, and hangs on the
outskirts of the battle, picking up the choi,
cest tidbits. Such is al. every day scene at
Jupiter during the Summer and fall.
a lighthouse is the only sign of ciyilza'
T,n;,nr II townrc f0 cnnt IiroIn n