National Republican., 1883-04-04
Curious Sport Enjoyed by a Washington
Couple in Florida.
Shooting Porpose in the Surf and Peli-
cans at Long Range.
Pen Pictures Of Few Notables Of Foreign Lands
Who Have Been Wintering South.
More Fish storics--Thc Attractions OF St
Augustine.
Special Letter.

nefueu SnarkS.
A few days before leaving New Smyrna, of
which place no fish story should be disbe-
lieved, with a lady of our party in my charge,
took a small boat and pulled across the
Hillsborough sound, and landing near the
mouth of the inlet from the sea, we walked
across the point to the outside beach, intend-
ing to spend few hours looking for curiosi-
tics on the ocean shore at low tide. The wind
was off shore, and in consequence the tide was
very low, and when we emerged from the
scrubby sand hills upon the broad beach we
discovered some large creatures strug-
Cling in the shoal water inside of an outer
bar, which was at that time exposed by the
very low tide. At first these objects appeared
to be men at play in the water, but the use of
the field glass showed that they were i'm
mensely large fish imprisoned for the time,
being caught by the receding tide in % narrow
channel between 200 and 300 yards long,
which'channel was closed at each end. The
violent action of these fish was then seen to
be their exertions to get out into deep water.
We went on the hard beach close to them and
found them to be six sharks, ranging in size
from to 10 feet long. The water in this mar
row channel in the shore was not in the
deepest places over two feet and thus parts
of the bodies of these large and savage crea-
lures were all the time exposed above water.
Occasionally they would turn and attempt to
make their way toward the sound of the
breakers across the bar and thus regain deep
water, and in so doing would force their bodies
almost entirely out of water, giving
us good opportunity to inspect
them. These efforts to get away
were in vain, and the baffled brutes would
finally turn and wallow their way back into
the scant channel. They were not at all
timid when no attempt was made to molest
them but stationing the lady at a point where
the deepest water came close to our side l
went beyond the fish, and by throwing shells
(nOt stone was to be found on the beach,
into the water and hallooing drove them
past and within two yards of her, and then
ran around and drove them back again. l
repeated the novelty of herdng these sharks
back and forth with boyish glee until l ex-
hausted myself and lay down on the sand to
rest. If l had brought with me one of my
rifles, which were at the hotel two and II half
miles away, could easily have killed the six
sharks in few minutes. But had not even
my revolver nor fish rod and the beach
could offer nothing but white sand and.a few
small shells.
The tide had now turned and was making
rapidly, and before l could go back to New
Smyrna and return with rifle the water
would be over the bar and let the captives out
So seating ourselves in q convenient place we
watched their continuous struggles to escape
while we ate our lunch. In less than an hour
the water came over the bar sufficiently to
cover the sharks in the channel from sight,
but contrary to our expectations we had not
the satisfaction of seeing them dart over into
the sea. They were content to lie and rest
when the water became deep enough about
them to hide their ugly proportions from
view.
The next day with boatman visited the
same place at low tide, this time armed with
my Creedmoor Remington rifle, hoping to see
repetition of the novel exhibition. But on
this day the wind blew on shore and the tide
was not low enough to make a shark trap of
the little channel described; but while we
were looking into the surf seven-foot long
shark put himself in sight between two
waves, and was easily killed at the first shot,
and was soon washed ashore. Made bold by
the success ON the shark, / tried my hand on
porpoises as they rolled in the waves two
hundred to three hundred yards from the
beach where we stood. This was exciting sport,
as the porpose shows above water but an in
slant to blow and then disappears, COM
pelling the riileman to make quick snapshots
to get him. After little practice / saw that
two generally swan together, and that when
one rose and spouted another would do the
same at nearly the same place, and that by
leveling my rifle at the spot where the first
rose and disappeared l could easily kill the
second one on showing up. Thus killed
two of these fat monsters, the bodies of which,
when washed ashore half hour afterward,
were nearly devoured by the sharks. These
ravenOus sharks literally swarm in the waters
at New Smyrna, and they eat everything
they find dead or can capture alive.
The same day while out we saw some very
large and curious birds on the north shore of
the inlet as we were walking on the south
shore, which the bOatman said were pelicans.
AS my opportunities during my life for peli-
can hunting had been somewhat limited, /
determined would at least salute the birds
that carry havcrsacks. As the boatman said
the distance across the inlet was a good half
mile, / gave the vernier on my rifle the elc-
walton for nine hundred yards-twenty yards
more than a half mile-and in true long range
style, lying fiat on the sand and resting the
rifle on my feet pulled away on them. The
boatman, who was looking with my field
glass, informed me very promptly that had
overshot my game, as he saw the sand fly be-
yond the pelicans. Tho birds undoubtedly
hearing the whizzing bullet, rose on wing and
circling for time without being able to
discover the disturber of their solitude settled
down again ON the same spot. Lowering my
sight to the proper elevation for 800 yards /
gave them second shot, and instantly my
man, who had been quite increduous as to
any practical results from this style of shoot
ing, having the advantage of the field glass,
sung out that had killed two of them, Re.
turning to our boat we crossed the channel
and secured the birds and carried them to the
hotel as trophies The largest one measured
eight feet across the wings from tip to tip. |
wanted very much to have these pelicans
stuffed and nicely put up to take home, but
there being no taXidermist in that part of the
country, the next day threw them into the
salt water, aud in few moments they had be-
come food for the sharks.
Dr. Weir Mitchell, of Philadelphia and a
party of friends from that city arrived at New
Smyrna for weeks fishing the day before
we left, and were making great preparations
TO capture the channel bass When visit
New Smyrna again | shall provide myself
with clothes line and shark hook for those
bass, and will take them in hand-Over-hand
instead of using rod and reel
Returning from New Smyrna, we tarried
few days at delightful Enterprise and |
tried the black bass in Lake Monroe. This
is sensible, rational sort of fishing, my short
experience in Lake Monroe giving me great
satisfaction. An average days fishing there
last week per man was twenty-five TO forty
black bass, weighing from two to eight pounds
each.
Mr., Benson, of New York the veteran fish
erman goes to Enterprise about Dee each
year and remains till about May /, and fishes
for black bass every week day. He has beau
tiiul sail and row boats on Lake Monroe and
four men employed in charge Of them. The
bass are taken there with the fly and with
live bait at the mouths of the streams empty
ing into the lake, and also with the spoons In
trolling in the lake, the water of which Is per
ioctly fresh, but has the coffee color given ia
ii by the st. John's river flowing through
cypress swamps.