The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-01
FISHING ON THE INDIAN RIVER.

Extract from Private Letter from Southern Florida
Yesterday wrote you from Melbourne, and
rather than wait twen ty-four hours for the
steamboat we reemployed our sailor, Otto, to
bring us here At st. Lucie, away down on the
Indian river. Tbs day, the sail, the arrival were
perfect. We are at Painss, where the family
live in peculiar style, in six houses, not touch
ing. and some one hundred feet away. The
family consists OF mother seventy-fve years
old, and two sons, respectively forty and fifty.
A negro cook helps the old lady, the elder son
keeps the house in order. and the younger goes
fishing and hunting with guests. They were
Union in the earlier days, and had to leave their
home. Indian river inlet is just opposits: it lie
cut through the little strip of land to the
ocean All night we car hear it's hoarse howl
ings, and the surging of the waves through the
inlet Last night went out with Tom Paine to
catch mullet, and had more fun than ever in
my life. The order of so-day is shark-fshing.
We have gone fishing aud returned,
and we caught ''nser" ahark, but We caught
over q hundred pounds Of fine sheephead, sail
ors choice, pompano, sea-bass, sea-trout, and
catfish. / caught not only the most fish; but
caught the heaviest and finest assortment. Among
them was one that did me good to get. had losta
number, because my hook was not right some
way. and ! felt discouraged. 1 put on a
island of ten acres. l felt pull, and struck
hard and had him. Ho ran right and left, and
threw himseH in the air. and then he pulled
hard, till could him shine like silver in the
water. took him in, and found him to be
ten pound sea-bass, two feet two inches long,
with one black spot on each aide in front OF the
tail. gave yell which the others heard a
quarter OF mile away. Soon afterwards |
caught two shepherds, which are like sunfish
IN shape, but from four to seven pounds weight
The two together were nine and a half pounds
rka Va
none, but, what was far more beautiful, we saw
shells or many varieties. the tapping waves and
the pretty sand and beach. The oldest bit of
all 10 tie picture are the mangrove trees, cover
ing thousands of acres, extending their slender
arms down to unite with the SOIL
We disiiked to leave Psine's. In fact with
but one hundred feet Of soil the west side
and none on the east side of Indian river, we
would rather have stayed here than anywhere,
on account OF the fine fishing. surf and accom-
modations. We tried to get any early start for
return to Melbourne, bus early starts in Florida
are rather uphill business. and uphill in a
sandy country and hot climate is hard work. At
$50, an Otto was pushing the boat along with a
pole. he ran it between the oystershells in
deep hole, and it suck fast The boat
saa had b.,dqsS enough to move
paddle nor stick to help u.s. and we would have
drifted on and on. But Otto put about the
helm and little breeze Duffed us within twelve
feet Of the pole, and we began to float away
We had discussed swimming and sharks. and
decided that we could never do without the pole,
anu IL might require nalL 0ay TO get It with the
tide. Some one had to swim for it, now further
and further away Appearances indicated that
was elected for that feat; so shed my clothes,
and in went bulfrog style, and, shark or no
shark was at the pole, pulled 1t out, and
swan back all right. New that bath was worth
a nickel, to put small price acceptable to the
peorle upon IT, was soon again in civilized
garh, and we poled and pushed until wind off
shore came to relief, which with intervals
kept mp until noon, when it became continuous,
but somewhat sQually, until, at 6 p NJ,
landed here (Me1bourneL Got the last bed
in the hotel for me, and q room
In the Woodruff cottage for s. and
j. close by. This morning q light breeze
invites US to another early start. The suns
locks are dripping he rises from old
ocean, where he has washed his face be can
see well all day. / only fear he may see too
well, for it promises Co be not.
We are now at Cocoa, after another day on the
river. We are at the famous Delmonico House,
which accommodates sailors. The coquina rock
years ago il was worth from $50 to 800 per acre;
guests, and third OF an acre brings 81 geo. /
return to the sail of yesterday. We had Flor
ida start, 7:30 a. II. Wind was good for half
mile, then it turned dead ali cad of u.s. and we
went back and forth through surf and white
caps. flying. The river is ~ mile wide and by
actual count crossed it Just twenty eight
times. We were glad to stop when we did, for
the winds grew worse ano the waves higher. If
we had kent it up much longer our fame might
have rivAled that OF the Flying Dutchman.
We are astounded at the snow-storms of New
York and the East CT.
MARCH 10, 1888