Smyrna times., 1892-07-27

Ity and place him in the predicamsnt
of the man at the Fair who drew the
elephant.
At the wharves of Jacksonville great
ships rub noses together while bulky
cargoes are being slowed in the holds.
Trim little fruit cutters take awav
oranges, bananas, pine apples, in
greater quantities than the Italian
irult vendors can dispose of on their
stalls in the northern cities. Timber
from Georgia is halted here to be
worked up into building sizes. The
iron ores of Alabama reach tide water
oy way of Jacksonville in much quicker
time than by the long detour of the
Gulf of Mexico.
The noble st. Johns river here sends
its blackened waters past the city to
debouche into the Atlantic. In winter
the palatial hotels swarm with north
ern guests who here pause awhile to
arrange the particular direction in
which to enjoy the incompara-
bic winter climate OF Florida. Some
years ago Bronze John took possession
OF the busy city and caused a panic
that fingers as painful reminder vet.
AS IN the case of Memphis, Tenn.
faulty drainage being one cause and a
iaXity OF quarantine scrutiny the other
the effect is seen in diminished summer
travel. Otherwise the dog days can be
spent far more comfortably along the
sea coast of Florida where the mercury
seldom goes above 8Oo than even in the
famed Cape May and Atlantic CITY
resorts. The reason for this is found
in the steady sweep of the North East
tradewinds diagOnally across the state
throughout the year, save when the
oolsterous "Northers" make the "wel-
kin ring" with their shrill skriek.
The rivers TEEN with food fishes
From the point l am now writing. line
or rod angling is of the very best. The
take are mostly bass, sheepshead.
drum, hOunders, perch grOopers, null
lets and the kingly tarpon. This great
fish is modelled somewhat after vour
Delaware shad and have been caught
near the inlets measuring over six feet
in length. | would say that to reel
and unreel a line to land a tarpon
would require in place of the Amateur
Bob and sinker fisherman, the skill YOU
have in such professionals as VIM. NJ.
Bell, VIM. Carr, Moses Price, and
where it is possible the gentle Isaac
Walton himself.
The tarpOn bites easily to cut bait
On a small hook attached to an exceed
ngly strong line. Near the mouths of
'he lnlets appears to be the best place
70 engage this splendid fish. Asa food
ash the tarpOn is inferior to many of .
he oommOner sorts, the flesh being
lark and stringy. The scales however
IRE very fine over three inches in diam
'ter and equal in polish to the best of i,
plated ware and as stated above.
wrought into jewelry. The uncommon q
kill required to capture them is the =
main incentive, and tarpon fishing in .
florida is hardly less exciting than .
leer hunting in North Carolina. The .
Ish, II large, takes to the open sea when
looked, towing the boat rapidly after p
t. Suddenly the line slackens, and 6,
learing the surface the tarpon makes !,
prodigious leap into the air to olsen
age the hook. All the elements of the =
hase at bay are at hand now. The \
oat, a mere cookie shell, tossed as :
Gather upon the huge white capped
7aVes OF the ocean is drawn hither and 8,
hither by a powerful fish. At one |.
lme the boat disappears in the trough =
the sea while far above the leap of 6.
be great fish whose silver scales gIis-
en- in the sun, makes the situation a.
xtFemely perilOus in so wild a surf n
rom two to three hours may elapse 10
efore the catch is sufficiently tired out =;
land. Meanwhile, all the resources
t the fisherman expert must needs be
vailed of, or else the hungry sharks
laying about in the neighborhood &c
lay take hand too, if from want of ca
exterity your little clinker built boat "
upset by this, the gameiest of fishes. ii
JAMES B. SCOTT. u
eli