The Portland daily press., 1895-01-19
MAINE MEN In FLORIDA.
Picking Up sO-POund Bass Killed by
the Cold Snap.

And Harpooning 'Gators-Genial Ernest
Goodan and His Guests in the Land of
the Orange and Pineapple.
The following letter of fun in the sun
ny South was received by prominent
wheelman of the city from A E. Garnzie,
who is spending the winter with Ernest
Goodall of Sanford on his yacht in
Florida. The yacht, by the way, which
is a 80 foot sloop, with Shipman engine
for auxiliary power, was built in Port
land several years ago, and sent South
on a freight car. Both Mr.. Goodall and
Mr.. GarDzie are we'll known throughout
the State, especially by the wheelmep.
Lueie River, Fla,
Jan. s., 1895.
I left home for Florida Dec. 26, and
arrived in Titusville Tuesday Jan. 1st,
s95. Will Gowen was at the depot to
show me the way to the steam yacht Il.
MIG, where I slept for the first night In
Titusville, Fla. 1t took all the next
day to get the boat ready to sail. Thurs
day. Jams we steamed up and started
down the river We made run of about
35 miles, then came to anchor about
four miles above Eau Gallo. shot
some ducks on the way down. Will
Gowan picked up a bass that
weighed about 30 pounds that was
killed by the cold snap of Dec. 2S. The
cold snap of the above date killed all the
fruit in the State and thousands and
thousands of fish. Friday, the 4th we
hoisted the jib and sailed down to Eau
Gallic,. While we were getting break
fast we ran into Eau Gallo to get some
fresh water, and while we were there
/ picked my first orange, off from wild
orange tree. Then we sailed down the
river to place called the Indian River
Narrows, making a distance of 80 "a
island called Pelican Island, and there
are Dothi & but pelicans on it and there
are thousands of them.
Saturday the 5th we left the Narrows
and sailed down to Small's Point, dis
lance of 3S miles. There we anchored
for the night. Will Gowan and I went
on shore to see pineapple grove; there
were acres of them, but the principles
were ali spoiiedby the cold.
Sunday. JAM we left Small's Point at
am, to sail up the St. Lucie River to
see if we could get some gators. On
our way up we had to go through a
draw bridge, and Ernest Goodall tossed
a bottle Of beer up to the draw bridge
tender just as we were going through,
because ne WIS 80 prompt III opsnlnS IL.
We had to sail up the river II ga miles
before we came to the 'gator country.
Hadn't hardly got in to the narrow part
of the river when I saw a large gator
sleeping on the bank. l took up the
rife and fired and hit him in the side,
the ball going through him, but it did
not kill him, and be crawled off into the
water Ernest and l took the small boat
and harpoon and went up to where he
went out of sight. After while we
saw him on the bottom of the river.
Ernest took the harpoon. and just as he
was going TO throw it the gator saw
it coming and he opened his mouth and
it went down his throat, and then we
had him sure. tell you he was savage,
and we had quite time getting him into
the boat. He measured just feet long.
We then sailed up the river few miles
further and anchored for the night. We
saw five more on our way up, but did
not get any of them. Monday we got
two more. but the largest one Will
Gowan shot. and it was only four feet,
and the other shot, and that was small
er still, 1-2 feet. We have also had
some fishing / shall have TO close, now.
/ should like to hear from both of you,
for we don't get much news from Maine.