The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1907-02-01

and Mrs. y. J. Peterson are al hote
Lakeside. Weirsdale, Fla. Mr.. anC
Mrs. ElOf ROsencranZ are on the va,
10 that resort and to judge from /;
letter written by Mr.. Penfold TO th'
Journal il is a thoroughly widewakt
place. Mr.. Penfold writes entertaing
ly Of hunting trip in which he anC
Mr.. Peterson participated, and his ex
pressed desire is fully realized in tina
the reader can fully enjoy the hun
while reading the letter, which i:
herewith presented:
las I sit writing this letter, spread
out before me is Lake Weir. as beau
tiful and as calm as nature can make
il. The air is soft and the sun il
shining brightly, making it an idea
day. and with the palm and all the
tropical shrubs and the large oab
trees with their hangings of southern
moss. they look as if some giant had
done the draping on them, and as il
some celebration Of nature was ex-
pected 10 take place. II is so delight
fully warm everything seems to be
resting. Even the ducks on the lake
fly lazily along close 10 the water and
as sit here fish will rise out OF the
water and roll over as much as to
say, We are out here enjoying our
selves.
This certainly is a beautiful spot
and for a quiet retreat is ideal There
are about % people here at the present
time. They are middle aged and
all are very pleasant and agreeable.
and as on board ship, We have been
here long enough so that We are like
one large family.
After breakfast some play croquet,
some take rods and go fishing: those
who are lovers of cards take tables
onto the broad verandas and there
play their favorite games of cards and
from day TO dag plan some picnic or
excursion TO places of interest near
ScAAC pan UPS anu ilSI-
ing trips and one of these trips [. in
my modest way. will try TO tell so
YOU can sit and read this letter and |
enjoy the hunt with our party.
'On Thursday morning. after cat
ing a good breakfast and while seated |
al the breakfast table, We heard the /
of hn
by that sound that We must
hurry. as our conveyance was ap-
preaching and We were to make our 4
start for a days hunting in thei'
swamps of Florida. We at once he
gan 10 pack our traps. our guns and /
fishing tackle and starting out onto /
the veranda our guide with his outfit
drove up to the door | must describe +.
him and the outfit. and want YOU to .
feel as We felt and see it as we saw .
Ii. +
The guide is one of those char /
acters you read about at times. half ,
negro. half white. features furrowed :
rom outdoor life. his left eye gone {
orn out by a wild cat-and with a (
'tubhlc on his face and an old straw !
lat and clothes that looked as if worn ?
or years. which had lost all trace of =
heir former color or shape and as he
lrove up To the hotel. with his five ID
logs following his team. il made a :
h,r
appreciated. After a little delay we a.
we're soon seated in a three-Seated I
wagon thai is certainly in itself a r
wonder of mechanism. for il was won {
ierfully made; and the harness. Ia
lon't believe there was an inch OF In
he original left. and il was patched n
nd spliced until ii was cOnglOmera- r.
ion of ropes and strings: but with v
flourish OF whip which was made out {
4 a piece of rope tied To a stick. and
foot OF his horn. and with the good
'ishes of all the guests. who were up
o see the start. We left the hotel. h
'ould here state that our guide was Ia
nv IVA AANANNA anu NdS
uitted. and he fully looks il. n n
Our party consisted OF four gentle 4
hen: 4: J: Peterson. of jamestown. c
. Lythgoe, of Providence. ". A Nc
reery. of New York. and the writer. :,
nd our destination the Ocklawaha r,
Iver and the Swamps surrounding IL T
were soon we'll on our way and W
uickly leaving behind Us the little a.
ettlement. were very soon in the
lidSt Of . pine forest where from time
, time We would come across parties
negroes who were gathering plJch "
'om the pine trees and al the nearby fir
ills were making resin. aud rs The re
egroeS always sing when AT work If
as quite a novelty for Us Ienderfo0rS. Ia
eaying behind Ms the last trace nf HI
We pushed deeper into the nc
ne woods and there We saw south
n pine forest as il really il: The "a
III pines with the sun trying 70 fl
limo rbrcppb rhaiY. toms 1,.,,D ,