This text was obtained via automated optical character recognition.
It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

---

MEXICAN GULF COAST ILLUSTRATED.
25
sight to see schooners with all sails set, bearing parties of excursionists from the various Coast towns to some one of the islands. The trip is a very pleasant one. In the morning a land breeze usually blows, which wafts the vessel rapidly over the rippling waters of the sound, past the villas and cottages that line the shore for many miles. A pleasant sight is presented by these quiet, attractive homes, often half-hidden by the rich, green foliage of live oak, magnolia, bay, cedar and pine. During the w'inter months, with a genial sunshine, balmy air, and the green, undulating banks of the receding shore line, the scene contrasts strongly with the wintry habilaments which many visitors who largely make up these trips, have left behind them at northern homes.
As the barques speed onward the forests gradually fade away or appear like dim islands of verdure, or the mists of a Summer morning. Pelicans and sea-gulls soar over and around, and not unfrequently vast flacks of ducks are seen, sometimes numbering thousands of birds; and occasionally then schools of porpoises are seen to be near, as some of them now and then show their backs above the surface of the water.
The Coast line and its waters are the delight of outing parties of some of the numerous clubs of the Crescent City, as well as of parties made up of visitors and tourists. The engraving on page 6 represents one of these pleasant and exhilarating occasions. The members of this excursion were Dr. Nitager; Mrs. Johnston, Mrs. Selden, Miss Carutliers, Mrs. Lidden, all of Memphis, Tenn.; Judge King,of Chicago; Miss Roberts, Miss B. Roberts, Biloxi; Mrs. C. Stanhope, and Col. Stanhope, Kankakee, 111.
(By one of those annoying accidents which sometimes occur in the publication of a work of this kind, the explanatory lines under the illustration are misleading. The substitution of the view selected, in place of that of an outing of the Camera Club of New Orleans, explains the error.)
These excursions are frequent accompaniments of a winter, or summer, sojourn on the Coast. No wonder that the sound and its adjacent waters are so frequently flecked with the white wings of sailing crafs or that little steamers often vex them, laden with groups of appreciative excursionists.	1
Most of the Coast towns have their local, boating clubs, made up chiefly of young people of both sexes, who make much of this charming, healthful recreation, at all seasons of the year. During the Summer, Boat Clubs from New Orleans, some of which have boats and boat-houses at some point on the Coast, make frequent visits to enjoy their favorite pastime.	*