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28
MEXICAN GULF COAST ILLUSTRATED.
and a spear at night. There arc many varieties enumerated by the “ancient fisherman,” but these will suffice. The fall and winter fishing on the Coast is excellent. Then the finest fish in the Mexican main are at their best. They frequent thesoundanditsestuaries, and offer to “Waltonians’’ as fine sport as can be desired. At certain periods the sound swarms with schools and ‘shoals’ of Spanish mackerel and pompano, which a re caught iu vast numbers. And the red-snapper and grouper banks among the islands are easily accessible and afford fine sport for fishing parties during a large portion of the year. Along the Sound are immense oyster banks, varying in width from half a mile to two miles. Finer or more delicious bivalves are not found elsewhere. The sound, bays aud bayous abound in various kinds of^hell fish.. “Crabbing” is a highly popular and amusing pastime, and the meat of this crustacean creature is a delicious morsel, as many persons know; while a great many more do not. Netting these voracious creatures is interesting diversion.
HUNTING.
At almost any time of year a trip to the northern woods repays the hunter. Deer and wild turkeys are frequently found; quail, grouse, snipe are plentiful at some seasons. In the winter months the waters of the sound and bays and lakes are often darkened by myriads of wild ducks. At such times the Coast justifies the claim made for it as “the hunters’ paradise.”
The engraving on the preceding page shows the results of one forenoon’s hunt on the sound in the Schooner “ Winnie Davis,” the past winter. The party consisted of Mr. E. A. Watson of Nimrod Hall, Bath county, Virginia, Mr. W.L. Wallace of Nortliboro, Mississippi, Mr. George Hoskins, of Brookhaven, Miss., and two citizens of Biloxi.