Down South; Or, Yacht Adventure In Florida — Oliver Optic

PREFACE.Down South is the fifth and last volume but one of the Great WesternSeries. The action of the story is confined entirely to Florida; andthis fact may seem to belie the title of the Series. But the youngyachtman still maintains his hold upon the scenes of his earlier lifein Michigan, and his letters come regularly from that State. If he wereold enough to vote, he could do so only in Michigan; and therefore hehas not lost his right to claim a residence there during his temporarysojourn in the South. Besides, half his ship's company are Westernboys, who carry with them from The Great Western family of Stateswhatever influence they possess in their wanderings through othersections of the grand American Union.The same characters who have figured in other volumes of the Seriesare again presented, though others are introduced. The hero is asstraightforward, resolute, and self-reliant as ever. His yachtadventures consist of various excursions on the St. Johns River, fromits mouth to a point above the head of ordinary navigation, with a runacross to Indian River, on the sea-coast, a trip up the Ocklawaha, tothe Lake Country of Florida, and shorter runs up the smaller streams.The yachtmen and his passengers try their hand at shooting alligatorsas well as more valuable game in the sportsman's paradise of theSouth, and find excellent fishing in both fresh and salt water.Apart from the adventures incident to the cruise of the yacht in sointeresting a region as Florida, the volume, like its predecessors inthe Series, has its own story, relating to the life-history of thehero. But his career mingles with the events peculiar to the region inwhich he journeys, and many of his associates are men of the sunnySouth. In any clime, he is the same young man of high aims and noblepurposes. The remaining volume will follow him in his cruise on theGulf of Mexico, and up the Mississippi.DORCHESTER, MASS., August 25, 1880.CONTENTS. PAGECHAPTER I. MAKING A FLORIDA PORT 13CHAPTER II. OUR LIBERAL PASSENGERS 23CHAPTER III. A NATIVE FLORIDIAN 33CHAPTER IV. A TRIP UP THE SAN SEBASTIAN 43CHAPTER V. SAVED FROM THE BURNING HOUSE 53CHAPTER VI. MOONLIGHT AND MUSIC ON BOARD 63CHAPTER VII. THE ENEMY IN A NEW BUSINESS 73CHAPTER VIII. A DISAGREEABLE ROOM-MATE 83CHAPTER IX. A BATTLE WITH THE SERPENT 93CHAPTER X. THE FELLOW IN THE LOCK-UP 103CHAPTER XI. THE HON. PARDON TIFFANY'S WARNING 113CHAPTER XII. SUGGESTIONS OF ANOTHER CONSPIRACY 123CHAPTER XIII. MR. COBBINGTON AND HIS PET RATTLESNAKE 133CHAPTER XIV. THE EXCURSION TO FORT GEORGE ISLAND 143CHAPTER XV. A WAR OF WORDS 153CHAPTER XVI. GRIFFIN LEEDS AT A DISCOUNT 163CHAPTER XVII. POOR GRIFF AND HIS COUNSEL 173CHAPTER XVIII. THE EXCURSION TO MANDARIN 183CHAPTER XIX. THE ADVENTURES OF AN INVALID 193CHAPTER XX. DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF DEPARTURE 203CHAPTER XXI. A VISIT TO ORANGE PARK 213CHAPTER XXII. FISHING IN DOCTOR'S LAKE 223CHAPTER XXIII. TROLLING FOR BLACK BASS 233CHAPTER XXIV. GREEN COVE SPRINGS AND GOVERNOR'S CREEK 243CHAPTER XXV. ALLIGATOR-SHOOTING ON BLACK CREEK 253CHAPTER XXVI. ON BOARD OF THE WETUMPKA 263CHAPTER XXVII. UP THE OCKLAWAHA TO LAKE GRIFFIN 273CHAPTER XXVIII. AN EXPEDITION TO INDIAN RIVER 283CHAPTER XXIX. A MYSTERIOUS SHOT 293CHAPTER XXX. SHOOTING IN THE FOREST AND BEING SHOT 303