The water of the St. Johns is black as ink, caused by the roots of the Palmetto, which it is said are used for tanning purposes. Here the fishermen have little work in catching fish, they are so numerous and hungry. I was told by day that all they had to do was to put a piece of bait in the end of the boat and row along and the fish smelling the bait would jump six feet out of the water after the bait and land in the boat. At night they use a lantern in the end of the boat.