IN^ FLORIDA. Ill 



pushed off. AVe awaited their approach with eager- 

 ness, arising from the fact tliat none of us had ever 

 seen the American whooping crane, and were proud 

 of being the participants in the capture of one. 

 The two fortunate sportsmen did not hurry tliem- 

 selves to gratify our desires, but appeared exceed- 

 ingly at their ease, and it was not till they had nearly 

 arrived that we discovered the cause of their indiffer- 

 ence by perceiving in the boat not a whooping crane 

 at all, but an ordinary white heron. The clearness 

 of the atmosphere, the bright rays of tlie sun, or the 

 nature of the background had tended to mislead us 

 and had added immensely to the stature of the 

 bird. The ladies retired to the cabin hatless, so to 

 speak, the doctor was for throwing the deceiver over- 

 board instead of skinning him, and to this day I am 

 uncertain as to the taste of the great American 

 whooping crane. 



The Indian River is so shallow in places, that the 

 direction on the chart of Currituck Sound could be 

 applied to it: ** Only three feet of water can be car- 

 ried, and that with difficulty." In other parts it is 

 deeper; it varies in widtli from one mile to three, 

 and as a general rule where it is narrow, it is deep, 

 and where it is wide, it is shallow. Although it 

 approaches nearly to Mosquito Lagoon, it does not 

 join the latter unfortunately, and a canal has been 

 cut called the Haul-over, of which I have already 

 spoken. In the Haul-over, which is only fourteen 

 feet wide, there is but one foot and a half of water, 

 and for some distance below not much more than 



