CITIES OF THE BROWN PELICANS 



15 



windward. Our craft was a wretched sea-boat. Every wave 

 broke completely over her, and in a moment we were all 

 soaked to the skin. By dark we had hardly made four miles, 

 and were almost perishing with cold — yes, even in Florida ! 



ADULT AND YOUNG PELICANS ON NESTS IN MANGROVE BUSHES 



We debated leaving the boat, walking across the peninsula 

 and up the ocean beach. But the thought of stepping on 

 rattlesnakes in the dark deterred us, and we pounded wearily 

 along. The night was dark indeed when the wind canted 

 a few points to the eastward, and at about eleven o'clock, 

 weary, shivering, hungry, we reached " Oak Lodge "' again, 

 not sorrv, however, that we had visited Pelican Island. 



