348 AUDUBON 



with sincere regret, and a good portion of friendship, I 

 bade these excellent fellows adieu. How different, thought 

 I, is often the knowledge of things acquired by personal 

 observation from that obtained by report ! 



I had never before seen Florida Wreckers, nor has it 

 since been my fortune to fall in with any; but my good 

 friend Dr. Benjamin Strobel, having furnished me with a 

 graphic account of a few days which he spent with them, 

 I shall present you with it in his own words : — 



" On the 1 2th day of September, while lying in harbor 

 at Indian Key, we were joined by five wrecking vessels. 

 Their licenses having expired, it was necessary to go to Key 

 West to renew them. We determined to accompany them 

 the next morning ; and here it will not be amiss for me to 

 say a few words respecting these far-famed Wreckers, their 

 captains and crews. From all that I had heard, I expected 

 to see a parcel of dirty, pirate-looking vessels, officered and 

 manned by a set of black-whiskered fellows, who carried 

 murder in their very looks. I was agreeably surprised 

 on discovering the vessels were fine large sloops and 

 schooners, regular clippers, kept in first-rate order. The 

 captains generally were jovial, good-natured sons of Nep- 

 tune who manifested a disposition to be polite and hos- 

 pitable, and to afford every facility to persons passing up 

 and down the Reef. The crews were hearty, well-dressed 

 and honest looking men. 



" On the 13th, at the appointed hour, we all set sail to- 

 gether; that is, the five Wreckers and the schooner ' Jane.^ 

 As our vessel was not noted for fast sailing, we accepted an 

 invitation to go on board of a Wrecker. The fleet got 

 under way about eight o'clock in the morning, the wind 

 light but fair, the water smooth, the day fine. I can 

 scarcely find words to express the pleasure and gratifica- 

 tion which I this day experienced. The sea was of a 

 beautiful, soft, pea-green color, smooth as a sheet of glass, 

 and as transparent, its surface agitated only by our vessels 



