EPISODES 371 



the beach, and far off on the reefs I could sec the last 

 remahis of a lost ship, her dismantled hulk. Several 

 schooners were around her ; they were wreckers. I turned 

 me from the sight with a heavy heart. Indeed, as I slowly 

 proceeded, I dreaded to meet the floating or cast-ashore 

 bodies of some of the unfortunate crew. Our visit to the 

 Mule Keys was in no way profitable, for besides meeting 

 with but a few birds, in two or three instances I was, 

 whilst swimming in the deep channel of a mangrove isle, 

 much nearer a large shark than I wish ever to be again, 



" The service " requiring all the attention, prudence, and 

 activity of Captain Day and his gallant officers, another 

 cruise took place, of which you will find some account in 

 the sequel ; and while I rest a little on the deck of the 

 *' Lady of the Green Mantle," let me offer my humble 

 thanks to the Being who has allowed me the pleasure of 

 thus relating to you, kind reader, a small part of my 

 adventures. 



THE TURTLERS 



The Tortugas are a group of islands lying about eighty 

 miles from Key West, and the last of those that seem 

 to defend the peninsula of the Floridas. They consist 

 of five or six extremely low, uninhabitable banks, formed 

 of shelly sand, and are resorted to principally by that 

 class of men called wreckers and turtlers. Between 

 these islands are deep channels, which, although extremely 

 intricate, are well known to those adventurers, as well as to 

 the commanders of the revenue cutters, whose duties call 

 them to that dangerous coast. The great coral reef, or 

 wall, lies about eight miles from these inhospitable isles, 

 in the direction of the Gulf, and on it many an ignorant 

 or careless navigator has suffered shipwreck. The whole 

 ground around them is densely covered with corals, sea- 



