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SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 92 



Helena Island 



This small island is to all intents and purposes an eastern extension 

 of Roatan, being separated from the latter only by a very narrow 

 winding lagoon which traverses a dense mangrove swamp. It is a 

 deep little channel but is said to be in part artificial. (Conzemius, 

 1928, p. 65.) We arrived at the southeast corner of Helena, having 

 run down outside the cays from Port Royal. Guided by a local 

 colored man called Sam, we paddled in two small canoes about half 

 a mile up the picturesque channel just referred to. The black water 

 of this swamp passage is edged abruptly by myriads of twisting man- 



FiG. 16. — Sketch of caves on Helena Island. 



grove roots. It is shut in by these trees, interspersed with coconut 

 palms, and the air was dense and hot. White ibis and a number of 

 species of herons added to the tropical efifect. Making a landing on 

 the tree buttresses and muddy banks of the eastern side, we walked 

 over the dried surface of the swamp for about 150 yards to a line of 

 steep coral cliffs that border Helena Island on the west. This abrupt 

 escarpment varies from about 40 to 60 feet in height (see map, fig. i, 

 and sketch, fig. 16) and is wooded. Behind the cliffs the island is 

 high and more open, with tall grass and low bush. Descending abruptly 

 into the dismal swamp, the cliff with its weirdly eroded surface, 

 trailing vines, and crowning trees is picturesque in the extreme 

 (fig. 16). 



