^^^1R iiiiNCTON : ()km'1ii()I.o(;v ok IVmiama Islands. 405 



here, however. ()iir i\|)lc)rali()iis exteiulrd l<i the east side of the 

 island, to the niuiuiment whicli marks ilic lirst landing-i)hice of 

 Columbus, and to Iguana Ca\' in the hike, where we secured some 

 iiiuanas. 



On April 5 we sailed on the tradiiii^ slooji "MaNllower" for Nassau, 

 touehini; at Port Howe, Cat Island. W'e reached Nassau on April 8, 

 where we were dehned a full day by inability to secure our mail, it 

 being Good Friday and a holiday. We engaged passage on the sponger 

 " Florence" for Staniard Creek, Andres Island, but a heavy storm came 

 \\\i from the northeast and continued all night, so that all the vessels 

 in the harbor had to haul off from the docks and lay at anchor to 

 prevent damage. Although it was still blowing heavily on Sunday 

 a start was made a little after seven in the morning, and we passed 

 the west end of New Providence three hours later. Land on Andros 

 was sighted shortly before one o'clock, and we came to anchor at 

 Staniard Creek a little after two. This is the name applied to a narrow 

 and shallow lagoon separating a low, narrow, sandy island about two 

 miles long from the mainland of Andros, a few miles south of Saddle- 

 back Cay. This small island is mostly covered with a low growth of 

 bushes on the outer side, while on its inner side, as well as on the main- 

 land opposite, are extensive cocoanut groves, which are the home of 

 the Northrop Oriole. A considerable part of the land near the village 

 is under cultivation. On the mainland beyond the creek is a large 

 muddy flat with low stunted mangroves, and back of that a strip of 

 coppet, which gradually merges into the pine barrens covering the 

 interior of the island. 



We remained on Andros just a week, and the following Sunday 

 (April i8) found us aboard the sponging schooner "Champion," 

 bound for Nassau. We were obliged to run down the coast for several 

 miles to pick up the balance of our boat's crew, but finally headed for 

 Nassau about ten o'clock. The wind was light and ahead, however, 

 so that we only made the west end of New Providence that evening, 

 anchoring near Gaulin Cay for the night. Resuming our voyage 

 the next morning, we beat slowK- up to Nassau, arriving shortly 

 after one o'clock. Our business there was quickly despatched on this 

 occasion, and we presently found that the schooner "Jemima" was to 

 sail for Abaco the next day, so passage was engaged with Captain San- 

 ders, and for the first time since our arrival in the Bahamas we sailed 

 w^ith a white captain and crew. We left Nassau at four-thirty P.M. 



