of buildings and countless neon signs now attested the 

 modem town of Tavemier, savage Caloosa Indians once 

 must have skulked, awaiting the unfortunate ship which 

 storm or battle might bring to their shores. 



For many years after Columbus's discovery of Amer- 

 ica, these long, low keys fringing the lower coastline of 

 east Florida and continuing in a narrow chain to their 

 terminus at Dry Tortugas were known only to the Indians 

 who inhabited them, and to the unfortunate shipwreck 

 survivors who became their victims. This was because no 

 sailing ship dared venture very close to the dangerous line 

 of reefs several miles offshore at the edge of the Gulf 

 Stream. Eastward across the straits lay the Bahama is- 

 lands, a collection of low cays and shallow banks which 

 also warned off all shipping. 



The Spanish did not at first realize the importance of 

 these narrow straits. Their early journeys from the Old 

 World had led them further south, to the environs of the 

 Caribbean, which was soon dotted with their cities and 

 fortifications and a network of sail paths set up between 

 settlements by the early navigators. 



It was not long before they found that the return route 

 to Spain through the Straits of Florida was preferable, for 

 it made best use of the prevailing southeast trade winds, 

 as well as utilizing the aid of the powerful north-flowing 

 Gulf Stream. The alternate routes to the east, either 

 north of Hispaniola or diagonally through the channels 

 of the lower Bahama islands, were made difficult because 

 of almost constant winds from the east and southeast. 



The Conquistadores had scarcely begun their explor- 

 ing and colonizing efforts in the vicinity of Florida before 

 the French began infiltrating into that area. Soon they 

 were harassing their enemies, the Spanish, in the narrow 

 confines of the straits. First French pirates and then French 

 Regular Navy vessels made raids on the heavily laden 



48 Sea Diver 



