MANATEE, SARASOTA, AKD GASPAKILLA. 273 



ncl, we deemed it best to seek an anchorage, and having 

 found shelter from the waves under the lee of an exten 

 sive grassy flat, we came to an anchor. 



Next morning we took a survey of the surroundings, 

 and found that we had anchored at the south end of 

 Great Sarasota Bay. We noticed a house near the beach, 

 made a landing, and were gratified to find that the resi 

 dents were from Brooklyn, New York, and named Ben 

 nett. Being unacquainted with the coast farther south, 

 and aware of the fact that a trip of thirty-eight miles to sea 

 was before us, we deemed it best to secure a pilot. Ben 

 nett Junior was acquainted with the coast, and offered 

 to pilot us, but could not leave until Bennett Senior 

 returned from Manatee with their boat. The elder 

 Bennett returned on Monday night, and we arranged for 

 an early start on Tuesday morning. Sailing about three 

 miles across the bay, we entered Sarasota Pass, a chan 

 nel of about 500 feet in width, leading from the bay to 

 the Gulf. Approaching the entrance we discovered two 

 channels, one leading direct to the Gulf, but bounded on 

 each side by extensive sand-bars ; the other a swamp 

 channel turning short to the south, around the north 

 point of Casey s Key, and protected seaward by an ex 

 tensive sand-bar. We chose the latter, and soon found 

 ourselves on the Gulf, with a fair wind. 



A reference to Drew s and Colton s maps will lead 

 the intending tourist to believe that he will find five 

 available passes between Little Sarasota and Little Gas- 

 ptirilla inlets. But these maps are unreliable as far as 

 the south-west coast is concerned. If we had relied upon 

 these maps, and attempted this portion of the coast with 

 out a pilot, we would have experienced disappointment, 

 if not something worse. The distance between the 



