TAMPA. 320 



the bread being consigned to our bread box and the 

 roaches to the briny deep. We made an attack upon the 

 new biscuit, but discovered that eating them was a diffi 

 cult undertaking ; for each biscuit contained numerous 

 slate-colored insects tasting like quinine. To eat such 

 bread was impossible, so we were forced to fall back on 

 sweet potatoes and fish until we could reach Clear Water 

 Harbor. To intending tourists or sportsmen we would 

 say : lay in an ample supply of pilot bread before leaving 

 New York or Savannah, and not trust to luck, as did 

 &quot; Al Fresco&quot; and his companions. It is possible that a 

 supply of edible biscuit may be obtained on the coast an 

 other year, but if we ever visit the region again we shall 

 lay in a larger stock of bread than we did on the occa 

 sion of our last cruise. 



Mullet Key, at the mouth of Tampa Bay, is a noted 

 range for deer, and the still hunter will find it worth a 

 visit. We were informed by a gentleman of the colored 

 persuasion, who was in the habit of visiting the island, 

 that rattlesnakes were plentiful and of a remarkable size ; 

 this statement we give as we received it, but would sug 

 gest to hunters the propriety of wearing leggings and 

 looking out for &quot;snakes in the grass&quot; if they ever visit 

 this island. Leaving Point Prunelles we steered a course 

 for John s Pass, and landed on the island on the west 

 side of the entrance, and in a few minutes captured a 

 number of fine sheepshead. This locality is noted for 

 its beautiful marine alg^e, and we deeply regretted the 

 want of proper appliances to collect and preserve speci 

 mens. On the point of the island, at the north side of 

 the entrance, we found a shallow lagoon containing 

 fish, a matter of interest to sportsmen and tourists. 

 An examination of the end of the island showed the ex- 



