THE FLORIDA KEYS 39 



of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- 

 delphia I was storm bound during a very severe 

 norther at the mouth of Pelot's Creek, a narrow 

 passage east of Boca Chica. For three days the 

 sea water, filled with silt to a coffee color, and 

 bearing floating timber and all manner of rubbish, 

 was driven through this little channel at the rate 

 of ten miles an hour. Although it was early in 

 April the strong wind was bitterly cold and we 

 were obliged to get our launch into that creek 

 where we would find the only shelter. It took 

 three of us with the tow rope and the full power 

 of the engine to get the boat in, and once or 

 twice it very nearly broke away. The third day 

 of our enforced stay Dr. Pilsbry became anxious 

 to get to Key West en route home, and against 

 the boatman's protests we made the attempt 

 to leave. With a line from the stern to a man- 

 grove we cast off forward and once fairly in the 

 stream and with the engine full ahead we shot 

 down the channel at railway speed. The wind 

 had driven the sea a quarter of a mile away from 

 the beach but through the channel across the 

 beach we were swept at a terrific rate. The bow 

 struck a bar and we whirled around like a top. 



