BOOBY AND MAN-O'-WAR BIRD 223 



8 A. M., we got under way with a fair wind and every pros- 

 pect of reaching Nassau in the evening; but when opposite 

 Norman Key, where on March 31 we had anchored in a flat 

 calm, the wind failed, and, being without sufficient gasolene 

 to finish the voyage, the day's run ended at that point. Dur- 

 ing the night the wind rose, still holding from the south and 

 getting under way at 4 :3U A. M V we reached our anchorage 

 in Nassau harbor at noon. 



The storm of April 1 had done more or less damage to 

 the shipping here, driving the water up to Bay street and 

 the surf over Hog island, while a party of tourists were for 

 three days prevented from returning to their steamer, 

 which ran to the southern shore of the island for shelter. 



The steamship service to Miami having been arbitrarily 

 discontinued a month in advance of the published sailing 

 dates, and the only available schooner having left the day 

 before, I waited at Nassau until Dr. Mayer closed his branch 

 laboratory and on April 26, continued the journey to Miami 

 aboard the ' ' Physalia. ' ' Starting at midnight, we hoped to 

 reach our former anchorage oft' Cat (Jay before dark, but at 

 nightfall, Gun Cay light still being invisible from the mast- 

 head, we anchored on the Banks where, in the face of a 

 strong east wind, the boat pitched violently and threatened 

 to snap her anchor chain. 



Two hours run, on the morning of April 27, brought us in 

 sight of Gun Cay, but as we were about to slip through the 

 narrow passage between it and Cat Cay, the wind failed and 

 shortly came out ahead. We therefore anchored under Cat 

 Cay. Mr. Haigh, the sociable hermit of this attractive little 

 island, at once came aboard and we not only accepted his 

 cordial invitation to breakfast but virtually became his 

 guests during the two days we waited for a favoring wind 

 with which to cross the stream. 



One might hunt far for a more charming place in which 

 to be weather bound. The Cay is about two miles long and, 

 having more soil, is correspondingly more fertile than the 



