V OUR LIFE ASHORE AND AFLOAT 51 



account of the heat, its quality may be readily imagined. 

 There is, however, an abundance of good fish, but the most 

 acceptable dishes were the turkeys and the chickens, though 

 they were not on the menu as often as they might have 

 been. 



The chief meal (dinner) was at 6.30, and the vegetables 

 consisted of ordinary and sweet potatoes, white French beans, 

 and tomatoes. Corn bread was the general staple, and they 

 gave us sweets, with either iced tea or hot coffee. The cook 

 was a black man, so also was the waiter, who, besides looking 

 after us at meals, did all sorts of things, I believe, such as 

 milking the cow, feeding the chickens, and meeting and seeing 

 off people by the steamers. It is true there were no baths at 

 the inn, but good-sized washing tubs were provided as a sort of 

 compromise. I must say that the host and hostess did the 

 very best they could for their visitors, and were unceasing in 

 their attention. Probably by this time there is a large hotel 

 built at Fort Myers, with all the improvements and attractions 

 for visitors which I understand characterise the hotel at Punta 

 Gorda, which we found closed. Our charges at the hotel were 

 two and a half dollars per day, or fifteen dollars a person per 

 week. Wine, beer, or spirits you must provide for yourself; 



