INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, PHILADELPHIA. 39 



LAKE OKEECHOBEE. 



The exploration of the Okeechobee region consumed the better part 

 of six days, during which time we made a traverse or examination of 

 probably not much less than one-half the area covered by the lake. Our 

 course from the mouth of the canal, which is marked by a fairly conspic- 

 uous barrel-shouldered cypress, was S. by E. to Observation Island, 

 about seven miles, two miles S. W. to the western shore, fifteen miles 

 almost due north to beyond the mouth of Fish-Eating Creek, on the 

 northwest shore, fifteen miles E. N. E. to the mouth of Taylor's Creek, 

 which forms the extreme northern (northeastern) apex of the lake, two 

 miles W. to Eagle Bay, and twenty-two miles S. W. to the canal. The 

 distances here given are those of dead reckoning, but the experience of 

 our captain in calculations of this kind leads me to suppose that the 

 figures are not very far removed from the truth. It will thus be seen 

 that our direct examination was confined principally to the western and 

 northern sections of the lake, but from our position at Taylor's Creek we 

 had a clear sweep of some ten additional miles of the eastern shore as 

 well. How much further to the south beyond the furthest point reached 

 by us the lake extends, I am unprepared to say ; nor can I determine this 

 question from any of the numerous hypothetically constructed maps of 

 the region. It is, I believe, safe to say that there is not a single map 

 that represents with even approximate correctness the contours of this 

 vast body of water; indeed, the majority of the maps published, and not 

 less, the descriptions, run so wide of the mark in their delineations, that 

 practically no reliance can be placed upon them. And this criticism 

 applies equally to the maps published with the sanction of the State or 

 General Government and those prepared in the interest of special land 

 or railroad companies. Thus, on nearly all the maps the mouth of the 

 drainage canal is represented as opening considerably to the south of the 

 median line of the lake, while Observation Island is located immediately 

 abreast of this opening, or even considerably to the north of it ! It has 

 already been seen that the true position of the island is several miles to 

 the southeast of the canal. The limited time at our command, unfor- 

 tunately, did not permit us to establish the exact position of the canal- 

 opening, but that it could not be much, if anything, below the middle 

 of the lake, is conclusively shown by the open water-way which 



