4 ALONG THE FLORIDA EEEF. 



yacht, commanded by Captain David Ellis, and 

 carried the mail from Key West to the end of 

 the reef, being the only regular means of com- 

 munication. On this trip the passengers com- 

 prised Dr. Bassett, his son Tom, and Dick and 

 Harry Edmonston, companions of the latter and 

 sons of the commanding officer of the district. 

 The doctor was an enthusiastic naturalist. His 

 object in visiting the great reef was to study 

 the corals and collect specimens of all the ani- 

 mals found here ; and the boys were looking 

 forward to exciting and novel experiences in 

 aiding in the practical work of collecting in the 

 months to follow. 



The wind was fair, and the Tortugas was 

 soon bowling along with a mass of foain under 

 her bow, starting the flying-fishes, and even 

 attracting the attention of the sleeping pelicans 

 that floated in the water here and there. By 

 the docks and wharves of the Spanish- American 

 town they rushed, passing Fort Taylor, with its 

 frowning guns, then bearing away by the Sand 

 Key light and heading, as the captain said, for 

 " sundown." 



