A nousand-Mile Walk 



manded a fine view of the Gulf and many gems 

 of palmy islets, called "keys," that fringe the 

 shore like huge bouquets — not too big, how- 

 ever, for the spacious waters. Mr. Hodgson's 

 family welcomed me with that open, uncon- 

 strained cordiality which is characteristic of the 

 better class of Southern people. 



At the sawmill a new cover had been put on 

 the main driving pulley, which, made of rough 

 plank, had to be turned off and smoothed. 

 He asked me if I was able to do this job and I 

 told him that I could. Fixing a rest and mak- 

 ing a tool out of an old file, I directed the engi- 

 neer to start the engine and run slow. After 

 turning down the pulley and getting it true, 

 I put a keen edge on a common carpenter's 

 plane, quickly finished the job, and was assigned 

 a bunk in one of the employees' lodging-houses. 



The next day I felt a strange dullness and 

 headache while I was botanizing along the coast. 

 Thinking that a bath in the salt water might 

 refresh me, I plunged in and swam a little dis- 

 tance, but this seemed only to make me feel 

 [ 126 1 



