NO. lO 



SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I923 



89 



chief of the Bureau on account of certain West Indian affinities of its 

 prehistoric inhabitants. Through the kindness of Mr. E. M. ElHott, of 

 St. Petersburg, he was able to make a short preHminary visit in antici- 

 pation of more intensive work which will naturally follow. 



The prehistoric human inhabitants of the southern part of Florida 

 were, from the nature of their environment, low in culture. Their 



CLUSTER OF MOUNDS 



AT 



WE EDEN ISLAND 

 TAMPA BAY. FLORIDA 



Fig. 86. 



surroundings presented only scanty possibilities for a high develop- 

 ment, and judging from data available not only was their material 

 culture low. but they also owed little to outside influences. The visit 

 was intended as a reconnaissance in which some of the numerous shell 

 heaps and other remains of the culture antecedent to the coming of 

 the white were inspected (figs. 85 and 86). The northern part of 

 Florida has ])ten well investigated but the Ten Thousand Islands are 

 almost virgin soil for the archeologist. Caxambas, Key Marco, Horr's 



