ANDROS 



visited him and he kindly furnished a guide to go with us to Grassy Creek. 

 This guide was an elderly negro with a pleasing manner. We proceeded 

 southward along the coast for about twenty-three miles, arriving at last 

 off Grassy Creek. We were fortunate in having a boat of light draft, for 

 the water between the reefs and the shore at this part of the Island is very 

 shallow. Our arrival at this anchorage was after sundown, too late for any 

 excursions on land. We amused ourselves watching and talking with the 

 natives who came out to sell us some of their wares, chiefly coral and 

 shells. The new moon and perfect weather, which seldom fails in April, 

 added greatly to our enjoyment and to the comfort of all hands, for Aquila 

 had no regular accommodations for the two extra men. 



Next morning Lydia and I went ashore with our local guide to see the 

 flamingoes. We set out through a tiny settlement, and thence across track- 

 less country. At times we were crossing stretches of bare ground, coral 

 rather, which is the foundation of all of these islands. This is dark gray in 

 color and while smooth in some places, in others is so rough that it is dif- 

 ficult to walk upon, even when wearing rubber-soled shoes. It looks like 

 lava and I have not been able to obtain a satisfactory explanation of its 

 shape and quality. My own observation brings me to the conclusion that 

 sand from coral has arisen above the water (though I don't know why it 

 should) and has been baked into a hard mass by the action of the sun, then 

 the rain has gradually disintegrated portions which for some reason were 

 softer than others. This leaves a surface of sharp ridges and points similar 

 to nothing I have ever seen. Any extended walking on this material would 

 soon tear up the soles of rubber shoes. It can be broken with a hammer, ex- 

 posing coral sand within the hard exterior. We were amazed to see our 

 guide walk with bare feet over this formation and apparently without 

 even picking his steps. 



We passed through beautiful tropical growths and eventually arrived 

 at the shore of a lake, the breadth of which was a half mile. Hitching our 



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