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THE FLORIDA KEYS. 



As the " Marion " neared the inlet called " Indian Key," which is 

 situated on the eastern coast of the peninsula of Florida, my heart swelled 

 with uncontrollable delight. Our vessel once over the coral reef that 

 every where stretches along the shore like a great wall, reared by an army 

 of giants, we found ourselves in safe anchoring ground, within a few 

 furlongs of the land. The next moment saw the oars of a boat propel- 

 ling us towards the shore, and in^brief time we stood on the desired beach. 

 With what delightful feelings did we gaze on the objects around us ! — 

 the gorgeous flowers, the singular and beautiful plants, the luxuriant 

 trees. The balmy air which we breathed fiUed us with animation, so 

 pure and salubrious did it seem to be. The birds which we saw were 

 almost all new to us ; their lovely forms appeared to be arrayed in more 

 brilliant apparel than I had ever before seen, and as they gambolled in 

 happy playfulness among the bushes, or glided over the light green wa- 

 ters, we longed to form a more intimate acquaintance with them. 



Students of nature spend little time in introductions, especially when 

 they present themselves to persons who feel an interest in their pursuits. 

 This was the case with Mr Thruston, the Deputy Collector of the is- 

 land, who shook us all heartily by the hand, and in a trice had a boat 

 manned at our service. Accompanied by him, his pilot and fishermen, 

 off we went, and after a short pull landed on a large key. Few minutes 

 had elapsed, when shot after shot might be heard, and down came 

 whirling through the air the objects of our desire. One thrust himself 

 into the tangled groves that covered all but the beautiful coral beach 

 that in a continued line bordered the island, while others gazed on the 

 glowing and diversified hues of the curious inhabitants of the deep. I 

 saw one of my party rush into the limpid element, to seize on a crab, 

 that with claws extended upwards, awaited his approach, as if determined 

 not to give way. A loud voice called him back to the land, for sharks 

 are as abundant along these shores as pebbles, and the hungry prowlers 

 could not have got a more savoury dinner. 



The pilot, besides being a first-rate shot, possessed a most intimate ac- 

 quaintance with the country. He had been a " conch-diver," and no 

 matter what number of fathoms measured the distance between the sur- 



