FLORIDA KEYS. 315 



The room adjoining that in which I worked, was soon filled. Two 

 miserable fiddlers screwed their screeching silken strings — not an inch of 

 catgut graced their instruments ; and the bouncing of brave lads and fair 

 lasses shook the premises to the foundation. One with a slip came down 

 heavily on the floor, and the burst of laughter that followed echoed over 

 the isle. Diluted claret was handed round to cool the ladies, while a be- 

 verage of more potent energies warmed their partners. After supper 

 our captain returned to the Marion, and I, with my young men, slept in 

 light swinging hammocks under the eaves of the piazza. 



It was the end of April, when the nights were short and the days 

 therefore long. Anxious to turn every moment to account, we were on 

 board Mr Thruston's boat at three next morning. Pursuing our way 

 through the deep and tortuous channels that every where traverse the 

 immense muddy soap-like flats that stretch from the outward Keys to the 

 Main, we proceeded on our voyage of discovery. Here and there we met 

 with great beds of floating sea- weeds, which shewed us that Turtles were 

 abundant there, these masses being the refuse of their feeding. On talk- 

 ing to Mr Thruston of the nature of these muddy flats, he mentioned 

 that he had once been lost amongst their narrow channels for several 

 days and nights, when in pursuit of some smugglers' boat, the owners of 

 which were better acquainted with the place than the men who were 

 along with him. Although in full sight of several of the Keys, as well 

 as of the main land, he was unable to reach either, until a heavy gale 

 raised the water, when he sailed directly over the flats, and returned 

 home almost exhausted with fatigue and hunger. His present pilot 

 often alluded to the circumstance afterwards, ending with a great laugh, 

 and asserting that had he " been there, the rascals would not have 

 escaped." 



Coming under a Key on which multitudes of Frigate Pelicans had 

 begun to form their nests, we shot a good number of them, and observed 

 their habits. The boastings of our pilot were here confirmed by the ex- 

 ploits which he performed with his long gun, and on several occasions he 

 brought down a bird from a height of fully a hundred yards. The poor 

 birds, unaware of the range of our artillery, sailed calmly along, so that 

 it was not difiicult for " Long Tom," or rather for his owner, to furnish 

 us with as many as we required. The day was spent in this manner, and 

 towards night we returned, laden with booty, to the hospitable home of 

 the pilot. 



