SOUTH SHORE OF THE MAINLAND 109 



ing. At Flamingo we hired one John Douthett 

 to act as guide and to furnish a shallow draft 

 gasolene launch. On account of shoal water we 

 anchored near Jo Kemp's Key, making the bal- 

 ance of the trip in our skiffs. From the key we 

 had a nine mile run in water nowhere more than 

 two feet deep and most of the way we dragged the 

 bottom. Here we saw no end of birds, particularly 

 white and brown pelicans and Florida cormorants. 

 The first of these swim along and scoop up fish 

 while the second fly in circles and swoop down on 

 their prey. 



In about two hours we entered the mouth of a 

 creek near the head of an unnamed bay. A half 

 mile up the stream we entered a considerable la- 

 goon which we passed through and then passed 

 into the same or another channel, for in this region 

 there is an interminable maze of brackish lakes 

 and passages. The latter are crooked and difficult 

 to navigate but we pushed on first northeast, then 

 north, northwest, southwest, then abruptly to the 

 northward to Cuthbert Lake, some nine miles 

 from where we first entered the creek. 



The whole trip was novel and exciting. No less 

 than six lakes, each concealed from the rest by 



