A Thousand-Mile Walk 
manded a fine view of the Gulf and many gems 
of palmy islets, called “keys,” that fringe the 
shore like huge bouquets — not too big, how- 
ever, for the spacious waters. Mr. Hodgson’s 
family welcomed me with that open, uncon- 
strained cordiality which is characteristic of the 
better class of Southern people. 
At the sawmill a new cover had been put on 
the main driving pulley, which, made of rough 
plank, had to be turned off and smoothed. 
He asked me if I was able to do this job and I 
told him that I could. Fixing a rest and mak- 
ing a tool out of an old file, I directed the engi- 
neer to start the engine and run slow. After 
turning down the pulley and getting it true, 
I put a keen edge on a common carpenter’s 
plane, quickly finished the job, and was assigned 
a bunk in one of the employees’ lodging-houses. 
The next day I felt a strange dullness and 
headache while I was botanizing along the coast. 
Thinking that a bath in the salt water might 
refresh me, I plunged in and swam a little dis- 
tance, but this seemed only to make me feel 
{ 126 ] 
