TO SANTA ROSIA AND SANTA MARIA 121 



rigid. The shape is also very bizarre. We found 

 them about rotting sponges, mangrove roots, and 

 in weedy bottom. 



The feature of the morning's dredging was a 

 specimen belonging to an aberrant group of poly- 

 chaste worms of unsuspected presence in these 

 waters. 



About 1 1 o'clock very threatening weather with 

 violent .wind squalls compelled the dredging party 

 in the launch to overtake the schooner, a difficult 

 task for the little craft that made a bad mess of it 

 in the increasing chop, while the schooner with 

 straining sails and following sea "carried a bone 

 in her teeth." Arrived at the Estero the crew 

 entered upon the laborious task of watering. All 

 the big wine carboys stowed below were piled 

 aboard the auxiliary and filled from the sluggish 

 river that drained a swamp. We regarded with 

 suspicion this dark beery looking water, but it 

 proved to be excellent. Bad weather throughout 

 the afternoon interfered with further collecting 

 operations and with the preparation, as well, of 

 previously taken material. However, some dredg- 

 ing was accomplished, and a later afternoon expedi- 

 tion to the shore netted us some especially fine 



