CAPE SAN ANTONIO 175 



and not dead. Following close behind these aerial 

 squadrons come the sun's rays and a blessed peace 

 — like a merciful Red Cross — to dry our wet 

 clothes, warm our chilled bodies, and calm our 

 ruffled spirits. 



After landing us at the deserted house, Bartsch 

 and the Patron with Greenlaw proceeded on to 

 explore the waters beyond the cape and to dredge 

 upon a certain shoal reported to exist well out to 

 seaward of the reef and surrounded by deep water. 



Passing through an old cocoanut grove back 

 of the house our shore party filed into a path fol- 

 lowing the ridge. This rocky ridge is only about 

 fifty to one hundred yards wide and bordered 

 upon either side by buttonwood swamps containing 

 some mangroves. The soft black mud of the 

 swamps is pitted with the holes of fiddler-crabs 

 into which the little creatures disappeared after 

 some display of hostility to our approach. 



The dry land is wooded with small trees, mostly 

 the Cuban bast, many low broad-leaved palmetto 

 palms {Thrinax wendlandiana) , and a Metopium 

 of uncertain species, a poison tree related to our 

 northern sumacs. Open patches of light scrub 

 alternate with denser groves of trees, but there 



