8 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



was selected, and Fort Jefferson begun. There 

 was an old-fashioned light-house there, as well as 

 a cottage, which is mentioned in one of Coop- 

 er's novels. Previous to this time the island 

 had been the resort of buccaneers and outlaws 

 from all lands, who were finally driven away by 

 the ships of our "West India squadron. 



"The islands are called Tortugas, which 

 means in Spanish ' turtle,' because they have al- 

 ways been famous as the breeding-grounds of 

 the green and loggerhead turtles. They are 

 called keys, which is a conniption of the Spanish 

 cayo, an inlet. Some call the group the Dry 

 Tortugas, as there are no springs there, all the 

 drinking water being caught in cisterns. Tor- 

 tugas is sixty miles from Key West, and be- 

 tween the islands is the Marquesas." 



" Will it be possible for us to stop over at 

 the Keys ? " asked the doctor of the captain, 

 who stood near. 



"I think so, sir," was the reply. "The way 

 things look we shall just about reach there and 

 be caught in a dead calm." 



The captain's prophecy came true. The 



