D. P. INGRAHAM. 65 
integrated coral, so soft that with one hand I could set 
a pole two fathoms down in the mud, and so sticky that 
one cannot wash the mud from anything without rub- 
bing it. Although the water in these bays is so shallow, 
much of it being not above eighteen inches deep, yet it is 
so permeated with this soft white mud, which is stirred 
up by the action of the waves, that it is impossible to see 
the bottom, and after 2 day or two of more than usually 
heavy wind the whole bay reminds one of a large bowl of 
milk. 
When about halfway across this bay—it being ebb tide— 
our boat stuck in the mud and we could go no further. 
After lowering sail, I climbed to the masthead to learn if 
anything could be seen. Almost to the east of us, where 
the then setting sun reflected the light to the best advantage, 
was a long line of red extending fully a half mile, reminding 
one of a prairie fire at night. JI doubt whether De Soto felt 
any more pride when he first saw the broad waters of the 
Mississippi than I did at the sight before me. I took off 
my hat and swung it and shouted “ The Flamingoes! the Fla- 
mingoes!” It was then that I first recognized the import of 
the word /amingo—flame-colored. I had spent fully two 
months each of the two preceding years, to find these birds ; 
and I now felt I almost had them in my grasp—a vain de- 
lusion ! 
As it was too late for any work that night, the flock being 
fully four miles away, we prepared for an early start next 
morning. Breakfast was over long before daylight, and as 
soon as we could see we were in our little boat, headed for 
the flock, with the expectation, if we could not get near 
enough to reach them in this way, to go ashore, cover our 
boat with bushes, and try the same plan that we adopted a 
few days before in Caximbas Bay. When more than half a 
mile from them the birds rose on wing, and after turning 
about a few times, flew to the extreme further part of the bay, 
and alighted. The flock consisted of not less than 2,500 
