

468 RAMBLES IN FLORIDA. 
the waters edge. It is encircled by an outer growth of ' 
mangroves. Pressing through these, and crossing to the 
opposite side of the key, we passed through successive zones 
of palmettoes, buttonwoods, etc., and intervals, where the 
rank grass is from three to four feet high; in one of these 
we made a camp, and all hands went vigorously at work | 
eutting and hauling the boughs of dead fallen trees for our 
night fire. Quite near to the camp is a narrow bayou, which 
indents the shore so as to resemble a huge drumstick with 
the knob or head inland. At low tide this knob or head is 
separated from the other portion, or handle, by an oyster 
bar, from which we obtained a great quantity of delicious 
oysters of large size; here also we found many other spe- 
cies of mollusca, some of which are quite rare, including à 
beautiful cone-shell. The sandy part of the oyster bar, as 
well as the narrow beach, was closely dented with the hoof- 
prints of deer, and the footprints of “coons.” In many 
places sturdy thistles, and cacti of large size, furnish & 
hiding-place for the snails, Helix cereolus and H. uvulifera, 
and the dense undergrowth a nesting-place for the birds. 
As the sun had sank so far below the tree tops as to shade 
our camping-ground we started our evening fire. Tramplng 
and the salt sea-air gave a keenness to the appetite that 
caused the supper of stewed and roasted oysters to disap- 
: : : : t. 
pear in a marvellous short time. Having finished our repas 
we filled our pipes and from time, to time piled fresh fuel 
on the fire and watched the flashing flames. 
It was a brilliant night, serene and cloudless, and the 
moon was near the full. The buttonwoods and palmettoes 
glistened in the silver light which descended from above, 
and were tinged by the ruddy glow of our huge camp-fire 
Which lighted them from below, making each tree 1? the 
foreground distinct in vivid lines of beauty; the dark T 
cesses of the denser growth occasionally iluminated by 
- . flame which streamed up for a moment and disclosed colon- 
nades of pines and palms, standing equidistant and regular 



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