BAHAMAN TRIP 



23 



Monday, June 30. Sailed to Grassy Creek, which is within a few 

 miles of the southern end of the island. The creek is about seventy- 

 five yards in width. The men said that the swash began only a short 

 distance back. There was a party of turtlers on shore cutting up live 

 hawksbill turtles. A storm threatening, we did not sail up the creek any 

 great distance, but turned back for Smith's place. Thunderstorm very 

 heavy, but we were not in the worst of it. The sky to the north was 

 very black; saw a water-spout in that direction, the column slanted to 

 the westward. There was a dead nurse-shark on the shore, found it 

 to be 7 feet 11 inches in length, steel color below, darker above. 

 Near Smith's house was the largest ocean-hole I have seen. Smith 

 says he has found no bottom with a twenty-fathom rope. Surrounding 

 it, there is at low water nearly three-quarters of a mile of sand flat, the 

 water being only about two feet deep at that distance from the shore. 



Tuesday, July i. Walked back over surveyor's line. The trees 

 and bush had been cut down and left where they fell. The ground very 

 rough with large banana-holes. The swash was seen only a half mile 

 back so that the coppet is here much narrower than at Deep Creek. 

 Back to boat and waited until four o'clock for the tide to rise. Reached 

 Dames that night, just below Deep Creek. Arrived at Lisbon Creek 

 the evening of July 2. 



Thursday, July 3. Packed and put specimens on schooner for 

 Nassau. We started about midnight, slept on deck. Very slight dew. 

 Reached Nassau evening of July 4, having been becalmed much of the 

 day. A few days later we took the steamer for home. 



It may not be amiss to say something here of the inhabitants and in- 

 terests of Andros Island as we found them in 1890. All the settlements 

 were on the eastern ridge, with the exception of the small one at Red 

 Bays in the extreme northwest corner. The remainder of the western 

 coast was practically uninhabited and was visited only by the spongers. 

 The writer believes she enjoys the distinction of having been the first 

 white woman to set foot on this part of the island. On the east coast 

 Nicol's Town was the most northerly settlement, then came Mastic 

 Point, Stanniard Creek, Fresh Creek, Bearing Point, at the entrance to 

 the North Bight, then Mangrove Cay, Long Bay Cay, and Deep Creek. 

 At the time of our visit Nicol's Town, Fresh Creek, and Mangrove Cay 

 were the largest. All communication between the different settle- 

 ments was by water, as there were no roads, the government road at 



