l6 THE CAPE SABLE REGION OF FLORIDA 



mock thatch-palms are exceedingly abundant. There is 

 good evidence that the silver-palm {Coccothrinax ar- 

 gentea) once grew at this cape; but recent hurricanes 

 have washed away large areas where it probably oc- 

 curred. However, further exploration may yet bring it 

 to light. 



One of the numerous interesting features of the Cape 

 Sable region is the mingling of the flora of the Ever- 

 glade Keys and that of the Lower Florida Keys. The 

 cape is on a direct line between Miami and Key West. 

 There is good evidence that there was once a land con- 

 nection from the Miami River region, which represents 

 the northern end of the Everglade Keys, southwestward 

 to Key West. 



Towards the upper part of this cape we found a beau- 

 tiful black-mangrove swamp back of the hammock. This 

 swamp resembles the one we found later back of Saw- 

 fish hole, and it may be that the two points are extremi- 

 ties of a continuous line of swamps. Just above Cape 

 Sable the red-mangrove swamp comes to the water's edge 

 and at the mouth of Shark River, about ten miles north- 

 ward, the Ten Thousand Islands begin and extend as far 

 as Cape Romano, a distance of about fifty miles. It 

 seems to be the unanimous opinion of all who have been 

 among these islands that instead of bearing the name 

 they have, it should be the " Ten Million Islands." 



As the sun was setting we started up the western coast, 

 and darkness found us anchored back of Shark Point 

 for the night. During the night the wind shifted to the 

 northwest and the temperature fell. The forenoon of 

 the next day was cloudy and misty as well. After a 



