6 
HOS Til HAM US S 0 CIA B1LIS. 
and leaping into the boat we pushed off. As we approached the spot where I had seen the bird 
before we perceived one sitting on a bush. By carefully pushing along the margin of the nar¬ 
row stream under cover of the high saw-grass, we came within gun-shot, and a second Kite was 
giving its death struggle in the top of the bush. Just at this moment we perceived another 
coming. Its attention was attracted by the motions of the one already shot, and it hovered 
over it a moment. Then as it received a charge of shot, sailed gracefully downwards and fell in 
the thick grass a few rods away. 
I immediately left the boat and entered the grass, sinking to my knees in water. The first 
bird was easily secured, and proved to be another adult male. The second required a longer 
search, and I experienced great difficulty in making my way through the dense growth of grass 
with so insecure a footing, for the bottom was not only under water but somewhat spongy. 
After a time I found it, and was turning towards the boat, when I discovered a partly completed 
nest a short distance from me. It was without doubt owned by one of the birds just killed. It 
was small, flat in form, and composed of sticks somewhat carelessly arranged. It was placed 
on the top of the grass which supported it. This grass grew so luxuriantly and thickly at this 
point that it bore me up as I was endeavoring to reach the nest. Although disappointed at not 
obtaining eggs, we were much pleased at having procured three birds, the last of which proved 
a young male. 
Although I now possessed three specimens, I was extremely desirous of obtaining a female. 
Therefore, on the 3d, Mrs. Maynard and myself again visited the Everglades, fully determined 
to procure one if possible. We pushed up the main river to the spot where we had seen them 
before; then as the stream divided we took the right fork. This soon grew narrow, and shortly 
after numerous smaller bayous made off from it in all directions; each of these in its turn led 
to innumerable others, and we soon found that the entire marshes were a perfect labyrinth of 
small streams. As the entrance of each almost exactly resembles the others, it is very hard to 
find one’s way through them. This, together with the impossibility of seeing any distance on ac¬ 
count of the dry grass, renders travelling in a particular direction extremely difficult. 
I have known of a party of whites, that were endeavoring to explore these almost boundless 
marshes, becoming lost in them. They were accompanied by an experienced guide, yet became 
entangled and confused in the blind ways, while within a few miles of the head of the river, and 
remained there for some days without food. Although a white man can scarcely find his way 
among them, yet the Seminoles glide along in their dug-outs with the greatest ease. I have often 
met with parties of these Indians, dressed in their fantastic costumes, poling their canoes through 
the intricate passages apparently without a thought as to the direction in which they were steer¬ 
ing. They have informed me that they even go through Pi-i-o-kee' to Lake Okochobee' on the 
north, and across to the Big Cypress on the west. 
It was through these winding streams that we were now making our way, careful, however, 
to keep land marks in view. We proceeded for nearly five miles in a westerly direction with¬ 
out seeing a single Kite, and then were obliged to stop, as we could not find a passage further. 
Just as we were turning to go back an Everglade Kite passed us, but out of gun-shot. It soon 
disappeared in the distance, but we pushed rapidly after it. We had not gone over two miles 
when we perceived it settling on a low scrubby species of magnolia (Magnolia glauca) which 
is occasionally found in the Everglades. 
When we first saw the Kite it was nearly half a mile away; for distant objects are seen 
very distinctly in the clear atmosphere of these marshes. We proceeded slowly and laboriously 
towards it in a zigzag manner, on account of being obliged to follow the streams. When within 
a quarter of a mile the boat grounded, then I got out and dragged it a few hundred yards, but 
found it was impossible to go further with it. I was determined to have the bird, which I felt 
