y
rob us, and perhaps take our lives, should they find us off our guard.
He offered to allow one of his crew to accompany us, who, being well
acquainted with the country, and a good sportsman--as most wreckers
are--would act as our guide.

Standing into a small bay, lined on either side with mangroves and
cabbage-palms, having at the farther end a grove of cocoa-nut trees, we
came to anchor. At the outer point was a deserted lighthouse, which we
agreed would serve as a guide to us should we have any difficulty in
finding our way back. We lost no time in going on shore, accompanied by
Tim and Bill Dixie, boatswain of the _Great Alexander_, and forthwith
made our way west towards the nearest point on the Everglades. We had
not gone far before we fell in with a deer, which I shot. Knowing how
welcome it would be on board, and hoping the schooner had not sailed, we
despatched Bill to request the captain to send for it. In the meantime,
leaving Tim to guard the game, we went forward, and were fortunate
enough to shoot a couple of parrots, which were sent on board with the
men who shortly afterwards made their appearance.

Having as much game as we required, Lejoillie begged that we would at
once push forward, as our object was to visit the Everglades, which we
had not hitherto reached.

The Everglades answered the description I had heard of them. Carlos and
I agreed that there was so little attractive in the region, that except
for the sake of saying we had been there, we would rather have remained
on board and amused ourselves by fishing or spearing turtle with the
skipper. However, as we had come, and our friend wished to proceed, we
went on with him. Though we had shot several birds, Lejoillie wanted to
reach one of the woody islands I have described, which appeared some way
ahead; so on we went.

"Keep a look-out for snakes," said Carlos, "or we may very likely step
on one before we see it."

"It will not be very easy to avoid the creatures in this high grass," I
observed. "Don't you think we had better turn back?"

"Not until we have attained the object of our visit to this region, my
friends," answered the naturalist. "The love of science should make us
despise all dangers and difficulties."

The next instant Carlos fired. Running forward, we found that he had
blown off the head of a huge rattlesnake which his keen eye had detected
in the grass, though the rest of us had failed to see it. It proved