they can find them unprepared
for resistance; and they have already cut off several settlers and
hunters, whom they took by surprise," he observed.

It was nearly morning by the time we reached the schooner, and as there
was a light wind off shore, the captain immediately got under weigh. We
were then glad enough to wrap ourselves in our blankets, and lie down on
the deck to obtain the rest we so much needed.

CHAPTER SIX.

THE CRUISE CONTINUED--AMONG THE ISLETS--TURTLES--HARPOONING--A BEAUTIFUL
SUBJECT FOR STUDY--LEJOILLIE OBTAINS A SUPPLY OF CURIOSITIES--A
DANGEROUS ROUTE--TIM'S ADVICE--CAUGHT IN A GALE--THE SCHOONER COMES TO
GRIEF--RESOLVE TO CROSS THE COUNTRY--VOYAGE UP THE RIVER--MONSTER FISH--
THE CANOE LEAKS--WE LAND AND CAMP--SILAS MUNCH--APPEARANCE OF THE
STREAM--AN ALLIGATOR ISLAND--GOOD SHOOTING--AN UNPLEASANT CONCERT--
ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR--A CURIOUS CRY--LEJOILLIE SECURES A PRIZE--THE
VOYAGE FINISHED--FRIENDLY COUNSEL--"JUPITER," OUR GUIDE--WE PART WITH
OUR PILOT.

I cannot stop to describe the many adventures we met with on our voyage,
or the curious scenes we witnessed. We were now sailing among that
group of islands at the southern extremity of Florida, inside the
ill-famed Florida reef, on which so many stout ships have been cast
away. The inhabitants were mostly ruffianly characters, who lived by
the plunder they obtained from the vessels wrecked on their shores. We
put into a small bay in one of the largest of these islands, called
Cayolargo. Though it is composed of coral rock, there are numerous
spaces covered with dark-red soil, from which the inhabitants raise
pineapples in vast numbers, as well as lemons, oranges, limes, bananas,
mangoes, guavas, tomatoes, alligator pears, peppers, and even
sugar-canes; but as there was no near market for their produce, they
depended more on the booty obtained from wrecks than on the produce of
the soil. As, however, they were all well known to our skipper, who had
constant dealings with them, they received us in a friendly way.

We afterwards passed numerous inhabited keys, among which was a group
called by the Spaniards Los Martires, or The Martyrs, from the number of
seamen wrecked on them who have lost their lives. In the shallow water
among the keys we fell in with several boats manned by whites and
negroes engaged in fishing for sponges. Some waded out from the rocks,
having a long pole with a scythe-like knife at the end of it, with which