A TRIP


 TOH NORTH FLORID.
THROUGH NORTH FLORIDA.


on which the advancing and receding waves will glide for
hundreds of feet. You can stand where no water is one
moment, and the next be struggling waist-deep against a
surging wave that is climbing up the strand. This beach
is the incubator of the great turtles of the Gulf. Its grad-
ual incline, the easily excavated sand beyond, and the warm
southern exposure, adapt it to their approach, the making
of nests, and, hatching of their eggs. So they resort to it
for this purpose, and in due time the young turtles are
hatched, unless the eggs are captured by the various creat-
ures, biped and quadruped, who seek them in the season.
From Pensacola over to the island is about seven miles,
and as the land-breeze of the night sets fair across the bay,
it is a pleasant trip of moonlight nights to run over on a
sail-boat, land on the bay-shore, walk across the island,


FOrt BAnuCAS.


shows on the sand where the
along, and, following this up
the highest waves, the nest is
a half feet below the surface


which is not a third of a mile
wide opposite the city, and
seek for 'turtle-crawls' on the
Gulf-beach, or bathe luxuri-
ously in the surf. The crawl'
under-shell has been dragged
to a point above the wash of
found, usually about two and
e. A single nest will contain