Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-29

himself, but the man refused. In few minutes Gaze passed away. It was early morning when the craft struggled up to the fort, nearly full of water and the corpse of the old keeper swashing from one side to the other. The brave keeper was exhausted. To this day the residents of the keys tell how Jack Low brought the body of Mark Gaze from Rebecca shoals tp Fort Jefferson.
 On Sand key is-a grave that is pitiful in its lonesomeness. The island is all of sand, except in the center, where few tall, rush like grasses grow. Man rarely visits the spot. The sun shines fiercely all day, and the ocean booms upon N series of outlying reefs.
 Turtles are plentiful in the waters around here In the season LogGerhead key and East key are fayorite resorts for the turtle hunter. In the shoals of the reefs the nurse shark comes to breed. These fish are harm less, as their mouth is small, but they are allied to the man caters, and long, taper ing, wicked tail gives n spice of danger to the pursuit of them. The animals arc of ten over 10 feet in length. Splendid sport can be had in spearing them. The skin on their back is wonderfully tough, and 1t takes a strong arm to fix the grains in them.
 Here are the most magnificent marine gardens in the world. For miles Around the water is only few feet deep, save
 
 marked by dark blue path. Over the shAl- lows our dingy glides. Beneath us we see great coral heads, enormous sea urchins with spines as long and as sharp as those of a porcupine, brilliant colored hshes, gor- geous conch shells and sea vegetation of all sorts and of sll pleasing tints. Vast schools of mullet and Snappers swim near the sur face, and we could trace the ecourse of myri- ads of small fry by the plunging iocks of ha rl r,a1fraps hak followed just above.
 The great Florida reef Is no longer a menace to navigation. Steamer and sailing vessel pass fearlessly up and down. No such wrecks occur as that of lTS7, when of 8 fleet of Is Spanish galleons, treasure laden from Vera Cruz, l2 went to pieces on the Florida reef. Lights and buoys now mark the course. The wreekers fought bitterly the establishment of these safeguards To the modern pirates a wreck was godsend. Often the wreckers would lure a vessel to destruction with false lights, or a bogus pilot would be sent aboa, d, or a captain, when possible, would be bought of.
 The wreckers are not all dead yet. In Key West and the Bahamas are many per sons, old and young, who would gladly have the old regime back Woe to the bark that far from port becomes helpless! She is speedily surrounded by a host of Bahama eoachs or Florida dingies, and if she is not pitsaged she is seized as a salvage vessel.
 LogRerhead light is the most southerly of the lights on the Atlantic coast, for though it is in the gulf the reefs are but an extension of the coast liue. Rebecca shoals is the most lonely light. It stands in l4 fathoms of water, and the mainland is over 50 miles away. Keepers dread the post, and old seamen shake their heads and speak darkly of the time when a hurricane shall come. Three keepers are given each light. Once every three months a keeper has va- cation. Literature is supplied by passing boats. The life is not as hard as it used to be, but it Is monotonous one and is often dangerous. Many staggering vessel has reason to pray for the welfare of that man who holds in his hand the guiding lamp lighting Q pathway through the cruel Flor Ida reef ED l.. SABIS.