File:Narrative and preliminary report of Bahama expedition (1895) (14595417958).jpg

Identifier: narrativeprelimi00nutt (find matches)
Title: Narrative and preliminary report of Bahama expedition
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: Nutting, Charles Cleveland, 1858-1927
Subjects: Natural history Scientific expeditions
Publisher: (Iowa City, Iowa, By authority of the Regents
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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- into its secrets. Wandering within thedimly lit casemates, surrounded by massive masonry, andoccasionally sighting along the big guns to the quiet waterswithout, we at length came to a gloomy cell which had a partin a national tragedy; for here was confined the prisoner Dr.Mudd, who was thus punished for dressing the broken leg ofBooth, the slaver of Lincoln. Several interesting storieswere told of him. Once, it is said, he crawled into themuzzle of one of the big guns, hoping to hide until anopportunity presented itself for escape. On another occasion,when the dreaded Yellow Jack was in possession of the fortand claiming its soldier victims. Dr. Mudd rendered suchheroic service in his professional ministrations that he wasrecommended for presidential clemency, which was ultimatelyexercised in his behalf. Within each of the bastions is a greatcistern of rain-A\ater, enough to supply a good sized army, andin addition there is a large tank of excellent water on the fumi- as
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Narrative of Bahama Expedition. 113 gating dock. Probably the most important structure aboutthe fort is the light-house, which, with its neighbor on Logger-head Key, saves many a vessel from going onto the treacher-ous reefs and shallows abounding in the adjacent waters. The fort is surrounded by a sea-wall enclosing a broad andshallow moat, which we ultimately discovered was nothingmore or less than a magnificent aquarium stocked with inter-esting marine forms. An ample supply of fresh sea-water isbrouoht in with everv tide. The enclosed water is smoothand unruffled bv the wind, affording a sheltered home forcountless animals of the more lowly kinds, and furnishing oneof the very best opportunities for collecting and study that weencountered during our cruise. Almost all of Garden Key is occupied by the fort, and fromit can be seen the larger islets of the Tortugas group. Alittle south of west lies the largest. Loggerhead Key, whichappears to be about a mile in length, and supports c

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