Paddling under Palmettos — page 52: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Paddling Under Palmettos. 47 stock of sheepshead, and they had enjoyed a fish supper. The weather had become warmer, though the wind still blew heavily. They camped in among the trees the second night, where there was a splendid spot, their boats being hauled up on the sandy beach. There were two wells near by that had been made many years before, relics of the early settlers—some said the old Spanish indigo growers had dug them—~ and from these they laid in a store of fresh water. This latter is so hard to get in Florida cruising that an opportunity for laying in a stock is never to be neglected. For about eight miles they had easy work, Ned leading the way, with his charts. Then the wind became more boisterous from a few points out of the north. They came to a reach where the river made a ser- pentine bend—an ugly stretch. Here Ned tacked down the reach with Dick at his heels, but poor Archie was not so fortunate. First of all, he brought up on an oyster bar, the starboard shore being composed mainly of these - e@aieloveye) cS (EO)