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Cayos Mulas
Related Terms:
- Archer Key
- Ballast Key
- Barracouta Key
- Big Mullet Key
- Boca Grande Key
- Cayos de Chiquimulas
- Cottrell Key
- Crawfish Key
- Joe Ingram Key
- Los Hermanos
- Mule Key (I)
- Mule Keys
Scope Note:
- Mulas - SP. "Mules". On Spanish charts of the eighteenth century, and also on British charts of that era, all the keys lying between Key West and the Marquesas Keys were called Cayos Mulas.
References:
- William Roberts, in his "An Account of the First Discovery, and Natural History of Florida" (1763) states, "Cayos de Chequimula are about ten in number, lying in the latitude of 24 deg. 40 min. and extend above eight leagues east from Boca Grande." The O'Carrol chart (1770) shows Cayos de Chiquimulas 0 Los Hermanos. Gerdes, in his "Reconnaissance of the Florida Reefs and all the Keys" (l849) states: "The islands are not named Mangrove nor Mule Islands, as they are styled on another earlier chart of Messrs. Blunt; the fact is only that they are mangrove islands, but nevertheless do not go by that name; in want of any other however we may as well keep the one of Mangrove Islands, although I am inclined to believe the proper name is the Crawfish Islands." 1. The Eastern Id. is called N. Crawfish kay. 2. Bluff Kay is not recognized by the inhabitants of Key West. 3. Double Key bears the name of Woman Key. 4. Saragold Key is unknown here; the name is Man Key. 5. The key about 3 miles S.E. from the Lightship Key West is named Cotterels Key. 6. No names for the central keys; In my observations they are designated A, B, C, &D." (These are respectively the modern Archer, Joe Ingram, Barracouta, and another, as yet unidentified key.) The place-name history of these keys is extremely convoluted and confusing. Names of keys have frequently been interchanged, changed, and generally jumbled over the years. See related entries.
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