This stunningly detailed survey of the Florida Keys, eastward from Bahia Honda to Key Largo on the western end of Key is drawn with pen, ink and finished with watercolor. Although damaged and torn it reveals a level of detail and topography lost to the modern-day 'advancement' of concrete and in-fill which has come with population and tourism.
1775
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Description
The survey was completed by George Gauld on his second expedition to the Kays in 1775. By the 7th August he had finished his second survey of the Dry Totigas with the assistance of John Payne and Lt. Nathaniel Phillips the Captain of H.M.S Northampton the ships Northampton and the survey sloop 'Florida' headed east to anchor at Key West on the 16th August.
Gauld spent the next six weeks surveying the Keys in between the Dry Tortugas and Key West, in the small boats, the Northampton as a base in Key West. When finally Gauld was satisfied with the work the entire party retraced its steps covering any ground the survey to date had missed and also confirming the position of the keys. The survey finally finished in October 1775.
Typically Gauld includes full and exact Remarks about the Kays, their vegetation and aspects, approaches and sailing channels, sandbanks and soundings (water depths) in fathoms. He even provides views of the respective Kays such that sailors may identify them, in profile, from sea level. Further information on the topography provided by Gauld is also available in William Faden's 'Notes' to accompany the charts [1].
By the end of 1775 the region was almost un-workable due to interference from American privateers but Gauld has still managed to deliver a stunningly accurate, attractive and valuable view of this part of the Keys as they were.
[1]. 'An Account of The Surveys of Florida, &c. with Directions for Sailing from Jamaica or the West Indies, by the West End of Cuba, and through the Gulph of Florida'.Published by W. Faden; to be sold by him; and by Messrs. Mount and Page, 1790. 27 pages. 1790. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=jq1bAAAAQAAJ&pg=GBS.PP5
George Gauld
This stunningly detailed survey of the Florida Keys, eastward from Bahia Honda to Key Largo on the western end of Key is drawn with pen, ink and finished with watercolor. Although damaged and torn it reveals a level of detail and topography lost to the modern-day 'advancement' of concrete and in-fill which has come with population and tourism.
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