AMONG THE SEMIXOLES. 187 



vines and hooked briers hung from the limbs above and 

 festooned every tree. The mud beneath was of the 

 blackest and softest ; stagnant pools of water, covered 

 with green slime, gave hiding places to numberless alli 

 gators and moccasin snakes, numbers of which unwound 

 themselves from the gnarled cypress trees and wriggled 

 silently away after darting at us their forked tongues. 

 While carefully avoiding these noxious places a long vine 

 would come athwart my horse s back, sweeping blankets, 

 saddle-bags and all into the mud. To describe the rage 

 of my guide at such a juncture would be impossible. I 

 was mad, but he was even more so, and swore and 

 stormed in a way that was perfectly frightful, caus 

 ing the innocent snakes and alligators to flee in ter 

 ror still farther into the black fastnesses of the swamp. 

 My rage died away as his increased, for I was convinced 

 that black as was the picture, he was doing it justice. 

 At every leap our poor beasts sank above their knees, and 

 it required much dodging to lead them through the nar 

 row apertures and escape being struck by their fore feet. 

 Never was daylight hailed more joyfully than when we 

 emerged from the tangled thicket and at last reached 

 solid ground. The Big Cypress was passed, and we 

 were in the Indian country. 



A few miles over a level prairie and we saw the first 

 habitation. A little further, and we caught sight of a 

 squaw running rapidly to apprise the men at work in the 

 swamps of our arrival. They couldn t have chosen a 

 locality more favorable to their mode of living than this. 

 A swamp bounded it on the north and east, and a forest 

 of pines on the south and west. The scene presented 

 was one of peaceful rest and happiness. What wonder 

 that the Seminole fought for his chosen land as he did ! 



