CAMP AT GRAHAM'S OLD SHANTY. 



tlesnake, just as it drew back to strike at 

 me. It was a wicked looking thing, about 

 6 feet long, and meant business. The even- 

 ing before, I had carried a live 5 J / 2 foot 

 water moccasin into camp, much to the con- 

 sternation of Hough and Green. 



"Don't you know that thing is certain 

 death !" cried Hough. I told him possibly, 

 if it got a fair swipe with its fangs; but 

 having lassoed my moccasin securely I had 

 faith that we would keep out of its reach. 

 However, for the peace of the camp, 1 told 

 Rat to tumble the bread in a grain sack 

 and give me the bread box. Into that I 

 put the snake and nailed down the lid. 

 Even then Hough declared he would not 

 sleep a wink unless that box was carried 

 ioo yards back, in the swamp ; and back it 

 went ! 



Looking closely at the newly found rat- 

 tler, I observed its markings were unusual- 

 ly good, and thinking the moccasin might 

 like company I decided to take the rattler, 

 too. It was an ugly thing to handle, and 

 after its capture the horse snorted and 

 shied so much that I mounted with dif- 

 ficulty. Before this, the reptile gave my 

 right eye a severe shock. I never knew 

 before that the diamond rattler possessed 

 skunk proclivities ! I supposed only one 

 end was dangerous. Mr. Hendry kept at 

 a safe distance, and while he said it was a 

 serious thing to laugh about, he shook until 

 he almost rolled out of the saddle. I 

 dropped bridle reins and snake, rushed 



blindly into a pond 50 yards away, and 

 almost washed an eye out; but that snake 

 went into camp alive, all the same, though 

 I thought Hough would have a fit. 



Later in the day we arrived at Graham's 

 old camp, at the head of the Devil's Garden. 

 Graham had gone back there several years 

 before, built a shanty, and, with his son, 

 lived on hunting and looking after stray 

 cattle. Another cattleman arrived in the 

 neighborhood, and in a dispute over a 

 steer, Graham and son shot their visitor. 

 The 2 were arrested and taken to 

 Fort Meyers. While awaiting trial for 

 murder, they broke jail and returned, it is 

 supposed, to their haunts in the Devil's Gar- 

 den. Lee county has now a reward of $800 

 outstanding for the capture of either one. 



The Devil's Garden lies Southeast of Fort 

 Thompson, at the head of Caloosahatchie 

 river, and about 48 miles East of Fort 

 Meyers. It is a singular freak of nature, 3 

 to 12 miles wide, many miles long, a 

 patchwork of ponds, bogs, sloughs, strips 

 of land, hammocks, palmetto, and rank 

 vegetation. In these wilds may be found 

 small varmints of every description ; also 

 bears,, panthers, black wolves, wild hogs and 

 alligators. There are- some deer down in 

 the dark hammocks, but these, as a rule, 

 prefer the more open palmetto country im- 

 mediately adjoining. 



Soon after we went into camp at the head 

 of the Garden, Mr. Strickland and Mr. 

 Drowdee, from Labelle, near Fort Thomp- 



354 



