464 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Deo. 97, 1888. 



Wit* SyortsniM $owizt 



NOTES ON WESTERN FLORIDA. 



Till, — IN THE SWAMPS. 



WE spent five days in the camp described in my last 

 paper, and extended our excursions in all directions 

 and exploring the country very thoroughly. One night 

 we were joined by an old negro, known as Uncle Adam, 

 a famous hunter of that country who has passed his en- 

 tire life amid its swamps and forests, gaining a subsist- 

 ence by selling the game that falls to his rifle. He must 

 be seventy years of age, but though his form is bent, no 

 sign of feebleness exists; and bis long swinging walk, has 

 in it the spring of a youth of twenty. He spent several 

 days in our camp, hunting with us and giving us the ad- 

 vantage of his perfect knowledge of the surrounding 

 country; every swamp brought to his mind some tale of 

 adventure, how he killed a deer here, and how a bear 

 had been shot in that palmetto thicket. Then he gave to 

 us an account of how a few days before he had lost his 

 hound, the faithful companion of years. He had been 

 trailing a deer some miles below our camp, and his dog 

 had been bitten by a rattlesnake and died in a few mo- 

 ments. The old fellow's voice had a touching waver and 

 his eyes were very moist when he talked over the nu- 

 merous virtues of his lost companion of the chase. One 

 morning he bade us good-by, shouldered the long Ballard 

 rifle, and disappeared in the pines, as silently and as un- 

 expectedly as he had come to us. 



On the last day of our stay I started out in the morn- 

 ing somewhat sore over my bad luck in never having 

 had a fair chance; and for a couple of hours I slipped 

 stealthily, using all the caution and woodcraft that was 

 in me, and keeping eyes and ears open for chances. At 

 last I spied, away oft in the forest, three head of deer 

 quietly grazing in a glade; they were about 400yds. off; 

 but I began to stalk with the set determination of getting 

 one of them or dying in the attempt, for it somewhat 

 nettled me to be the only one of our party that had not 

 brought in any game up to date. A deer, when feeding, 

 is unable to see for any distance on account of the posi- 

 tion of the eyes in its head, but every moment or so it 

 will wag its white stumpy tail and look around for 

 danger. The wagging of the tail may always be relied 

 upon as a sure preface to this raising of the head. Tak- 

 ing advantage of this fact, whenever the tails of any one 

 of those three deer wagged I would stop short and stand 

 motionless, no matter whether concealed from the game 

 or not. It was tedious work. I never saw animals so 

 suspicious, and it seemed that they must certainly wag 

 their confounded tails off. However, I finally got to 

 within 150yds. and knelt cautiously down behind a pine 

 tree to recover breath and steady my nerves, for a deer 

 is a very small object at that distance and requires good 

 shooting. After a moment's rest I aimed for the shoulder 

 of the buck of the bunch and fired, striking, as after- 

 ward proved, rather high and too far back. He tumbled 

 over, and before he could recover I had run up to within 

 75yds., and as he was about to make off gave him another 

 shot, which striking in the neck killed my game as dead 

 as a stone. 



The fishing in the creek was excellent, white perch, 

 "brim" (sun perch) and trout being very abundant, while 

 catfish of the most enormous size could have been caught 

 by the boatload. Bondclipper, whose galled heel pre- 

 vented much walking, turned his attention to tlie rod 

 and supplied our camp with fish. Catching "brim" is 

 excellent sport; they are a gamy little fish and bite well 

 at almost any bait. The most sporty way to land them 

 is by casting from a bateau with a 6ft. bamboo rod and 

 a 20ft. line. They love to lie in shady nooks close to the 

 bank or behind logs, and it requires considerable skill to 

 drop one's hook into just the right spot without fouling, 

 while the dash made immediately after striking is apt to 

 tangle one's line hopelessly unless great care is used. 



Our return down creek was very much like the up trip, 

 except for a circumstance that goes to show what a large 

 amount of badly aimed lead an alligator can stand with 

 impunity. We were steaming along quietly, some miles 

 below our abandoned camp, when the captain called 

 attention to an enormous alligator lying asleep on a sand- 

 bar and with its huge mouth wide open. Before we could 

 fire, the headway had carried us around the bend and out 

 of sight of the monster, but reversing engine we care- 

 fully backed to within 20ft. without disturbing it, and 

 the entire crowd opened a promiscuous fusilade that 

 made the woods ring. To our surprise and mortification 

 the object aimed at calmly awoke, stretched its great 

 mouth a little wider, as though yawning, and then 

 plunged leisurely into the water and dived out of sight. 

 Any one of us, had we taken time, could have put a ball 

 in the beast's eye that would have instantly settled it, 

 but so short was the distance that we relied on chance, 

 and lost what was about the largest specimen of its kind 

 that I have ever seen in Florida. How long it was, I 

 cannot say, but at least 9ft. 



Not far from the apiary a good mark was offered by a 

 water turkey (Anhinga), that kept diving along in front 

 of us for a mile or so, and only exposing the long snake- 

 like neck above water; we kept the water splashing from 

 our rifle balls in a very lively manner, until by luck I 

 happened to cut the neck, and our movable target rose 

 no more. 



We crossed Lake Wimlico, this time quite calm, and 

 about dark regained the main Apalachee River, up which 

 we steamed at full speed for an hour in search of a suit- 

 able landing; but everywhere was the swamp, and it 

 began to look as if Ave should have to keep on all night, 

 when about 8 o'clock a light was spied on the right bank, 

 and going ashore we found ourselves in the lumber camp 

 of a party of negroes. There was probably no other dry 

 spot for miles, and we were all very tired; so, in spite of 

 the dirtiness of the place, our blankets and provisions were 

 thrown ashore, and we prepared to make the best of the 

 situation. The camp was on a small island of not over 

 an acre in extent, that rose above the surrounding 

 swamps like an oasis in the desert. A rude, rough-hewn 

 plank shed, raised upon four 10-foot piles, served as a 

 house for the five wild-looking negroes who lived there. 

 After supper we sat around the fire, while the owners of 

 the camp squatted like a lot of hounds, to themselves 

 A more repulsive, brutish-looking lot of men I never saw; 

 and as they crouched in stupid silence, seeming more like 

 animals than men. I could not help recalling to mind 



many of the tales of Du Ohaillu. The scene was so wild 

 and weird, that it needed but the roar of a lion or the 

 light of the Southern Cross to make it thoroughly African. 



Here in these great swamps, left entirely to themselves, 

 and away from the civilizing induces of the Caucasian 

 race, the negro may be even in a state not very far removed 

 from true savagery, and tales are not wanting of wild 

 black men that have been seen in certain unfrequented 

 swamps of the lower river. We declined an offer of the 

 use of their shed for the night, preferring to risk exposure 

 to dew rather than sleep, open to the attacks of a certain 

 insect, most probably to have been met with under the 

 shelter. The next morning our blankets were ringing 

 Avet, though none of our party suffered any ill effects. 



After breakfast we got under way once more, and after 

 a short nm reached the Three Brothers. Here we left 

 the main stream and steered up the most westerly of the 

 three rivers. A fine water course of 200yds. in width 

 and verv deep; high walls of forest rose on both sides 

 and confined our view to the swamps. About noon we 

 entered a little creok not over 25yds. wide, the mouth of 

 which was almost choked up with the lumber raft of 

 some logmen, who were Avaiting for higher water to begin 

 their float down the river. We poled this obstruction to one 

 side, and entered what is, I think, one of the most beauti- 

 ful little creeks in Florida. On either side— there were no 

 banks — tall column-like cypresses grew directly out of the 

 water, their curiously gnarled roots rising above the sur- 

 face in a thousand strange shapes, while their feathery 

 bright green branches arching overhead kept out the sun- 

 light and made everything lie in a shadow. Long moss 

 hung down in festoons from the boughs, and waved and 

 swayed in the breeze as though animated by life. On 

 either hand stretched away the great swamp with its 

 hundred varieties of flowers and strange trees. Meander 

 could not have been more irregular in its course than was 

 this nameless stream . We followed its beAvildering course 

 for half an hour, and at the end of that period found our- 

 selves at a point separated from the West Brother by only 

 a narrow neck of land, not over 10yds. wide, Avhile the 

 mouth, by which Ave had entered, lay scarcely 300yds. 

 away. We saw absolutely no game, for creeks of this 

 nature hi Florida are singularly destitute of animal life. 

 No birds of any kind flit through the gloomy aisles of 

 the forest, and of animals none are risible, though per- 

 haps eyes sharper than ours blinked at us from the heads 

 of the concealed panthers or wildcats among the trees. 

 Even alligators are scarce, seeming to prefer the larger 

 rivers; and, save for the dragonfly that hovers over the 

 black waters or the butterfly that delights perhaps in its 

 own reflection in the mirror- like depths, animation there 

 is none in this stillest picture of still life. 



About four in the afternoon we came to a place where 

 the dry land extended down to the water's edge, no com- 

 mon occurrence in that land of swamps; so we took ad- 

 vantage of the natural landing and pitched camp within 

 a rod or two of the creek. Back a couple of hundred 

 yards avus the home of a settler, H — . A good-sized field 

 in cultivation, the substantial house ami a general air of 

 thrift, made it one of the most attractive-looking farms 

 that 1 bave seen in that part of the State. Dtu-ingthe 

 e s oiling our camp-fire circle was added to by tAvo sons of 

 the settler, Avho joined us. They were clean fellows, and 

 much more hospitable in manner than the generality of 

 the people of that country, entertaining us with tales of 

 their hunting adventures', and very kindly offering to ac- 

 company us in our expedition after deer. They had 

 quite a pack of hounds, in which they seemed to take a 

 great pride, and these would be a great help in beating 

 the country, so we lost no time, but arranged for a hunt 

 the following morning, and bidding our new friends 

 good night went to bed to dream of branching antlers 

 and shaking white tails. 



Day had scarcely made its adA r ent known by a reddish 

 tinge in the eastern sky, when we were awakened by our 

 guide, who bade us "git up and hustle if ye want to kill 

 deer." With a chorus of yawns and groans all hands 

 scrambled out of warm blankets into the cold rooming 

 air. A fire Avas started by some one, and soon each man 

 Avas drinking a huge panikin of hot coffee and devouring 

 his bread and meat in silence; then shouldering our rifles 

 Ave filed out into the gray pine woods with a pack of 

 eight hounds sulkily following in our footsteps. 



For an hour H. kept us going at a tremendous pace; 

 how these long, gaunt Floridians can walk when they 

 once take a notion to do so! The way they annihilate 

 distance when on a hunt is perfectly terrific, and not at 

 all in accord with the popular idea of the lethargic south- 

 erner. The country through which we passed that morn- 

 ing was very much the same as on Depot Creek — endless 

 pine Avoods" with small jungle swamps — only here the 

 trees were larger and the swamps more extensive; in 

 fact, this stretch of pine barren is one of the most promis- 

 ing localities that I have seen in that part of Florida, 

 some of the land being quite fertile, and the general lay 

 of the country much higher and better watered than is 

 usually the case. About four miles from camp we took 

 stands overlooking the most promising runways of deer 

 from a certain large swamp, Avhile H. and Joe started off 

 with the hounds on a drive. 



I was placed to guard a narrow neck of land not over 

 a hundred yards, on either side of which were impassable 

 marshes; it was a likely place, and I examined the 

 charges of my Winchester and sat down with my back to 

 a pine stump, feeling confident of giving a good account 

 of any game that might try to run over me. Deer hunt- 

 ing from stands is a lazy man's method, the only exertion 

 necessary being to keep awake until the beaters get down 

 to their work; then, if game be plenty and the huntsman 

 a huntsman indeed, all drowsiness will vanish in the ex- 

 citement of expectancy. It is about as glorious a moment 

 as a hunter can enjoy this tii!e of the happy hunting- 

 grounds, to hear a pack of hounds in full cry coming 

 toward him, crashing through the bushes, baying more 

 and more rapidly and deeply, until the chorus of quick 

 eager yelps announces the increasing heat of the scent. 

 I sat quietly for half an hour, during which time my 

 attention was pretty evenly divided betAveen a wood- 

 pecker in a tree near by and in keeping the members of 

 a colony of gigantic ants from making too close an ac- 



uaintance with my person; then at last, away off in the 



istance, came the noise of the hunt, at times groAving 

 nearer, then receding until nearly out of hearing. Finally 

 the hounds struck a trail leading in my direction, and 

 came toward me very rapidly, at first with long, deep 

 bays and then Avith quicker, jerky barks, until I began 

 to look every minute for a deer to come bounding from 



around a corner of the swamp. Then I wondered if my 

 chances would be as good if I shot from a sitting position, 

 and I decided to stand up. Unlucky moment! I had 

 hardly gained my feet when a splendid buck that had 

 been making straight for me, wheeled, retraced his steps 

 for a short distance, then turned at right angles to his 

 former course, and dashed away. He was a long distance 

 off, two hundred and fifty yards at least, but in despair I 

 fired four shots with no effect, and he disappeared among 

 the pines, leaving me on very bad terms with myself for 

 having moved at so inopportune a moment. No more 

 deer passed by me that morning, though I heard several 

 shots in the direction of the dogs, and it was with a sad 

 heart that I heard the blasts of the horn announcing that 

 the drive was over and calling us together. 



I found our rendez rous about half a mile away, where 

 the party had all gathered and were awaiting me with 

 the great expectations born of hearing my four shots at 

 the retreating buck. In shame and humility I owned up, 

 and received qualified absolution for my misses. H. had 

 killed a doe as she got up before the hounds, and that 

 Avas the only blood spilt during the morning. We 

 tramped four miles further, crossing a swamp several 

 hundred yards wide by stepping from one bush to another. 

 It was pretty hard work holding on to the branches, 

 hampered as we were by our guns, but all accomplBhed 

 the feat in safety with the exception of Rusticus, who 

 slipped and fell up to his waist in the slimy ooze and 

 water of the bog. He emerged a most revolting looking 

 object, and a halt was necessary to curry him off with a 

 stick. Then Ave took stands again, and H. and Joe began 

 another drive. It was an unsuccessful one, hoAvever, and 

 we retraced our steps late in the afternoon with nothing 

 added to the solitary doe killed in the morning. 



We spent four days in this camp, hunting and fishing 

 to our hearts' content. Joe and Bondclipper each killed 

 a deer, but that Avas all the large game brought to bag, 

 as, on account of the low stage of water, deer Avere very 

 scarce in the barrens, having taken to the swamps in 

 search of spring cane. Quite a lot of squirrels and quail 

 were shot, and enough fish caught from the creek to sup- 

 ply our hearty appetites. The farmers were very kind, 

 showing the country and doing everything in their power 

 to make us have a good time. One of them, a boy of 

 eighteen, was a very fine rifle shot and a famous nimrod. 

 One morning, some time before our visit, he had killed 

 fourteen deer during a freshet. In time of high water, 

 Avhen the overcharged channels of the streams refuse to 

 carry the increased volume of water, it overflows the 

 swamps and even encroaches upon the sandy land, very 

 greatly reducing, in places, the area of dry ground. Dur- 

 ing such times the deer congregate on the higher places, 

 and the number to be found in such localities is often sur- 

 prising; for, although deer are excellent SAvimmers when 

 driven to it, they very much prefer terra fir ma, and will 

 always remain thereon as long as possible. It was under 

 such circumstances that H, made his famous score of 

 fourteen head. Mind! ye gun clubs, I do not justify the 

 slaughter, but oidy state facts. H. probably never heard 

 of game laws in his life, and the man who would attempt 

 to restrict the killing of deer in that country would 

 indeed have his hands full, 



From this hospitable camp Ave returned to the Brother 

 and spent a week with a lumberman by the name of F. 

 He lived in a log camp typical of the country. It was 

 situated on a bit of dry ground of not over an acre in 

 extent, and surrounded on all sides by swamps and the 

 river. The shelter consisted of a rough-heVn plank 

 shed, perched upon the invariable piles and reached by 

 means of a log having pieces of wood nailed crosswise, 

 like the perch leading to a chicken house, Avhile the 

 kitchen was represented by the skillet and frying-pan 

 that lay at J;he foot of a tree, whose blackened roots 

 showed that many a fire had there been kindled. To 

 this humble abode* we were made welcome by the rough 

 but hospitable owner. 



The lumbermen of the Apalachee swamps have a bad 

 reputation. Many of them are refugees from the justice 

 of other States, who have sought safety in these mor- 

 asses. Here they are indeed secure, for once let a man 

 that knows anything of woodcraft get into such a laby- 

 rinth of swamps and forest, and nothing can dislodge 

 him; a regiment of soldiers and a battery of artillery 

 would be powerless in the silent, unknown Avays of those 

 vast wilds. And so it is that these woods are full of out- 

 laws, or rather men that have been outlaws; for in their 

 new homes most of them lead honest, hard-working 

 lives, seldom leaving the woods, one or two visits a year 

 to town being about all that they see of civilization. They 

 are, as a rule, hospitable and peaceable men, unless 

 under the influence of drink, then some of them are 

 dangerous in the extreme, for it is "fighting whisky" 

 that they generally get when on a "tear," and the in- 

 variable result of a visit to town is a series of fracases 

 among themselves. Of course, one sees some very des- 

 perate characters, men who would not hesitate at any 

 crime, but misdoings may be traced to liquor. F. was a 

 short, thick-set man of about thirty-five, with a red face 

 and very red hah; he was a nervous, excitable fellow, 

 whose quick, restless eye seemed always on the lookout 

 for an imaginary pursuer. It was said that he had been 

 obliged to fly from Georgia on account of a killing scrape 

 in which he had been implicated, and he bore a very bad 

 name among his companions, as being a reckless, des- 

 perate felloAV. Such, however, we did not find him, for 

 during our stay of a week this hitherto total stranger en- 

 tertained us to the very best of his power, dropping work 

 to guide us to the best shooting grounds, paddling our 

 canoes, and refusing upon our departure to accept of any 

 remuneration for his services. 



Illustrative of the character of these men, their immun- 

 ity from the consequences of hardships and exposure, and 

 their semi-alligator nature, I will relate a circumstance 

 that occurred during our stay. One morning as F. and 

 I were paddling up the river in a bateau, my hunting 

 knife slipped out of its sheath and fell overboard. I 

 made some remark of regret at the loss, when to my sur- 

 prise down Avent my companion after it, without even 

 waiting to take off his Bhoes and scarcely his hat. The 

 water was 10ft, deep and very cold, but after diving 

 several times my lost blade was finally brought up. Not- 

 Avithstanding the fact that he was soaking wet and ex- 

 posed to a chilling wind, F. Avould not hear of going back 

 to camp, but kept on with the hunt for several hours, 

 during which time he was obliged to sit cramped in the 

 canoe; yet he suffered no bad effects from his Avetting 

 and laughed when we spoke of his catching cold. 



