June 15, 1895.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
488 
utility would delight the heart of the cleverest bridge 
builder on earth. 
On the tobacco estates here one may observe several 
large trees standing solitary in the fields. These are the 
trees wherein the common Indian bees have their vast 
settlements. I once witnessed the looting of one of these 
bee trees, which is accomplished in this fashion : Choos- 
ing a night on which a strong breeze is blowing, the 
natives creep cautiously up and start a big brush fire 
underneath the branches. The great heat drives the 
victims from their nest, and as they emerge the wind 
carries them away to leeward, leaving the coast compara- 
tively clear for the looters, who now ascend the tree and 
toss the nests down to the ground helter skelter, pell mell. 
The booty is then gathered up, the worst looking mess of 
honey, wax, dead bees and dirt you can possibly imagine, 
and carried away for further treatment. 
Speaking of trees brings me to the mention of one 
fabled in song and story. Who has not heard of it — the 
deadly upaR tree? The upas is a fairly large tree, with a 
dark, thick bark, from which, when cut, oozes a viscid 
milky juice. This liquid has for a long time formed the 
arrow poison most generally used in Malaysia. I have 
heard it claimed that even the atmosphere about this tree 
is poisonous, but my personal experience does not bear 
this idea out, for while I lingered some time in the vicin- 
ity I felt no deleterious effects whatever. 
But the terror tree of the jungle cutters is the "ring- 
gus." The flow of juice from the bark of this . tree is 
much more abundant than from the upas, and the result 
of an axe stroke is a shower of creamy liquid, which 
falling on the bare skin causes the most agonizing suffer- 
ing. I have reason to remember this, for one of my 
coolies received a dash of the frightful stuff over his head 
and chest. When, on hearing his cries, I rushed up to 
him, I found the unfortunate fellow rolling on the ground 
in intense pain and endeavoring to rub the burning liquid 
from his quivering flesh. 
Instantly I had him conveyed to the hospital, where he 
lay for many hours between life and death, the upper 
part of his body swollen out of all semblace to humanity. 
Finally his terrible malady succumbed to our constant 
applications of oil and laudanum, and be was soon able 
to go about his usual work. This ringgus closely re- 
sembles the upas tree, and it is thought to be the real 
upas of romance. 
TWO MONTHS ON THE ST. JOHN'S. 
It was some time in the summer of 1883 that Tom and 
I made up our minds to spend a winter in Florida. We 
had been talking it up for some time before we finally 
came to this conclusion. 
We were both young fellows, Tom being a short, stout 
young man, twenty-four years of age, while I was along- 
geared six-footer, nineteen years of age. 
We concluded that the first thing we would need would 
be a boat; and as we were not rich by any means it would 
have to be a cheap, handy, serviceable craft. 
We made inquiries at all the boat houses and every- 
where else where we were likely to find what we wanted, 
and were about to give up in despair, when through a 
friend we heard of a sharpie that he thought would just 
suit us. So one afternoon Tom and I went to look at her. 
We found that she was a Fair Haven oyster sharpie, 
22ft. in length, 4ft. beam and 4in. draft. She had a small 
decked airtight compartment forward that extended 4ft. 
6in. back from her stern. There was a small hatchway 
fitted with a tight cover 2ft. from the bows, making a 
very handy place to store provisions, etc. Aft, a foot 
from the hatchway, was the mast, a regular sharpie pole 
mast, the sail being a leg of mutton. 
There was also about 3ft. of her stern decked over, 
making a nice place to store different articles. Besides 
there was a narrow strip of deck 6in. wide on either side, 
and inside and attached to this strip of deck was a wash- 
board or coaming 4in, in height. 
She was built of yellow pine, cedar and oak. She was 
only two years old, and was so strong and well built that 
we very quickly paid the $65 asked for her. 
Well, we had our boat, but we concluded that she 
would be more comfortable if she had a cabin; and as we 
had lots of spare time before November — when we in- 
tended to start — we decided to put one on her ourselves. 
We worked an hour or two each night for about a month 
and finally had a very fair cabin. The length of the cabin 
was 9ft., with 2ft. 10m. head room, 
After we finished the cabin time hung very heavy on 
. our hands. November we thought would never come. 
But as "the "longest day has an ending," after an age as it 
seemed the final day of our departure rolled around, and 
at the close of a fine day early in November we found 
ourselves, boat, baggage, and one pointer dog named 
Rake (who had never been broken), on the New Haven 
steamboat bound for New York. 
We reached New York at 5 A. M. Friday morning. 
Upon going to see about our baggage we found to our dis- 
may that they were going to put the Rambler (our boat) 
in the freight house on the wharf, and that we would 
have to get her in the water as best we could ourselves. 
How to launch that 1,5001b. boat off the wharf, if they 
put her in the freight house, was a conundrum we didn't 
hanker to solve. Finally, after a great deal of expostula- 
tion and persuasion, we got the mate to agree to put her 
in the water for us. Just as the deck hands were about to 
slide her overboard out of the gangway, trusting to luck 
whether she broke in half or landed bottom side up, either 
of which would not have made a particle of difference to 
them, we spied an East River sloop making for the slip in 
which the steamer lay. 
The mate bailed them and asked if they wanted a job. 
They immediately replied in the affirmative, so we en- 
gaged them without any more talk. 
They came alongside, and with the aid of her powerful 
derrick they very soon had the Rambler floating in the 
water. All they asked for their service was $1, which 
we thought was very reasonable. It would probably have 
cost us ten times as much by the time we would have suc- 
ceeded in floating her out of the freight house. 
By this time we discovered that a good breakfast 
wouldn't be out of order, so putting the dog in the cabin 
of the Rambler we closed the doors securely, and after 
making her fast to a Down East schooner, the cook of 
which very kindly offered to look after her until we got 
back, we started out in search of breakfast, which we 
&oon found in a near-byrestaurant. 
After satisfying the cravings of the inner man, we started 
for Ray's office on South street to see if any of their 
schooners would sail that day. We had been to see them 
the week previous, and they told us that one of their 
schooners would, sail in a week; and we asked if we 
could take passage for ourselves, dog and boat, and they 
had told us that we could. So we considered the bargain 
closed. Our surprise and chagrin can be better imagined 
than told when we were told that none of their boats 
would sail for at least ten days. 
We were in a nice fix and no mistake. What to do we 
didn't know. To say that we were mad would be putting 
it mildly. 
We went back to where we had left the boat and found 
everything all shipshape. We sat on the wharf and held 
a meeting, in which plans were discussed only to be re- 
jected. We had about concluded to take a cruise up the 
Hudson until Ray's schooner was ready to sail, when we 
noticed a steamship three or four slips away getting up 
steam. 
More out of curiosity than anything else we asked a 
man who was workiug on the wharf what line she be- 
longed to, and he said the Mallory Line. He also said 
that she was the State of Texas, and that she was bound 
for Fernandina, Fla. 
Great Scott! We could hardly beheve our ears. Here 
we were moping about bewailing our luck because we 
couldn't get to our destination, and a large ocean steamer 
within a stone's throw of us, bound exactly to where we 
had been dreaming and planning to go for three months 
back, and Bhe would sail in an hour. Would it be too late 
to get passages; to get our boat around to her and aboard? 
We feared so. But there was no time for surmising. 
What was to be done must be done immediately. Leaving 
Tom to watch the boat, I hurried to the Mallory office 
as fast as my legs would carry me. I found just two cabin 
passages left. The agent told me if we would hurry that 
they would take the dog, boat, and all. 
It didn't take long to pay for those two tickets, then to 
hurry back to Tom. Tom wouldn't believe we were pas- 
sengers to be on that steamship until I showed him the 
two tickets. 
We soon got aboard the Rambler, cast off, and after 
some of the most ungraceful, frantic hustling with one 
14ft. oar ever seen on the East River or anywhere else, 
after nearly being run down by numerous tugs and ferry- 
boats, we managed finally to reach the slip in which the 
State of Texas lay. 
They had the middle port open, waiting to receive the 
Rambler, as we could see before we came alongside. As 
soon as we did get alongside it didn't take long to attach 
a stout hawser to her bow and with the help of fourteen 
stout arms to haul her bow straight up the side of the 
ship. The owners of these arms were urged to their 
utmost by the yells and cuss words of the most wicked, 
red-faced, red-moustached, red-headed stevedore, who 
could manipulate more Bible vocabulary in two minutes 
than any four other men I ever saw. The Rambler was 
finally hauled through the port on to the main deck of 
State of Texas, and we had the extreme satisfaction of 
knowing that when she floated again it would be on the 
waters of Florida. We also knew by the sundry bumps, 
thumps and rumblings in her cabin when they were haul- 
ing her aboard that our baggage must have suffered con- 
siderably, as we had it all stowed away in her in two 
valises and a small trunk, which we had no time to get 
out of her before she was hauled aboard. We were very 
well satisfied, however, as we knew everything was there 
anyhow, no matter what the condition. 
The dog we put in the steward's charge as soon as we 
got aboard. After going ashore and telegraphing home 
that we were on our journey, and just getting aboard 
again as they were hauling in the gang plank, there was 
nothing to do but look around and take things easy. 
After such an eventful day it seemed good to do so. 
While Tom and I Btood talking over the experiences of 
the day, and were congratulating ourselves on our good 
luck, a tall, well-made, good-looking young fellow, with 
short black side whiskers and gazelle-like eyes, who, if it 
hadn't been for the bronzed cheek which rather suggested 
a sea calling might have been taken for a minister or a 
Sunday-school teacher anyhow, sauntered up to us and 
asked if we were the owners of that Fair Haven sharpie. 
Upon being answered in the affirmative, he said he was 
from Connecticut too. That he was on his way to 
Florida, there to spend the winter. He said that he was 
Samuel C , of G . We introduced ourselves and 
soon became quite intimate and friendly — in fact, so much 
so that we were together the whole trip down. We had 
the very finest of weather on the trip. The sea was as 
smooth as was possible for it to be, while the sun shone 
every day. We made one stop at Port Royal, S. C. , where 
we all went ashore. I mailed letters home from there, and 
we took a stroll in the woods for about a mile. It was so 
warm that we were glad to take off coats and go in shirt 
sleeves. 
In about two hours the ship's bell called us aboard. We 
were soon under way steaming for Fernandina, and at 8 
o'clock next morning we were lying off the bar, waiting 
for high water to cross. After waiting about an hour the 
ship was headed for the bar, which we crossed all right, 
passing as we crossed the wreck of a vessel which bad 
gone on the bar two or three years before. Nothing was 
visible of her but her funnels, all other parts having grad- 
ually sunk into the sand, and in all probability they too 
have long since followed. 
After crossing the bar we had our first view of Florida. 
We were greatly pleased with the fine chalk-white beach, 
with the waves of the ocean breaking and roaring on it 
in a way that was simply grand. I had often heard and 
read of the magnificent beaches of Florida, but after see- 
ing them I found that no written or verbal description 
can for one minute do them justice. 
After passing Fort Clinch, with the black muzzles of its 
many cannon frowning on us, which are harmless enough 
in these days of 100-ton guns, and the great and extensive 
improvements that are being made every day in heavy 
ordnance, it was not long before we were at the Mallory 
dock, in the fine harbor of Fernandina. after a delightful 
passage of four sunny days from New York. 
After the gang plank had been run ashore the first thing 
we did was to go to the Mallory office to pay the charges 
on our boat and telegraph home of our arrival. The boat 
charges were $18. Then we found a place to get stores 
and provisions. I regret that the name of the proprietor 
of this store has slipped my mind, as he and his clerks 
were exceedingly kind and considerate. They gave us 
quite a lot of valuable information in the selection of our 
stores, which (the stores) consisted of cans of Boston 
baked beans, canned corned beef, prepared flour, sugar, 
tea, coffee, salt, pepper, onions, yams, etc. Besides, we 
got a ten- gallon cask for holding water, which they al- 
lowed us to fill from their cistern, which was very kind of 
them, inasmuch as water was a scarce article in Fernan- 
dina at that time, on account of the exceedingly dry 
weather they had been having. 
Then we hurried down to the wharf to see about get- 
ting the Rambler put in the water, as it was nearing the 
middle of the afternoon, and we wanted to get away 
from the town before dark. When we reached the wharf 
what did we see but the Rambler stored snugly away on 
one end of the wharf, just 9ft. above the water, and look- 
ing as if she enjoyed it too, if a boat could enjoy any- 
thing. We went and had a talk with the first mate, who, 
by the way, although rather gruff, was as nice a gentle- 
man as I could wish to meet, being, as near as I could 
judge, a fine specimen of a thoroughbred sailor, who un- 
derstood his business to the letter. 
He said he would do what he could for us, however. So, 
going on the wharf, he collected all hands, and after con- 
siderable trouble the Rambler was finally got over the 
edge of the wharf and was being lowered into the water. 
When about half down, howevt r, she got the best of them, 
and went the rest of the way of her own accord, striking 
the water with a report like a small cannon, at the same 
time throwing the spray all over everybody. Luckily 
nothing was broken. 
We soon stepped the mast and had her single sail rigged, 
when we thought it about time to devise some way by 
which to transport our provisions to the wharf. As we 
were passing through the storage house whom should we 
notice but our friend Sam C, sitting on one end of a mon- 
strous black valise, looking about as forlorn and lonesome 
as mortal man could look. We stopped and spoke to him, 
and upon telling him where we were going he said he 
would go along and help us carry our provisions to the 
boat. 
On our way to the store we asked him what his inten- 
tions were while in Florida. He said that he had nothing 
definite in view — that he simply intended to pass the win- 
ter in Florida. While on the way to the store Tom and I 
decided to ask Sam if he would like to' go with us. We 
each loaded ourselves with as much as we could carry, 
Sam staggering along with the ten -gallon water cask on 
his back. 
When we got our loads safely stowed aboard, Sam was 
asked if he would like to go with us. Would he? Well, 
he guessed he would, only he didn't want to intrude. So 
it was settled then and there that Sam would be one of 
our party. 
After getting everything stored aboard, including the 
immense black valise of Sam's, and tying Rake to the 
foot of the mast, we hoisted our single sail for the first 
time in Florida, when after shaking hands with the mate 
of the State of Texas, who wished us luck and said he 
would like to be going with us, just as the sun was, set- 
ting, we cast off the painter, and the sail of the Rambler 
filling with the mild west wind, our much-talked-of , mueh- 
dreamed-of and much-longed-for Florida trip had begun. 
Our intentions when we started from Fernandina were 
to go through the Three Sisters to the St. John's River, 
follow the river to the nearest place, where we could have 
our boat transported to the Indian River, and stay on the 
Indian River until spring. But on account of the serious 
sickness of Tom we didn't get any further than Sanford, 
when the doctor told Tom that he would have to get 
away from Florida. So I will try and give as accurate a 
description of the trip to that point as my memory, 
which I have to depend on altogether, will allow. 
After leaving the pier the Rambler, under the influence 
of the light favorable breeze that was blowing, moved 
along at a fair rate of speed, as the tide was in our favor. 
It was not a great time before we were out of sight of the 
town; and after sailing for about an hour we began to 
feel as though a little attention paid to the inner man 
would be in order. 
Sam volunteered to turn cook, and soon the appetizing 
odor of baked beans and hot coffee made us hungry mor- 
tals all the more ravenous. 
We used a small two-wicked oil stove for cooking pur- 
poses while*under way or when we could find no favor- 
able place ashore to build a fire. The latter was the more 
satisfactory and was the way we always did when we 
could, it being a great deal handier and quicker way. 
But for all that our little oil stove came in very handy 
time and again, and was really indispensable. 
The night being fine moonlight we kept sailing until 10 
o'clock, when there being no place to land, the banks 
being regular salt marsh mud banks, we came to anchor 
for the night. 
Sam and Tom stowed themselves away in the cabin 
somehow, but how has always been a conundrum to me, 
as there were a trunk and three large valises in there. 
As for myself I preferred the top of the cabin to the in- 
side; so putting the dog in the cockpit I rigged a small 
shelter tent over the boom, and wrapping up in the sail 
lay down to get what sleep I could, which wasn't much, 
as between the hoarse croaks of birds of different kinds, 
which were in the salt grass that lined either bank, and 
sudden splashes in the water of birds or other animals, 
and other strange noises tno numerous to mention— strange 
because they were new — it was hard to go to sleep. How- 
ever, I finally did drop off, but how long I slept I didn't 
know. I woke up some time before morning and found 
one side of the tent down, pulled down by the dog,' I 
think. 
The part of the sail that covered me was nearly soaked 
with dew. If there is anything in the dew line that can 
begin to compare with a good soaking Florida dew, I have 
got to live to see it. 
After fixing the tent across the boom again I lay down 
and tried to go to sleep, but it was of no use. It wasn't 
a great while before the darkness began to take on a 
grayish hue in the east, however, which gradually turned 
to purple and red. Then, as objects began to be dis- 
tinguishable, numerous mudhens, snipe and plover could 
be seen feeding in the salt grass and along the muddy 
banks, while flock after flock of cranes of all descriptions 
and sizes, mostly gray or white, some of the white ones 
adorned with beautiful long plumes, kept passing over- 
head. 
I soon had Tom and Sam stirring. Sam volunteered to 
get breakfast, while Tom and I went ashore to see if we 
could get a few snipe or ducks. Now, be it understood, 
we expected, because the snipe and ducks were so plenti- 
ful, to get back to the boat as soon as breakfast was ready, 
