384 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
tNo\ 
12. T 
was up the play slackened and then a new bettor came 
in and lost a few Limes, and then, alter a wrangle, when 
f saw enough to know that the dice were shifted, he 
• took another throw and won the gold. This brought 
in a few more bettors, who played awhile, and then 
another stranger appeared and won the chronometer 
with a throw of 10. But at a midnight landing I noticed 
that the men who won the big prizes went ashore with 
the gamblers. 
As we turned in the Doctor said: "It's curious how 
those fellows always find enough fools who think that 
they can beat them". That pack of gamblers took off at 
least three hundred dollars from this boat, and they can 
do it with the same crowd when they come back. I 
never cease to wonder at it." 
"Nor I. If I was a gambling amateur I would not 
risk money on a game handled by a professional. Those 
fellows can juggle dice, cards or other implements of 
their trade in a manner that only a trained eye can 
detect, and they are not in business to enrich a lot of 
steamboat passengers. Good night!" 
The Atchafalaya. 
It was near noon when we left the steamer at Red 
River landing, on the Mississippi. Here we bought an 
old tub of a scow, a piece of canvas that had been m use 
on a steamer, pork, bacon, some bread, butter, a frying 
pan and an iron pot; hired a darky to load the outfit on 
his wagon and deposit us on the banks of the. Atchafal- 
aya River, some dozen miles to the west. The road was 
bad. mirv in places, and the mules were slow. It was 
after sundown when we reached the river, which at 
that time was only capable of floating our craft. We 
made a fire. Pete hobbled one mule, put a bell on it, 
turned both out, and got out his blankets. We fried 
bacon and made tea, determined to try to enjoy life 
despite the swarms of mosquitoes. Pete turned in on 
the wagon, but we spread our canvas on the ground, 
turned the boat over it and crawled in, but between 
the mosquitoes and that clanging cow bell on the 
mule no one reveled in too much sleep. 
Morning has never failed to come, up to the present 
writing, no matter how slow it may be in getting here, 
and this time there was no exception to the rule. The 
Doctor interspersed his remarks with whacks at our 
insect pests. Slap— "There's no use (slap) in staying 
here (slap) an extra minute (slap). You just make the 
coffee (slap) and fry out some (slap) pork fat (slap), and 
I'll get some (slap) fish and (slap) clean them, and we'll 
(slap) scoot." Slap. 
I slapped and obeyed his directions m the intervals of 
slapping. Pete assured us that a few miles below the 
river broadened, and we might get a breeze that would 
banish the pests, and we enjoyed the very anticipation 
of such a respite. As for Pete, he seldom slapped, and 
was not much annoyed. There is much in being used 
to your environment, and that's a mighty good word to 
represent a swampv hole, where insects make life miser- 
able. The waters had covered the earth in this part 
when the Red River, in its season of flood, had taken a 
short cut across it in order to reach the Gulf in less 
time than by following its usual course down the 
tortuous Mississippi. Our ablest engineers have tried 
to prevent this overflow, but without avail; each year 
the water covers this district and makes agriculture im- 
possible. 
Down the River. 
Breakfast over, we launched the scow, loaded her with 
our plunder, including a ten-gallon copper tank for 
alcoholic specimens of the smaller forms of aquatic 
life, and shoved off. We had intended to drift down, 
merely steering with pole or oar, but anxiety to reach 
the place where the wind would scatter our hosts of 
enemies impelled the use of both pole and oar to reach 
the promised water. •'Mark." said I, and paddling 
ceased; I picked up a gun and dropped two teal out of a 
bunch of five. As I picked them up and dropped them 
in the boat, I added: '•There's our dinner, Doctor." 
just then he called: "Mark," dropped three out of a 
bunch of seven, and replied: "And there's our supper. 
We will shoot no more to-day, for when we reach the 
wide water and leave the skeeters behind we will pick 
up enough frogs for a good breakfast." 
A fulf hour after starting the river broadened, and 
by keeping well to the eastern bank we got a breeze from 
above the" tree tops, and were happy. Here we rested 
awhile, and then began collecting the fresh-water mus- 
sels, Unios. snails, crawfish, frogs and other forms of 
aquatic life. The frogs, and all but a few crawfish, were 
for our menu, the rest went into the alcohol. 
The day was not bright, but the Doctor looked at the 
bright spot where the sun was supposed to be and asked: 
"Do you begin to feel hungry?" 
"No, 1 don't begin to feel that way; my appetite is at 
least two hours old "and has become chronic." 
"But," looking at his watch, "it's only 10:30, and if 
you were at the Colonel's ycu would not think of eating 
for two full hours from now." 
"If we were at the. mansion we would not have been 
turned out before daylight by insects to get breakfast 
and escape; and then paddle and push an old tub some 
five or six miles down stream, f don't need a watch 
to tell me when I want to eat on such an occasion. You 
make a fire on this point, gc-t out some fat to fry these 
frogs, and I'll skin the breasts of a pair of teal, cut 
them out and we will feast in a manner to forget that 
miserable steak of yesterday, and that equally miserable 
breakfast with slap accompaniment this morning." 
■"But you laid out the frogs for breakfast to-morrow, 
how's that?" 
"Frogs, my dear Doctor, are not so rare in Louisiana 
swamps as to necessitate economy, as we are situated. 
I was not hungry wdien I allotted them for breakfast; I 
will probably lay out more for that event. It is well 
that our teal are all blue-wings, or we would need the 
whole five for dinner, and we may yet if you don't get 
that fire under way soon." 
By the time he had a good fire started, and the frogs 
rolled in cracker dust and frying, I had several fillets of 
teal cooking on sticks and was basting them with pork 
fat. 
"How do you like your teal. Doctor, rare or well 
done?" 
"Moderately rare; it is better that they should be 
under than overdone. The frogs are ready and well 
done. I'll get the tea made, the cutlery out and some 
bark for plates, and trust the teal to you." 
We passed through another mosquitoes' paradise, but 
in half an hour left them behind. About 4 o'clock we 
came to a breezy point which impressed the Doctor as 
the place to camp, for we might not find its equal. 
The Thunder Came. 
"Doctor," said I, "do you see that cloud coming up 
in the west, no bigger than a man's farm?" 
"Yes. jthat's a storm sure." 
"Then let us make camp at once, and let it come. Let 
us hope that the wind, which comes first, will drive the 
skeeters so far into the woods that they can't get back 
after the rain kills the wind." 
The canvas was spread, the boat dragged up over it 
and propped up on the leeward side with two stumps, the. 
canvas so arranged that the edges would come inside the 
boat, and our provisions secured before the cloud cut off 
our daylight. Then came the moaning of the forest, as 
if each great tree was praying not to have its roots torn 
from the earth, yet the air was still and oppressive. Not 
a. sound came from beast or bird during this awful still- 
ness. We were cuddled .together under the boat, but did 
not talk. When all nature is hushed man should be 
silent. Gradually there was a sound of moving tree tops, 
which increased rapidly; we could feel the air move un- 
der our boat as it curled over the upturned bottom. 
Distant thunder rumbled, and after a time a dull flash 
followed it. The rumblings became louder and the 
intervals between them and the flashes were less: the 
wind was now shrieking among the tree tops, and the 
sound of dropping branches was frequent. Then came a 
roar of wind and a few pattering drops of rain fell on our 
boat, and we knew that the drops were great ones. A 
tree crashed to the ground near us, and some small ani- 
mal ran under our canvas on my side, but I was too 
much interested in the conflict between earth and sky to 
mention it. There was a blinding flash that was in- 
stantly followed by an ear-splitting discharge of heaven's 
artillery, and a large branch fell on our boat. 
Then the Doctor spoke: "That was a close call for 
us, but lightning will always take a tree before it will 
reach for a man, but will surely take him if he is under 
it. Did you ever hear it pour harder than it is hammer- 
ing our boat now?" 
"No, never; but the rain has killed the wind and the 
storm is passing to the east, at least the electrical part of 
it; I am onlv afraid that the mosquitoes wili come to 
see how we "weathered the storm after the rain ceases. 
I have been wondering if our canvas would wet through, 
but all such questions fade into insignificance before 
the mosquito." 
Two Squirrels. 
"-Something ran over me just after that first tree fell," 
the Doctor said, "and I heard it jump up on one of the 
seats of the boat, but never heard it go away. What 
could it be?" 
"Don't know; something ran under the canvas on my 
side close to my back, and it may be there yet, for all I 
know; I haven't stirred for fear of pressing water into 
the canvas. The wind has gone and the rain is going. 
I am in good condition to eat, and if I had a good belly- 
ful I have an abiding faith that sleep would come; a 
sleep which had principal and interest due for last night, 
and would defy so small a thing as a mosquito to disturb 
it. Nothing, " my medical friend, is so conducive to 
sleep as a well-filled stomach. Some men in your pro- 
fession advise exercise after dinner. See how the cow, 
dog and cat curl up and go to sleep after a gorge of 
grass, chicken bones or milk, and then give me a 
reason for exercise after eating or why I should not 
take a nap after dinner?" 
"Not a reason: and there is no reason why we should 
lie here all night hungry; it is hardly dark, and we can 
find some dry wood to start a fire; let's do it." 
The sky was clear and the moon, just past the full, was 
rising, but was concealed from us on the east bank by 
the trees. We found some dry pine and soon had a 
. roaring fire. The Doctor took the bag of provisions 
from the seat of the boat and turned the boat over so 
as to dry the canvas before the fire; something dropped 
from the overturned seat, and he picked up a squirrel 
with the remark: "That's the animal that ran over me, 
and if s stone dead." 
"What could have killed it after it had found shelter 
on the seat under the boat?" 
"Heart failure, my boy; its heart stopped beating and 
it died." . , 
"Clear as mud! When you medical Johnnies have no 
idea what a fellow dies of you look wise and say 'heart 
failure' ; want of breath would do as well, but the ques- 
tion before the jury is: Why did that squirrel's heart 
fail?'" 
The Doctor smiled and said: "Here's another squir- 
rel under your side of the canvas, and that's a conun- 
drum for you, but let's drop conundrums and get sup- 
per. If you'll skin out the breasts of the three teal I'll 
get more wood and fry some ham, for I could eat the 
teal alone at this time cr day after that early dinner." 
A Frugal Supper. 
Two good slices of ham and the breasts of three teal, 
with bread, butter and tea, made a good meal for two 
tired and hungry men, and as we sat on the edge of the 
boat and saw that the steaming canvas did not scorch 
we smoked in silence and watched the moon through the 
tree tops. I was wondering if those squirrels were 
killed by fright, and if so whether other sportsmen 
had noticed anything of the kind. It was my unprofes- 
sional opinion that the hearts of the squirrels had failed 
from terror, but they, were adults, and must have heard 
thunder before; yet that storm was an extraordinary 
one. and had struck a tree, if not two, close by. There 
was no use in pressing the question on the Doctor, who 
no doubt thought as I did, for there seemed to be no 
other solution of the problem; still it was curious that 
two squirrels should seek protection under our boat 
about the same time, and both should die. I have 
heard that rabbits have been either killed or paralyzed 
by a sudden shout from a man. but never witnessed such 
a thitig, and have thought it curious how a shout could 
have that effect when I have seen them escape, ap- 
parently unharmed, from a gun shot. - 
The frogs were discussing matters, probably freshets 
and droughts, or the edibility of beetles, dragon flies and 
other insects; the night herons were "quawking" to keep 
in range of each other, and an owl in a tree overhead 
was arguing with an owl across the stream on the cause 
of the scarcity of mice, and regretting that it was neces- 
sary to fill up on cold-blooded frogs. While meditating 
011 these things, a muskrat made a great commotion in 
the water and roused us both. 
The Doctor arose, yawned, looked at the moon, slao- 
ped a mosquito, and said: "It's near midnight, and 
we've been dozing. Let's turn in. There's nothing fresh 
in camp for breakfast except the squirrels, and here we 
are miles from a butcher or grocer." 
"Well, Doctor, we are in a land of plenty as long as 
our fishing tackle and ammunition hold out, and if those 
fail we can get enough frogs with saplings to last if we 
keep our matches dry, for I'm a sinner if I want to 
eat raw frog. Let's spread. the canvas, turn the boat over 
it and let the mosquitoes do the rest." 
And Daylight Came. 
The sun was up before we were, and our insect friends 
had worked faithfully, but we. fortified with a good sup- 
per, good consciences and with sleep due us, never 
heeded them. In those days we accepted mosquitoes as 
we did thunderstorms; things that there was no dodging 
and as necessary evils to be borne without grumbling. 
We knew of no combinations of tar and oil, "lolicapop" 
and other preparations to anoint the skin and repel in- 
sect advances. The Doctor had spoken of mint and 
peppermint in this connection, but we found none. He 
had ammonia, which we used in a diluted form to al- 
leviate the stings. At the close of the century I glance 
back and see the changes. We prided ourselves that 
percussion caps had superseded flints, that good guns 
were lower in price than in 1800; but we never dreamed 
of such outfits as the sportsman of to-day goes afield 
with. He is luxuriously provided for, but I doubt if the 
younger men appreciate it; they have a choice of many 
insect repellants, and do not suffer' as we did only a 
quarter of a century ago, and that is only yesterday. 
Said the Doctor: "You do the fishing this morning 
and I will prepare the squirrels, and be ready to help 
to do the same with the fish." 
He spoke as if the catching of fish enough for break- 
fast was a certain thing, and it was. The waters were 
so filled with fish and the competition for food was so 
great that a* baited hook hardly got below the surface 
before a fish of some kind took it. Casting out some 
undesirable species, I took six crappies and three big 
warmouths in half an hour, and said to my friend: 
"There's a breakfast for you, about 61bs. of fish, gross 
weight, and at least four net. Then, if you can eat a 
fried squirrel, with the usual amount of bread and but- 
• ter. after the fish are gone, I'll go and get some frogs,, 
for if we starve here it will be our fault." 
The Land of Plenty. 
After the fish and squirrels had been disposed of the 
Doctor said: "Now bring on your frogs." 
I started for the boat, but he declared that he was 
joking, and that we had better pack up and drift down 
the river. As we drifted a few miles the river widened 
and we had a southerly breeze from the Gulf night and 
day. "The absence of pain is pleasure," and we fully 
realized this as we entered the country where the Gulf 
wind is strong enough to keep the mosquitoes back. 
Here I could hope to find new forms of life, and I began 
work again. It was fun for the Doctor, who had never 1 
paid any attention to the smaller aquatic life, and he was, 
enthusiastic in collecting. We did not repeat the error, 
of the first day in being caught with a short commis-i 
sary. There were always ducks, frogs and squirrels' 
enough in our larder to tide over a rainy day, or even: 
two, but we only caught fish as we needed them. We^ 
had two rainy days, not thunder showers, but two con- 1 
secutive days of drizzle, and still had meat on hand., 
when it cleared up, for we had two soft-shelled turtles., 
ten squirrels, fourteen ducks and a lot of frogs when the 
rain began. We camped on a point and just cooked, 
ate, smoked and slept. We took a few fish for a 
change of diet, and could have killed a hundred or more 
ducks, but did not need them. 
We had passed some houses on the higher lands, but 
having no occasion to stop, we did not visit them. Drift- 
ing along we naturally wondered where our boat might: 
be in relation to a map of North America, or more 
particularly in Louisiana. "Doctor." said I, "this trip 
does not promise to yield more' specimens, and we had, 
better strike for a railway or for a chance to get to the 
Mississippi and go home." 
A Short Cut Home. 
"This is a pleasant life; why do you wish to leave it: 
Let us drift down to the bayou and then get back intfl 
civilization; how does that proposition suit you?" 
"Can't do it. I've about finished my work on thi 
river and must get back with my specimens. The life i; 
pleasant, as you say, and I'd like a month of it. but } 
have duties to perform; you have none. There is I 
darky on a flatboat ferrying a team of mules and ■ 
wagon across; we can find out where we are.' 
He was a middle-aged man who "libed up yandah it 
St. Martin's Parish, 'bout fo' miles, an' jess cum funj 
Plaquemine, an' is gwine back in de mawmn' io mc 1 
p'visions." 
"How far is Plaquemine; and can we get a boat therv 
for New Orleans?" 
"I spects it's full twenty mile obah dab, an de boat' 
stops w'en dah's passengahs." ... - • 
We arranged to camp there and go with him in th. 
morning, and he gladly accepted our boat in payment to! 
transportation. We would shoot a half-dozen teal | 
take to New Orleans, not that the markets would nc* 
supply all we needed, but a sportsman enjoys eating M 
own birds more than he does those he buys. He know* 
each individual bv the shot marks, and an incident jj 
