June, 1919 
FOREST AND STREAM 
271 
turers, for a feeling of antagonism had 
been aroused in one direction, at least. 
Several Indians had arrived at Small- 
wood’s trading post as they went up for 
a few things to use during the Turner’s 
River jaunt, and considerable interest 
was attached to watching them at their 
dicker. Smallwood, of course, knew the 
Seminoles as he knew the bay. He 
could match them at their best, and soon 
enough, the skins of coon, otter and alli- 
gator had been absorbed by the great 
pile at the rear of the store, and lazy 
Indians were carrying meal, ammunition 
and some canned goods down to a reedy 
part of the shore. 
Smallwood was more interested in his 
horse than in trade, however. It was 
known to be the only animal of its kind 
in all the Chokoloskee district. The 
storekeeper had brought it up to the 
island in some crude way, and it was 
used further up the bay as a means 
of transporting fruit from the interior, 
a primitive track having been cut 
through the jungle. Smallwood was an 
enigma. Big, brutal heavy-handed with 
the humans around him, he loved the 
horse. With one hand he would cuff a 
shiftless native and with the other stroke 
the head of that weary old horse, ten- 
derly, lovingly. 
In a dusty, dirty glass counter case, 
Mr. King found several new trolling 
spoons adapted to the locality and he 
purchased two of these for John. They 
were also in need of new lines. More 
than once, as the three stood in the store, 
The Logger-head turtle which provides 
highly desirable chow 
curious, questioning faces peered in at 
the door — faces that held no suggestion 
of friendship. 
“Which way you fellows going now?’’ 
Smallwood inquired. 
“Up Turner’s,” answered Mr. King, 
promptly. 
“Going to fish?” 
“Well, our main reason for taking the 
trip is to survey. You know that Ta- 
miami property terminates not far dis- 
tant. In any event, I want to study the 
soil, vegetation and surrounding coun 
try.” 
“I see you are buyin’ some spoons,” 
Smallwood insisted, after some reflection. 
“We may drop a line overboard go- 
ing up or coming back. But we needed 
them, anyway — and you keep a fine 
stock.” 
That appeared to please the angular 
man behind the counter and he volun- 
teered some information. 
“I’d advise you to take Chan Youman 
with you,” he said, “it’s ugly going up in 
that territory and of course you folks 
don’t know it. Once you strike the palm 
hammocks, one passage looks like an- 
other. He’s here now and you can get 
him at a fair price for the day. You 
can give me the check and I’ll make it 
all 0. K. with Chan.” 
Long afterwards, in thinking the epi- 
sode over, Mr. King was inclined to the 
belief that Smallwood’s idea was not 
without selfish reasons, peculiarly his 
own. If a trusted guide went along, their 
every move would be watched. An eye 
would be kept on them. And Youman 
could report to headquarters on his re- 
turn. It is our desire, in chronicling 
these minor points of our story, to stress 
this one vital fact — strangers are not 
wanted at Chokoloskee. Therefore, it 
is all the more remarkable that Mr. King 
and his little party saw it through with- 
out far more serious consequences. If 
you fish or hunt there, go armed with 
a reason better than sport. 
S MALLWOOD had a rough map of the 
surrounding area and he allowed 
Hendry to take this, on the promise 
that it would be returned promptly and 
^ view on Turner’s River, in the Chokoloskee Bay district. These picturesque waters abound in fish. Trails, 
made by padded feet, are to be found ashore. Probably one of the first photographs ever made of this far away place 
