CAMPING ON THE SATILLA 
A friend and I once spent an evening together at a camp 
upon the banks of the Satilla River at a point not so distant 
from its mouth. We made it a point to reach our destination 
in time to unload and arrange all stores and equipment, thus 
permitting early retirement, in anticipation of a strenuous day’s 
fishing on the morrow. 
The evening passed without event. Of course, we were ser¬ 
enaded throughout the night by the song of katydids, the hoot 
of the fish-owl (or guard-head), and the bellowing of bull 
alligators up and down the river, along with such other noc¬ 
turnal creatures as infest the river swamp in that particular 
locality. We were prepared for all this, consequently thought 
nothing of it. Mention might be made of the fact that my 
friend was wholly unaccustomed to the wild and wily creatures, 
remaining awake almost the whole night enjoying the serenade. 
Before the break of day we were awakened by the noise of 
him stoking the stove, making preparation to fry the eggs and 
country ham, brown the toast, and brew some coffee. Now, 
while it may require the skill of Brazilians to grow fine coffee, 
the skill of my friend stood us in good stead when it came to 
brewing it—the two combined left no “grounds” for complaint. 
It presently became evident that I would get no more sleep 
that night—the atmosphere in our little cabin had already 
reached the saturation point with the aroma from this country 
ham and coffee. Lacking words of our own to adequately 
describe the sensation, we shall have to invite, or resort to the 
skill of the darkey we once heard describing its effect upon the 
human constitution: “De inflooence uv its aroma sho do agi¬ 
tate de soul.” 
Opening wide the window beside the bed, we were afforded 
an unobstructed view of the river channel and the moss-draped 
live oaks abounding in the river hummock on the farther shore. 
The faintest gray was beginning to tint the eastern skies her¬ 
alding the dawn of another day. Soon the fan-like beams from 
the early morning sun were piercing the skies, comparing at 
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