CHAPTER XXV.
WORTH'S LONELY NIGHT WATCH.
LIEUTENANT CAREY'S remarks were received by his companions
with considerable incredulity. None of them had ever been under fire
before, and it was hard to realize that the deafening volleys that had
roared at them from the cypress forest had not been fired with deadly
intent. To be sure, neither they, nor even their boats, had been hit;
but that might as easily be attributed to poor marksmanship as to good
intention on the part of the Indians. Of course, they did not doubt for
an instant that those who had fired from that well-concealed ambush
were Indians. Who else occupied that country, or who else would have
done such a thing? Had not Rust Norris given the Indians false
information concerning the objects of the expedition, and roused them
to anger against it? Even if this first attack had only been intended
for a scare, would a second prove equally harmless? What possible
chance had their little band of making its way through the trackless
leagues between there and the eastern coast, if the four hundred or so
of Seminoles occupying the country had determined to prevent them? None
at all, of course.
On the other hand, as Lieutenant Carey very justly urged,
the Indians could not afford to go to war with the whites. Besides, did
the way ahead of them present any greater difficulties than that they
had so recently traversed? What could they do with their frail boats,
even if they should return to the open waters of the Gulf? Could they
hope to reach Key West in them? Then, too, how humiliating it would be
to give up their undertaking merely because they had been frightened,
and without having caught a glimpse of their enemies!
Lieutenant Carey declared his purpose of going on alone if
the others refused to accompany him, and Sumner said that, as the son
of a naval officer, he was bound to follow the Lieutenant. Worth said:
"Of course, if you go, Sumner, I must go with you; but I'm awfully
frightened all the same."
The sailor Said that he had no thought of disobeying the
Lieutenant's orders, and only deserted him as he did in the cypress
swamp because Quorum was at the oars, and carried him off against his
will.
Quorum said: " Ef Marse Summer an' Marse Worf gwine fight
dem Injuns, ob co'se de ole man gwine erlong to pertec' 'em. Dem
chillun can't be 'lowed ter go prospeckin' in de wilderness wifout
Quor'm ter look affer 'em, an' holp do de fightin' as well as de
cookin'."
All this discussion took place after the canoes had been
hauled from the water and concealed in a clump of bushes, and while
coffee was being prepared over the alcohol lamps, which gave out great
heat with little light. They gathered closely about their little stoves
and talked in low tones, while the night shadows settled down and shut
out the surrounding landscape. After eating a hearty meal which showed
their appetites to be in nowise impaired by their recent fright, and
providing a supply of coffee for the morning, they rolled up in their
blankets and lay down for a few hours' sleep on the bare ground. That
is, all but Worth lay down. He, wrapping his blanket about him, and
sitting with his gun across his knees, prepared to keep the first
hour's watch. He was given this first hour because he was the youngest,
and he was to wake Sumner when it had expired. Sumner was to rouse Quo
rum, he the sailor, and he the Lieutenant, who was to stand the last
watch and decide upon the time for starting.
To be sitting there alone, surrounded by the unseen
terrors of a Southern wilderness, was a novel and weird experience for
Worth. He could hear the eddying and gurgling of the river, with
frequent splashes that marked the nocturnal activity of its animal
life. Innumerable insects filled the air about him with shrill sounds,
and deep-voiced frogs kept up a ceaseless din from the adjacent swamps.
Frequent vibratory bellowings, exactly like those of an enraged bull,
and certain flounderings in the water, attested the wakefulness of his
newly-made alligator acquaintances. The forest rang with the tiresomely
irritating notes of the chuckwills-widows and the solemn warnings of
the great hoot owls.
Every now and then he was startled by the agonized cries
of some unfortunate bird seized and dragged from its resting place by a
'Coon or other predatory animal. These, loud and shrill at first,
gradually became weaker, until hushed into a lifeless silence. His
blood chilled at the distant howl of wolves, or the human-like cry of a
panther, and it required all the boy's strength of mind to refrain from
arousing his comrades long before the expiration of that interminable
hour.
Only a frequent reaching out of the hand and touching
Sumner, who lay close beside him, gave him courage to maintain his
solitary vigil. His mind was so actively occupied by what he heard, and
by listening for what he dreaded still more to hear -- the dip of
paddles or other sounds indicating the approach of human enemies, that
he had not the slightest inclination to sleep. He never was more wide
awake in his life, with all his senses more keenly alert, than during
that hour. He wondered if, with all those uncanny sounds ringing in his
ears, he shod dare even to close his eyes when his turn for sleeping
came. He kept track of the time by occasionally striking a match, and
looking at his watch beneath the sheltering folds of his blanket.
When the time came to waken Sumner, he hated to do so; but
realizing that his own strength for the ensuing day depended upon his
sleeping that night, he finally laid his hand gently on his comrade's
forehead. From long training in being aroused at unseemly hours, Sumner
sat up, wide awake, in an instant. The boys exchanged, a few whispered
words, and then Worth lay down. He closed his eyes, determined to try
and sleep, though without the least idea of being able to do so.
When he next opened them Lieutenant Carey was bending over
him, and saying that it was three o'clock in the morning. It seemed
impossible that he could have been asleep for hours, and as the boy sat
up rubbing his eyes, he was certain that the Lieutenant must have made
some mistake.
In spite of the darkness, which was still as intense as
ever, the boats had been almost noiselessly got into the water, and
Quorum had heated the coffee made the night before. A cup of this, hot
and strong, roused the boy into a full wakefulness, and fifteen minutes
later he was seated in his canoe, prepared once more to undertake the
passage of the dreaded cypress belt. The Lieutenant led the Way, Sumner
and Worth, keeping as close together as possible, followed, and the
cruiser, with muffled oars, brought up the rear.
If the cypress forest into which they almost immediately
plunged had seemed weird and gloomy by daylight, how infinitely more so
was it in the pitchy darkness by which it was now enshrouded! Still,
the black walls of tree trunks rising on each side could be
distinguished from the surface of the river, and thus the voyagers were
enabled to keep in the channel. The air was motionless, and heavy with
dampness and the rank odors of decaying vegetation. The rush of waters,
the plash of their paddles, and the unaccountable night sounds of the
drenched forest, rang out with startling distinctness. They proceeded
with the utmost caution, and uttered no word; but it seemed as though
their progress must he apparent to any ear within a mile of them.
For two hours they worked steadily and without a pause.
They felt that they must have passed the scene of their previous
evening's adventure. They were certain of this when at length the
cypresses began to grow smaller; and their branches no longer meeting
overhead, a faint light began to show itself in the lane of sky thus
disclosed. NOW they knew that they must be approaching the confines of
the belt, and that the open 'Glades must be close at hand. They
breathed more freely than they had for hours, and with each foot of
progress their spirits became lightened.
The stream which they were following began to branch off
in various directions, and the strength of its current was sensibly
diminished. By the time the light was sufficient for them to discern
clearly surrounding objects, the cypress belt was behind them, and the
limitless expanse of the open 'Glades stretched away in their front. On
the very edge of the cypress forest was a tiny hammock surmounting a
slight elevation of solid ground. As the little fleet was passing this,
its several crews were beginning to exchange a few words of
conversation for the first time since leaving their camp.
Suddenly their voices were hushed by something almost as
startling as the rifle shots of the previous evening. This time it was
the sound of a loud voice, evidently that of a white man, not more than
a few rods from them, calling:
"Come, you fellows, wake up! Here it is daylight, and no
fire started yet."
The startled canoemen looked at each other wonderingly,
and Sumner was about to utter a shout that would betray their presence
when a warning sign from Lieutenant Carey restrained him. Beckoning
them to follow him quietly, the Lieutenant led the way past the hammock
from which the voice had issued, and into a thick clump of tall
sawgrass, by which they were effectually concealed. Bidding them remain
there until his return, and on no account betray their presence by
sound or movement, he left them, and cautiously guided his canoe back
to the hammock. Stepping lightly from it as it touched the land, he
made his way quietly through the trees and bushes composing the hammock
until, without being seen or heard, he could command a view of an open
space in its centre.
About the smoldering ashes of a campfire ten rough-looking
characters, whom he at once recognized as South Florida cowboys, were
sitting up, yawning and rubbing their eyes into wakefulness, or lay
still stretched on the ground enveloped in the blankets that formed
their beds.
As there was but little danger of their discovering him,
the Lieutenant waited where he was, to learn something of their
character from their conversation, before either showing himself or
retiring without disclosing his presence.
ROUGH-LOOKING CHARACTERS, WHOM HE AT ONCE RECOGNIZED AS
SOUTH FLORIDA COWBOYS.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES.
PRESENTLY a man who was rebuilding the fire straightened
up, and addressing one of the others, said:
"We're going to get out o' here today, ain't we, Bill?"
"Yes, you bet we are," was the answer. "We hain't got
nothing more to stay yere in the swamps for, onless you think they
might make another try for it, which I don't they will."
"Not much they won't, after the way they skedaddled when
we-uns began to yell. Hi! how they did cut downstream! I'll bet they
hain't stopped yit. They must ha' reckoned the hull Seminole nation was
layin' fur 'em. Ho! ho! ho! ha! ha! ha! Hit was the slickest job I ever
did see!"
"You don't reckin they'll hanker arter wisitin' the
'Glades agin in a hurry, then?" asked another voice.
"Hanker fur the 'Glades? Not muchy, they won't. Why, they
won't tetch foot to the mainland of the State of Fluridy again, not if
they can holp it. Leastways, not so long as they's a Injun left in hit.
Hit's been a hard trip and a mean job for us fellers, but hit'll pay.
The report thet ar Leftenant'll make when he gits home'II do mo' to'd
gittin' the Seminoles moved outen the kentry than ennything that's
happened sence the Fluridy wah. Now mosey round lively, boys. Let's
have a b'ilin' o' coffee, an' light outen hyar."
Lieutenant Carey had heard all that he cared to, and,
without betraying his presence to the cowboys, he softly retraced his
steps to where the canoe lay, and a minute later rejoined his party.
Only telling them that the sooner they put a respectable distance
between themselves and that place the better, he led the way into the
main stream, that still flowed with considerable force through the
grass beds, and turned in the direction of its source. Not until they
had gone a good two miles did he pause, and then there were several
reasons for calling a halt.
One reason was that they were far enough beyond the reach
of the cowboys to defy discovery, and he wished to tell his companions
what he had overheard. Another was that the sun was rising, and it was
time for breakfast; and a third was that their watery highway having
come to an end, it was necessary to decide upon their future course.
A small stove was carried in the cruiser, and as there was
now nothing but water, with grass growing in it, about them, it was
brought into service. The canoes gathered closely around the larger
craft, and while Quorum prepared break fast, the Lieutenant related his
recent adventure. In conclusion he said: "So you see, boys, our Indians
turned out to be white men, and the shooting was only intended to scare
us, after all."
"But I don't understand how they knew we were coming, or
what they wanted to frighten us for, anyway," said Sumner, wearing a
very puzzled expression.
"Neither did I at first," replied Lieutenant Carey; "but I
remember now that a gentleman in Key West said the Florida cattlemen
would be greatly put out on learning of my proposed expedition. He said
that they were using every means, foul and fair, to have the Indians
removed from the State, and that they would be bitterly opposed to
having the Everglades Set apart as a permanent reservation. He advised
me to look out for them, and I laughed at him. Now I realize that some
one must have sent the news to them, and they got up this party to head
us off in such a way that the blame would be placed upon the Indians.
Yes, it is clear enough now; but it was a bit of a puzzle at first."
"Well," said Worth, "it is a great relief to know that
they were not Indians, and that we are safely past them, with no danger
of their following us."
"It certainly is," replied the Lieutenant. "Though it will
be a greater one to me really to meet Indians, as we must sooner or
later, and have them treat us decently, or rather leave us alone."
Here Quorum interrupted the conversation with the
announcement of, "Breakfus, sah." The amount of cooking that he had
managed to accomplish with that one-lidded stove was wonderful. Besides
coffee, he had prepared a great smoking pot of oatmeal, and a dish of
crisply fried bacon to be eaten with their hardtack; while these things
were disappearing, he prepared and fried a panful of flapjacks that
were as light and de] delicate as though cooked by a
ten-thousand-dollar chef on the most modern of ranges. Out-of-door camp
cookery deserves to rank as one of the exact sciences, and Quorum as
one of its masters.
The old negro found perfect happiness in watching the
relish with which his deftly prepared food was eaten, and his whole
body expressed a smiling satisfaction at the words of praise lavished
upon his skill. While Quorum was eating his own breakfast and the
sailor was washing and stowing the dishes, the others stood up to take
observations.
The main stream came to an end where they were, and from
it a dozen narrow channels, filled with flags and lily pads, or
"bonnets," as they are called in Florida, radiated in as many
directions. As far as the eye could reach, and infinitely farther, in
front of them and on both sides, stretched a vast plain of coarse brown
grass, rising to a height of several feet, and growing in a foot or two
of limpid water. Innumerable channels of deeper water, marked by the
vivid green of their peculiar vegetation, crossed and recrossed each
other in every direction, and formed a bewildering network. The
limitless brown level was dotted here and there with heavily timbered
islands of all sizes, from a few rods to many acres in extent. Near at
hand these were of a bright green, in the middle distance they were of
a rich purple hue, and on the far horizon a misty blue. The highest of
these islands, as well as the largest one visible, rose on the very
limit of their vision, in the northeast, and as it formed a conspicuous
landmark, they decided to lay a course for it. Accordingly, in single
file, with the Hu-la-lah leading and "de Punkin Seed" bringing
up the rear, the little fleet entered the narrow path that seemed to
lead in that direction, and the journey was resumed.
The clearness of the water in the Everglades is accounted
for by the fact that it flows above a bottom of coralline rock, and is
always in motion. In it stagnation is unknown; and though it is
everywhere crowded with plant life, it is as sweet and pure as that of
a spring. Another curious fact about the Everglades which is generally
unknown is that within their limits but few mosquitoes are found.
During the summer months, when all residents on the coast of southern
Florida, even the lightkeepers away out on the reef, miles from land,
are driven nearly crazy by these pests, the Seminoles, who retire to
the Everglades to escape them, are rarely annoyed. The chief insect
pests of the 'Glades are the midges, or Stinging gnats, that swarm for
an hour or so at sunset and sunrise. Against these the Indians protect
themselves by smudges and by nettings of cheese cloth.
From the difficulties of navigation experienced, during
this their first day in the 'Glades, our explorers realized that in
striving to journey across their width they had undertaken a most
arduous task. The channels that they attempted to follow seemed to lead
in every direction but the right one. They were generally so narrow and
choked with bonnets that paddling or rowing was impossible, and the
boats must be forced ahead by poling. Every now and then, too, the
shallow waters sank to an unknown depth that no pole could fathom. In
such a case, if one attempted to pull his canoe along by grasping the
tough grass stalks on either side of him, he was rewarded by a painful
cut that often penetrated to the bone. It did not require many sad
experiences of this kind to teach the boys that sawgrass is not to be
handled with impunity. It has a triangular blade, provided with
minutely serrated edges that, green or dry, cut like razors. While it
ordinarily attains a height of but four or five feet, the great
Everglade lake, Okeechobee, is surrounded by a barrier of "big saw"
grass that is well nigh impenetrable to man or beast. Even the
scaly-hided alligators shun it. This big sawgrass attains the thickness
of a cornstalk, with a height of ten or twelve feet, is closely matted,
and its cutting edges are possessed of the keenness of Oriental
scimitars.
Sometimes the narrow channels along which our canoemates
poled with such difficulty opened into broad clear spaces, where
sailing was possible for a mile or so Full as often the channels ended
abruptly in the grass, when the only thing to do was to get overboard
in water waist-deep, and push the boats through it.
The sun poured down with an intolerable glare, but its
heat was tempered by the strong, fresh breeze that blows every day and
all day over the 'Glades with the utmost regularity.
As they slowly drew near the island for which they were
steering, it gradually assumed a conical shape and the symmetrical
proportions of a pyramid. Late in the afternoon, while they were still
about a mile from it, a dense volume of smoke suddenly arose from its
extreme summit. This as suddenly disappeared, and then reappeared again
at intervals of a second.
"I wonder if it can be a volcano ?" queried Worth, as they
gazed curiously at this phenomenon.
..
© 2001 Craig O'Donnell, editor & general factotum.
May not be reproduced without my permission.
Go scan your own damn
stuff.
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