The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-07-13
RAvENyA. WEDNESDAY JULY 10 1858.


-aas. assuring me thet was leaving them. FL
uaily storped to rest and listen but the long how
ceue booming on the air again. telling NE that /
was not yet safe. Fran hog 10 bog where had
topped they could still keep on my track, though
impeded by the water. At length 1 came to
wide bayou and pJunging in had soon siemmed its
sluogist currents to the other side. There GER
carr, ing down stream atraces of that my sterious
scent wi hich enables the quick smelling hound to
follow in the track of The pursued After passing
7 his bayou the water became SO deep that could
not iun. was naw in what afterwards learned
was the Pacundria Swamp 1t was filled with
Immense trees-the sycamore, The gum. the cot
ton wood and cypress, and extends am inform
ed To the shores of the Chcas an river. For thIr-
~ or forty miles it is without an inhabitaut, save
wild beas ts--ihe bear, the wildcat, the tiger, and
great Shiny reptiles, that crawling through it
every where. Long before reached the BAYOU.
in fact from the time struck the water until l
emerged from the swamp on my return. these
reptiles surrounded NE. l saw hundreds of moe
casin snakes. Every log and boug ugh-every trunk
or fallen tree over which was compelled to step
or climb, alive with them. They crawled
away at my approach, but sometimes in my haste
would almost place my hand or foot upon them.
They are poisonous serpent-their bite more ia
tai than the rattIesuakes. Besides had lost one
shoe, the sole having come entirely off. leaving
the upper only dar Cling to my ancle. saw also
many alligators, great and small, lying in the wa
ter or on pieces of flood wood. The noise made
would usually startIe them, when they would
move off and plunge into the deepest PAGES.
Sometimes, however, would come directly up
on a monster before observing it. In such cases
would start back. run a short way round, and in
that manner shun them. Stinight forward they
will move short distance very fast, but do not
possess the power of turning. In crooked race
there is do danger of them.
About two O'Clock in the afternoon | heard the
last of the hounds. Probably they did not cross
the bayou. Wet and weary, but relieved from
the sense of instant peril, continued on, more
cautious and afraid however, of the snakes and
alligators than had been in tue earlier portion of
my flight. Now before stepping into muddy
pool, would strike the water with a stick. Iflhe
water moved would 90 round it, if not would
and gradually nights trailing mantle slrouded the
great swamp in darkness; still staggered on.
fearing every instant should feel the dreadful
sting OF The moccasin, be crushed within the jaw
Of some disturbed alligator. The dread ofthem
almost equalled the fear of the pursuing hounds.
The moon arose after time, its mild light creep
ing down through the overspreadng branches,
loaded down with ling pendant moss. IkepttTav-
cling forward, hoping all the while that would
soon emerge into some less deselate and danger
regiou, untu after midhight But the water
grew deeper and the walking more difficult than
ever. perceived it would be impossible to pro-
ceed much further, and knew not, moreover, what
hands might fa into. should succeed in reach
ing human htbtaton. Not provided with pass,
any white msn would be at liberty to arrest me
| and place me in prison until such time as my mas
ter should prove property, pay charges and take
me away. L was an esttdy and if so unfortu
nate TO meet a law abiding citizen of Louisiana
he would deem it his buty to his neighbor, per-
haps, to put me in the pound. Really itwa diff
cult TO determine which Ihad most to fear-dogs
alIigators, or mep. Affer midnight, however.
came to a halt. inauguration cannot picture the
dreariness of the scene. The swamp was RESP
nant with the quackipg of innuinera5e ducks
Since the foundation of the earth 10 all probability
human foo'step had never before tfated the
recesses of the swamp. 1t was silent now-seni
to degree that rendered it oppressive, as it was
when the sun was shining in the heavens.
My midnight intrusion had awakened the feath
cred tribes, which seemed to throng the morass II
hundreds of thousands, and their garruous throats
poured forth such mu'titudinous sounds. there was
such fluitering of wings. such salsen plunges in
the water all around me that was affrightened
and appalled,. All the fowls of the air and all the
creeping things of the ear,h appearedto have as
sembled together in that particular place for the
purpose of filling it with clanor and confusion.-
Not by human dwe!liugs-nnt 10 crowded cities
alone. are the sights and sounds of life The
widest places earth are full of them. Even il
the heart of that dismal swamp, God had provided
refuge and dwelling place for millions of living
things The moon had now risen above the trees
3 when resolved upon project. Thus far hat
travelled as near south as possible. Turning about
= now proceeded in a northweSt direction. my OBJ
ect being to strike the pine waods in the vicinity
of master Ford's, Once within the shadow ofh
{ prosec'ionI felt would be5 comparatively safe
A1y clothes were in tattsfs my hands and facsanc
hsdy covAred with scratches received from tn,
sharp knots offaenst5ees andin climbing over pile
of brush andaoodlweod My bare foot was fill O
stllsrps.-I WINS besu,eared with muck and mud AM
the green Slime that had collected on the surfaeao
The dead ater, in which / had been immerse
tp To- TBS, peck many times during the day and night
+ Hour after hour an tresome indeed had the.
beeospe. continued tp glodsa along in my nortilwes
course The walter .bsgan TO grow less deep an
the ground more 1irm under my feet, At,last
reached The PaconariA, The saine wide bayou
had swan while aonfward bound / swan
algain; and sh6ftIy aftsfl thought Reared a Soc
crow but the sound was faint and 1t might hav
, been a inockery to the ear The water receede
from my advancing footsteps now had left tn
Hogs bAtiinci me now was dry land that grad
fuay assembled tn the plain and knew was some
tscAere 10 ~ The Great Pine Wood "a ~