Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-04-05
"reminiscences II Travel,
NUMBER sEERN

LID. ADAioh' 4AAs'n6 50
the city of Micanopy for some time,
/ began to feel asst ] would like to
travel and rusticate a little, for the
sake Of variety and Of seeinga little
more Of the world. So joining a
company Of eight young men, We be-
/ gan to make preparations for a hunt
| ing and fishing excursion, down to
the Gulf of Mexico. Having elect
ed N. F. Brown captain, and E. NJ.
Graham first lieutenant, we set about
it in regular order. We hired a two
mule team from old MIR. Par, and MIR.
White for teamster. Then laying in
a good supply of something to eat,
and plenty of ammunition and double
barreled shot guns, and fishing tackle,
we began to feel like taking the road.
Our equipment was something as
follovs:-a good tent cloth, ovens,
pots, frying pans, tin pans and every
other sort of pans, tin plates and tin
cups, a jar of lard, a jug of molas-
ses, a jug of "a few pounds
Of sugar and coffee and soda crack.
ers. plenty Of blankets and sailors
jackets. etc. ETC. Also an ACCORDION
and violin, and three powder kegs for
putting oysters in. Thus equipped,
we left the public square in Micano-
py about II o'clock, amid a crowd Of
spectators, singing wait for the
Wagon" with white handkerchief
boisted on a gig-pole for banner.
Thus we made our exit from Miean-
opy on trip Of about seventy-five
miles, mostly through an uninhabited
region of country, not knowing but
what we might starve on the way.
Some persons told us that we could
get plenty of provisions on the way;
therefore we did not lay in a full sup
ply before starting. About one mile
from town we bought half bushel
of meal, which lasted US several days,
as the sequel will show. The first
evening we had fine sport shooting
"Florida Monkies," which were very
numerous in the pine woods. We
camped the first night at Waucha.
beotie, and as We had to. depend on
our game, we had fried rabbit and
stewed monkey for supper, and as
most Of US had missed our dinners,
we eat like Californians. Supper
being over and the dishes crashed, we
had a social smoke, and then in our
sky parlor we bad music on the violin
and ACCORDION. After social chat
about the prospects Of our journey,
we retired, each one to his room Gu
the ground, under the broad canopy
of heaven. Part of the crowd, how
ever, took rooms on the floor of an
old school-house near by, where the
aeas walked into their fresh bacon
about as fast as twenty hens could
have scratched them of. Next
morning they we're up without being
called twice, and after brief toilette
md short breakfast, we we're off like
| streak of luck. After travelling
iew miles, we transcended the bounds
If civilization, and soon found our
selves in the wild pine forests, which
we're only inhabited by deer, turkies, !
,ears, panthers, wolves, catamounts
tic. We had not gone far, till we
leard Old Touse barking as if be was {
bout to swallow a bear; so away
vent Capt. b., Lieut.. G., and myself, l
nth our guns, down into hammock, '
to have a bear fight in less /.
han no time. When we arrived at r
he spot, We found Touse barking d
ercely at the end Of large hollow il
g. Lieutenant G. and | cooked L
ur guns and stood in readiness, while 0
apt. B. attempted to drive the ami !.
'al from his hiding place, bu: did h
OF succeed. So we returned to the s
aggon and returned a verdict of 81
N eOmeati6us in logo. We travelled !;
! day without seeing human being = !,
"a