Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-07-05
"reminiscences of Travel,
NUMBER TWELVE.
For the Fayetteville 0tser


Twas night; and lay dreaming
Eabout home aud friends, when sud
denly / walked up with a stream o
water dripping in my face from hole
lin the tent-cloth: The rain was de.
scending 10 torrents, and the deep
| toned thunders we're rolling over oul
|heads, and receding in mutterlng
echoes across the mighty deep
my comrades all lay wrapped In
slumber, entirely insenslble to al
that was taking place. | was In.
deed, wide awake having had my
face washed before waking; and con-
GLIDING that my berth was rather
leaky, l threw my blaAket around
me, and left the boys in the enjoy
ment Of their undisturbed slumber.
Having been previously invited to
sleep in an unoceupied house in Mr..
oglesby's yard, / felt willing now to
accept the offer. So | walked down
there and slowed myself away for
the balance Of the night. When
morning came, everything looked
wet and dreary, and after a late
breakfast some Of the boys conclu-
ded to 90 over to the Cedar Keys
and get some provisions. About
moon they returned with four pounds
of pilot-bread and sir pounds of ba-
con, which was half of the supply at
Cedar Keys. The ppyislon-ship,
| plying between that place and New
Orleans having been wrecked, their
supply of provisions was rather
limited. Cedar Keys is an island
about three miles distant from Mar
tins Island, and is inhabited by
about seven families. As the west
ern part of Florida in this latitude is
almost uninhabited, there is little or
10 trade at this port, and consequent
Ily it is the day. of small things
with them as yet. Sewanee river
empties into the Gulf about twenty
miles above Cedar Keys, and affords
freight for small steamboat.
| Our boys spent the most of this
and the following day fishing and oys.
tering, while some Of them were
gathering shells and curiosities.-
Among the curious inhabitants of the
deep i would mention the Star fish,
having five regular points like those
you see Oh the banner of our coun'
TRY; the JelIy-fsh which looks like
the white of an egg rather than 9
fish; the Sting-a-re, which is round
and fiat like a pancake, and has 6
| tail about three inches long. On the
upper side of the tail lies its sting
which resembles common sewing
needle, and is said to cause death al
most instantly. The Toad-fish is
complete combination of the common
toad and fish. It is generally about
eight inches long, having a skin
head, and prominent, yellow eyes
lust like our toad 1t has fOre-legs
4 which are short, and terminate in 6
web-foot. Its body and tail is en-
tirely like a fish, and of course it has
no hind legs. There are several kind;
of sea-weed.which are beautiful; some
of the boys procured some for specl
mems, but / was not SO fortunate.
however dried some Star-fsh ant
/ brought home with me, together witt
| great many beautiful shells, which
are still to be seen at my Office.
i In few days we began to feel like
returning, and one morning of w
started sure enough, and had to en-
counter the same difficulties in get
fting off the island as in getting OF
it. However, / must not forget t.
mention the kindness of Mrs Ogles
by in sending US up some nice brea'
: and sweet cakes for our journey, am
, also to the 'old man who had as
! sisted US in fishing, and let US hay
r his boats. lie at first refused to &C
, cept any remuneration for his serv'
f ces, but we at length prevailed o
, him to accept a five dollar lV'll'an
$ We all parted as good friends, shak
5 ling hands with all the family and tn
: gals too, and inviting them, II the
: ever come up into our 'dggans,
lcan and see US. The old lady wa