The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-11-21

higher than his head, and formed in parts
an almost impene;rable rshicket through
which they forced their way with difficult
ty. Birds of bright and beautiful plu-
mage flew from tree to tree, seemingly
without alarm at the individuals who
were intrudng on their retreat. Chame-
Icons of transient and varying hues ran
along the bushes, changing color TO that
Of the spot on which they alighted, so as
to be scarcely discernible from the spot
on which they rested. Tracks of rae
coons marked the soil in different drec-
tions, and the party would occasionally
stop to listen to the cry of one of these
creatures at little distance. The parch-
ed and thirsty soil covered here and there
with a rank and wiry grass, was cleft in~
10 long and deep assures, which were sug-
gestiye of subtle and deadly snakes turks
! in the hollows.
While the two men were engaged in
pursuit { f a small animal among the bush
es, Mr.. Adams pushed through the thick
cts and lost sight of lhem, He soon
gained the opposite side of The island and
came to water again. Here, trunks of
great trees stretched along the bank so
as to form kind of jotty. Mr.. Adams
stepped from one to another of these I'M
mense pieces of timber which had no
doubt been swept from the skirts of some
mighty forest, drifted down the river and
! deposited here. He rounded point of
land and found numbef of these logs
lying together, making rude bridge TO
an adjoining island. lie tried them with
his foot, and finding them firm, by tread
ing resolutely and carefully he managed
to cross to the opposite bank. This Is
land he found less inviting in appearance
than the one he left. There was little
cIump of brushwood in the centre, but
otherwise the place was bare of vegeta
ton. The soil was soft and muddy at
the landing, so much so that Mr. Adams
sunk almost ankle deep at every step.
There was a salt spring in one place
which had the shape of cone of glisten-
ing mud, from the top of which a narrow
stream Of brine trickled down, and settled
in a pool al the foot.
There were two small mounds of earth,
each with board at one end on which
an inscription was rudely carved. Mr..
Adams did not need to be informed that
these were graves, for the effluvia arising
from them indicated the interments to
have been recent. In roaming over the
island nc found, great 4sfiTs be- vfnsilas
mounds, from which it would seem that
this had been a burial ground for the
numerous ships leaving a sickly port, and
that the dead had been thus disposed OF
t in preference to being launched into the
sea. The association was not pleasant,
and he turned away TO return by another
: path. The s)il in this direction was SO
f treacherous and soft that he sunk ank le
5 deep at every step. When half way
E across, he found himself plunging up &c
: the knees in clayey and adhesive soil, tc
| extricate himself from which it required
S the most violent struggles. 1t was with
= ar apprehension new to him that he founC
himself at every pause in his exertion!
: settling deeper and deeper in the mud
d To aggraVate his distress, he was assaileC
d by innumerable sand-hies, which fastened
$ on his hands and lace, and stung him tt
= madness. BY repeated and almost fran
r tic efforts he succeeded in gaining a smal
c patch of hard soil, where he had crossed
4 There was a small lake of mud similar t
n that through which he had passed, sur
e rounding the spot on which he stood. II
d looked toward the shore of the opposit
y island in the hope of seeing some of tn
h men but as none of them came, he wa
d nerying his mind TO another plunge throu
c. this terrible slough, when he observed a
n unusually large tree come drifting dow
D. the bayou toward the bridge. For
t. moment he trembled for the safety OF tn
ne fabric by which be hoped to recross, an
was struck with dismay to see it con
d. pletely swept off with the conclusion
e, leaving passage hundred feet wide
E. deep water, and with rapid curren
which he would have to ford, for he vi
od no swimmer.
He breathed hard, and again ventura
ed on the yielding soil, which here was sol
ye er if possible than before. He had nea
ly reached the middle, when he
tempted to place his foot on seeming
he hard substance like piece of hard til
ed Der imbedded in the mud. To his ST
,ly prise this substance rose instead of sin
1or ing under him, and the head of grt
10 alligator with open mouth, emerged tr'
to below. What he had mistaken for dl
of water on the surface was the eye
we the creature while basking in the 81
led With an involuntary exclamation,
ack sprang aside, and by means of a series
zed convulsive plunges he,.managed to fioun
gou through to the solid ground while the
ich tile, fortunately for him, waddled OH
.ms another part of the island at speed
: In made him shudder. When he reae
sed the bank he haIloed to the men till he
nth hoarse, but received no answer. The
rec, was setting, and in few moments
hile would be quite dark. He waited at
,oat point as long as it was possible to see
] to thing. and then seated himself on 81
aLo .I.a.o ho hnd nnf rested q second