The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-04-13
IN THE ETERGL4DES.
A STORY OF THE SEMINOLE WAR IN FLORIDA
THE DEADLY SWAMP.

THE DEADLY SWAMI.
The exploration of the everglades of
Florida bring 10 light many incidents OF
the long and terrible Seminole war. BE
yond the Mules Wallow'' there is a
marsh about which the most remarkable
stories narrated. 1t is called Feather
Bed Bay" No wild animal when chased
10y the hunter was ever known to cross
it the bayinG of the hounos might foIce
the deer little way from the firmer earth,
but il would then become alarmed with
lis rapid sinking and Struggle out even
Unto the jaws of death" Under the tread
of any living thing upon the treacherous
tussocks the whole surface of the marsh
will tremble as if it we're merely floating
scum on hidden depth of water. As one
surveys its tall fuIze and tufted grass.
traversed 10y the quivering undulaIlons
produced 10y the breeze, and ponders ON
the frightful stories of the lives which have
been smothered in the unfathnmable slime,
his wonderment at the application of the
name of Feather Bed Bay ceases. Ii
was comparatively unknown t. the whites
until one battle took place. The Indians,
in retreatiug, hoped by.heir superior light
LESS of foot to cross the Feather Bed
Bay before they were oveTtaken. They
would have avoided 1t had they not been
pressed very hotly, and on boldly attaining
the other shOret they thought that the whites
would be induced to attempt to follow
them. But the trepidatiun of the moment
prevented the safe passage upon which they
had reckoned. The surface of the bay
shook under SO many mnccasincd feet, and
warrior after warrior sunk in the slime, his
last breath gurgling up like the crOak of
the frog at twilight. To add to the horror
of the scene, which even to the heated
whites was repulsive, Indian women, whom
runners had warned of the nearing strug-
ole lpy ST fSbf f,a
sink q lInhooks," appeared the fur
ther side of Feather Bed Bay" wiinging
their hands and tearing their hair with
terror as their husbands brothers, lovers
and fathers struggled with the strange cy-
clops. Some of them even flung them
selves with long Tesounding and long re-
membered shrieks into the fatal pool of
mire and disappeared with their defenders.
Stalwar. warriors. whose cOppeTy flesh
SEEMED n Tedder hue from having been
painted with the blood of the Whites pain
fully struggled back to the shore. with
eyes glaring, tongues protTuding aud faces
streaked with the sweat aud gore. There
the whites, with the passion of revenge
grlmly burning IN their eyes, stoo0 firing
at the figures which were attempting TO
reach the other side and those vino strug-
gled back, affrighted with death in 50 SICK
cning form, were given their quietus by
blows inflicted with the butts of their
muskets. Their bodies were thrust back
into the mire and never seen more.
Fifty of the savages passed Feather
Bed Bay either by treadIng the tuSsocks
wuh superior quckness aud agility or 10y
running around IL with their utmost speed.
The latter example was followed by many
of the whites, who resumed the pursuit,
after preventing the escape from the miTe
of two braves who toiled nearly shoulder
deep 20 the edge. Sume Of the whites here
turned back, bat others, foI getting disci-
plIne ana not hearing the voice of COM
mand, pressed On in hot pursuit. The
night had Fallen and the sound Vf break
ing vines ano shrubs and the splashing of
the water in the mUrasses as the fuQi:lves
swept through was all that guided the
soldiers. On, on they went the faint light
of the moon only served to confuse pn
neither objects, and the vistas of pine and
cypress assumed strange aspects as they
sped along. There was sort of intoAicsl-
tiOn IN the Wilderness, and uncertainty of
the hunt. There was danger OF ambush
by wild beasts as well as by savages. They
heard the snaIl of the panther over their
heads frequently as they passed :uto the
dense tanglc of the palmetto hammucks or
Eight eye" jungles. But they were men
who had cause to thirst for the blood of
the Seminoles and they knew during these
hours of night only o. the now near, now
distant, sound Of their footsteps and hailed
voices sometimes the subs col tie uuettt-
Ions squaws, sometimes the defying wells
of the tiend like warriors.
Judging 10y the position of the moon,
they went eastward from the 'iSinl o Pin
hooks" where there stood a few deserted
wigwams, crossed several streams and
'thicks," and finally approached "A lsiue
island IN the midst of a great expans, uf
water aud forest. The island was dcusely
and closely shaded with mag n.,iias. baNs
and live oaks, and a great camp tire in lhe
center cast about a wonderful z low, which
disclosed to them a circle of many viz
vans. The Indians stood al bay and re-
ne~ed the fight But they were surprised
10y the sudden apnarition Of their lursu-
ers, who, they supposed, had been baffied
10y the tortuous aud tangled WAY which
they bad led them. The soldiers dashed
in upon them and killed a squaw. bat thcy
were quickly surrounded by more Indians
than they had expected 10 eucuunter and
cculd only cut them way back m.o the
morass, from which they maintained au ,,c-
casional fire at the figures, which ventur-i
out of the wigwams. They relnIed li,au
some OF these were negroes. They ii,s,,
plunged backward the way that the, had
come, and about sunrise found themselves
at the Lower Pinbook Siuk