The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21
A PERILOUS WORK.
Observation Obtained of a Black
Column of Smoke.
THE FIRST DAYS MARCH
Horrible Adventure with
MOccaSin Snakes.
THE HERALD CAMP AT SINK o. PIynooGs, !

Feb. y. 1871 }
The first step in the effort to find the ''snoke"
which from the vicinity OF the Wacssa morass,
inauguratcd by the HERALD, to consult and COM
pare all the observations previously made by persons
whose interest had been enlisted. The mystery evil
IDENTIFY could not lilo IN the districts heretofore ex-
pored. All the old lines OF observation had been
proven by the actual test OF pursuing them
beyond the distance at which tho phenomenon had
appeared during the past fifty years All OF them
were therefore abandoned. The HERALD encampmcnt
even placed further beyond the limit OF explora
ton than any previous discoveries, excepting Bell,
had ever venturcd
The negroes whom have employed to aid us IN
penetrating the wilderness OF slime and tanglewood
selected for ihoir adap,ablity to such toll They
climb the tall expresses and slender bays as nimby as
the raccoon. Indeed, 1t is "coon hunters" that
they gained their education IN this art AT my bidding
they VIII chccrlully shn up' to the branches OF tho
Hottest trees and from their tops give me an accurate
description OF the peculartes OF the unges, In which
sometimes lose ourselves. These achievements
may make the of the beholdcr to quake, but do
not for one moment unsteady the nerves OF the
climber.
THE HERALD OBSERVATORY
All the observations taken from Linn Hill had hith-
erto mised those VINO had attempted the discovery
During January the weather had proved unfavorable
TO display OF the 'smoke but line had been pro-
jected toward lis apparent locality and ut its terminus
lofty lookout constructed Its erection consumed
three days. The method was novel one and de-
scription of IT may be interesting to the reader The
tallest pine within Il radius Of a mile was chosen
II a veri,abic king of tho woods-onc Of the long
haired pines whom the lesser pines do homage. Its
trunk the base three diameter and IL rises
colossal column $50 feet with branches detract
from Its majestic symmetry below that height; but
there its rich asseeL boughs spread like the light and
graceful capital OF Grecian column, II they sup
ported the far distant heavens.
The enormous pine was too portly to BIO embraced
by the arms OF Dallas the most experienced climber
in the party. The method OF converting 1t into look
by fastening great Stats the with strong
spikes. The first placed about two feet above
the ground, and the others about the same distance
apart each being into the trunk two inches, In
order render The length OF tho Stats was
greater than the diameter of the trcc thus aordng
foothold for the climber. But the work OF
placing them in position difficult than may
be apparent The workman carried with him
Ratchet, package Of spikes and coil OF rope Each
new ioothod was basis Tor forming another above
him. and at every advance the peril became greater
His weight thrown against the rough coating OF tho
old tree sustained only by the latest secured STAT
while with unlinching ne contrived to lash him.
self fast with the rope and then to niche
succeeding step of the ladder Then he drew slat
up to hin with rope and spiked it fast. In this
tedious and toilsome way the lookout grew in height,
until finally the third day, Dallas, with burst OF
his native melody drove in the last spike OF the last
Stat and it complete The branches gave footing for
nh ascent OF about twenty feet more, and the high
est perch the observer attitude $50 feet
above the ground.
The achievement OF building the HERALD lookout
created feeling OF jubilee in the camp, and great
expectations formed OF the successful discovery
which might be the result. Dallas wearied to
climb up among tho branches the evening when he
finished his work, but next morning he started
forth Tor his aerial station, and from the cluster
Ing branches was heard his joyous shout.
GLIMPSE OF THE
The ''smoke' The impressions which
had formed from study OF previous observations
md the theory OF Bell, apparently confirmed.
There rose, in dense black volume rolling up with
fierce rapidty like the secthing fumes from some
giant witchs caldron, or like Vesuvan cloud.
Doubts OF its extraordinary origin sunocatcd and
lived no more in my mind FER considerable time
WHAT SAID
Having identified the ''smoke' IRON position so
much TO II ttan any else had yet attained
eagerly seized the chance OF determining It's exact
bearing relative TO the HERALD observatory Men
were, therefore, stand the bases of particular
~
object The compass then placed upon this line
and its bearing noted. The needle indicated It to be
seventeen degrees south OF easthe exact direction Of
that portion Of the Wacssa Of which the least
Is known. Dallas declared that he could not mistake
the ''smoke," which visible from Linn Hill, and
that that which he pointed out could be mono other
Tho actual Search therefore, begun OF
The knowledge gained from the top of the lookout and
the succeeding morning preparations made Tor
entering the swamp
Tho reader may have formed poetic ideas of tho
morasscs OF the South from having read .Drcd " or
the tho Lake OF the Dismal SWAMP" but
pronounce them heretical and shall endeavor to
change the picture which has been framed in his
Imagination in It's essential coloring
EXPERIENCE ~ THE SWAMP
We started forth from Camp Pinhook on the Goth Of
January, on tho line which we had established from
the lookout "Aunt' Hannah prepared tor deli
cous breakfast of sausagcs, vcnison and rice and the
heavy brake Of pamcttoes was yet fully laden
with dew tho party threaded It's way In single file to
the spot where the observation previously taken had
been recorded by "blazcs" on the trees.
our unvarying. The plan OF search by
which hoped to avoid possibility OF error com.
PEELED us plunge through the jungcs soughs
or ponds, should ue cross any ouch. He VINO has
been hurled by tho force of power past cstooned
cypress groves and Wild cancbrakc sailed among
thom ON The Oeklawaha or ST. J0hr's rivorS may WOW
them as natures richest and weirdcst expression oil
beauty, staieliness and mysticism; but let him enter
one OF the great Of Florida FOOT with only
the compass and the guides, with the traces of
wild beasts every hand SHINY replies aud terrible
saurians dong sudden menace and making
--each particular hair to stand on end
Like qgis upon the fretnl porcupnc
let him cross ponds of slime and moss, whose surface
trcnbles under his heel and which may engulf HIM
nj any step horrid suiTocaton; let him cut his way
through dense It'll thickets ncraccd with branbles
aud pricKly vines whore mosquitoes and red bugs
swarm in clouds; let him plunge into the malaria
breeding waters of tho dark ana Gorbiddng streams
and nc will conclude that the poetry OF these wlds IS
like their strange aud mysterious presence, the Will
o. tho WISH visible IN its treachcrous glow only