Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-20

regarding it?''
"well, that's easily done" repliel he
worst bit OF a road you ever saw in your
life. lt Is the only track across pipe clay
bottom. It's mile and q half long and a
thousand miles deep, according to my best
To bt ar a horse on top ia July or August, but
the first shower spoils IL again. The pipe
clay is rather stickier than glue. Ifhorse or
man gets his foot into II an inch, the easiest
way ont Is TO unscrew the foJt a I'd take it,
You can't pull it out, that's certain, aud IL
you Try to cress 1t now, your horse'll go in
leg deep the first STEP That's what / know
about the DEVILS Race-cOurse. It's mile of
utter impassability.'
This was definite, at least, IL not encour-
aging, and after debating the matter in my
mind, determined to cross the river aud
inspect The race course--some miles away
for my self. Accordingly, the next morning
I was IN the saddle eaily, and stealing away
nom Greenwood before its citizens were
astir, lest they should run after me as bows
do after an elephant.
The travelling was rsasonably good until
we reached the Pile clay land. Here |
matted, and cutting stout stick, Went for
ward on foot TO inspect the road. Returning,
sat down by the roadside IN reflect. If /
should att mpt the passage, l knew 1 should
almost certainly lose my horse and possibly
myself. L knew something of pipe clay, ami
was not deceived by Its speciOus look Of sta
billty.
realized the difficulty and the danger of
the attempt was about to make to the fu l.
est extent; but determined TO make il In
spite of all. Had not already come loIg
way for this express purpose? Did not "a
insurance agents promised land lie beyOu1
this slough of despond? And would not
Major ~ nash his teeth when he should
learn that had been the first to enter IT?
This last was, 1 confess, the chief imp slling
motive.
Mounting Broadly, my horse, L pushed
forward cautiously. In very few minutes
his hoofs began to make reports like that of
a pistol, as be withdrew them from the glu-
tinous mud. He was sinking perceptibly
deeper at every step, but his magnificent
strength still enabled him to LIT his feet and
go forward. He understood the difficulty,
apparently, and was careful 10 take very
short steps. When he had gone quarter of
a mile, however, he began TO show signs of
exhaustion. The labor was too severe TO be
borne much longer. Presently he stuck fast,
and failed in his effort to withdraw his feet.
Instantly slipped off to relieve him OF my
weight. As sank a little way into the clay,
be eXtricated himself, | led aim with great
difficulty toward a little log twenty feet in
front OF US.
Standing upon this to avoid sinking, 1 or
dered Broadly to lie down.-a trick l had
taught him in sport. He lay down at the
word, and lying, was able to rest
The little log was slowly sinking under
me, but before it was completely buried,
BROADLY was in wind" again, and L went
forward as before, walking and leading him.
our progress was very slow and very ex-
hausting.
When we had gone a hundred yards far
Their, / made use of q little clump of roadside
ana s SIDE
next stage was long and disastrous one.
One of my feet became so firmly fastened in
the clay that extricated it only by drawing
IL out of the boot, which was forced to leave
there as a tribute, suppose to the clOven-
hoofed potentate upon whose possessions 1
was tres passing
discovered that two of his shoes had been
torn away, while the other two were so loose
as to be serious hindrance to his progress.
By dlnt OF climbing over him, and partially
supporting myself upon his body, managed
TO remove he remaining shoes entirely, but
as did so my hat blew of, and dared not
60 after 1t.
had begun the passage at ten o'clock
and at four dragged myselfo ont on the other
side, muddy, hatless. with but one boot, and
utterly exhausted. But L had traversed the
lOnged- for swamp country a full month be-
fore Major N would dream Of attempt
ing to penetrate IL. This thought cOnsoled
me, as / turned Broadly loose to browse,
and roll, and rest, and stretched my weary
lin bs on q friendly log.
knew for myself, now, what the race
course was, and was fully prepared TO ad-
NIT that IL was '.just a little the worst bit Of
re ad" had ever seen. Both horse and man
were too tired 10 go on, and SO / camped
where was for the night. The next morn
II | repaired damages at Crossroads,
y here blscksmitn's shop and a country
sore were boon companions. l was a hero,
OF course, daring expOlrer, as soon as it be-
ca me known that had traversed the ID evils
81 mellow, out in the country, and locked TO
IL e cross roads TO see me. insured num-
b, of them, but in pursuance of my plan. /
81 eedily pushed on 10 the plantation of Mr.
+. +, the king OF the swamp-a rich
n an of fine Intelligence and ripe culture, an
cd friend OF my fathers, whose example and
infiuence knew were all-pOwerful. ar
rived at his house Saturday evening, and re-
manned over Sunday, enjoying no little the
resttul company of his excellent wife and
/ carefully avoided asking him to insure,
c)ntenting myself with seeking his advice
as 10 my course in the swamp. This brought
up n e subject OF insurance Saturday night
and in ans wer to his own aui his wife's Ia
terested questions, 1 explained the matter,
Sunday was passed quietly, without refer
ence of any sort to business, but on Monday
morning, when 1 asked for my horse, Mr..
T said he wished me to prepare appli-
cations for himself and his wife first. He in
sured for fifteen thousand dollars, and his
wife for ten thousand, and 1 received his
of the premiums. He suggested that night
spare myself the trouble OF a second venture
into the swamp by collecting as l went, and
agreeing TO deliver the policies when they
came, not to the applicants themselves, but
TO q we'll known gentleman who lived "Out
In civilization" and / adopted the sugges-
ton at once.
My hosts example was contagious, and
within three days / had prepared applica-
tlons for evey insurable man and woman in
the swamp who was able 10 pay the pre-
MUM, and my pocketoook had grown cor
pulent with cheeks on New Orleans. NV
can wasting tour ended on the eastern side OF
the Tallahatchee, In the country between
that river and the Yalabusha, the two
streams which unite just above Greenwood
TO make the IaZOO.
i spent the night with Mr.. T IS neph-
ew, who applied for policy as soon as he
learned that his uncle had set the example
The country physicians had served me as
examining surgeons, and my work was nov
done. But how was to get out of the swamp
again? This was problem that puzzled me
no little. dreaded a second attemp t 10 ira
verse the race course more than did COM
pulsOry stay of q month in my present quar-
ters, but was, nevertheless, very anxious to
get heme again. 1 approached my host on
the subject.
"Mr. T, Is there any possible way out
OF the swamp except the Greenwood reuter-"
"In July and August there Is: and If
you've pluck enough to try 1t, you may get
out that way now, possibly"
replied that believed had pluck enough
for anything, to which he answered.: "WelI.
l reckon you have, as you crossed the race
course. You can ride down the river bank
till you come TO q little open place, three
miles below, where q big dead Sweetgum
stands by itself. There you must turn square
to your left, and ride about twelve miles
across country TO the bank OF the Yalabusha.
It's through the woods all the way and it's