The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-04-13
NUNIRRE u.
IN THE ETERGL4DES.
\ STORY OF THE SEMINOLE WARM FLORIDA
THE DEADLY SWAMI.

The exploration of the everglades of
Florida bring to light many incidents of
the long and terrible Seminole war. BE
yond the Mules Walluw" there IL \
marsh about which the most remarkable
stories are narrated. 1t Is called Feather
Bed Bay No wild animal when chased
10y the hunter was ever known to CroSs
il the baying of the hounos might tuiCe
the deer a little way from the himer earth,
but ii would then become alarmed with
lis rapid sinking and struggle uut even
''iuto the jaws OF death" Under the tread
of any living thing upon the treacher"us
tussocks the whole surface OF the marsh
Nill trembe as if il we're merely a floating
scum on a hidden depth Of water. A. one
surveys its tall furze and tufted grass,
traversed by the quivering undulatI"ns
produced 10y the breeze, and pondeis ou
the frightful stories Of the lives which have
been smothered in the unfathumable slime,
his wonderlnent at the applicat iuu of the
name of Feather Bed Bay Grasses Ii
was comparatively unknown t. the whites
until one battle took place. The Indians,
i'll retreating, hoped by their superior light
hess of foot to cross the Feather Bed
Bay before they were overtaken. They
would have avoided IL had they NOT been
pressed very hntly, and ON boldly attaining
the other shore they thought that the whites
would he induced to attempt TO follow
prevented the safe passage upon which they
had reckoEed. The surface OF the bay
shook under so many moccasined Ieet, and
warrior after warrior sunk in the slime, his
last breath gurglins up like the cruak of
the frog at twilight. To add to the horror
of the scene, which even to the heated
whites WAS repu!siye, Indian women, v hum
runners had warned of the nearing strug-
gle as they sat fishing on the margin of
''Sink a. PlnhuulIs, appeared on the fur
ther side of Feather Bed Bay wlinging
their hands and tearing their hair with
terror rs their husbands, brothers, lovers
and fathers struggled with the strange cy-
clops. Same of them even flung them
selves with long reSounding ana long le-
membered shIicks into the fatal pool of
mIre ano Disappeared with ,hplr defenders
4 Stalnar. warriors, whose CoppeIN flesh
seemed 4 Icdder hue from having been
painted with the blood of the whites, pain
fully Struggled back 10 the shore, with
eyes glaring, tongues prouuding and faces
streaked with the sweat and gore There
the Whites with the passion Of revenge
grimly burning IL their eyes, stooQ firing
3 at the figures which were attempting to
/ reach the other side c; and those who sLrEg-
gled back, atlrighted with death Ia 50 SICK
Cnlng form, were given their quietus Toy
blows inflicted with the butts of their
muskets. Their bodies were thlust back
into the mine and never seen more
Fifty of the savaEes passed Feather
Bed Bay either 10y tIeading the tussocks
7 win superior Gu.Ckness and agility ur lay
running around il with then utmost speed.
The latter example Was folluNed 10y many
of the whites, who resumed the pursuit,
after preventing the escape from the saEe
4 of two braves who toilsd nearly shoa ider
deep 20 the edge. Some Of the whites here
turned back, but others, foigctiiug disci-
lline aud not hearing tie voice of com
maud, pressed IN ia bot pursuit. The
night had lallcn and lie sound vi break
ing vines and shrubs and the splashing of
the water IN the mUIa>Ses as the fugi.gNcs
swept through WAS all that guided the
soldiers. On, uu they went the faint lzhJ
of the moon only served to confuse n
. neither objects, and the ViStss OF pine aud
4 cypress assumed strange aspects a. they
sptd along. 1hcIe was a sort of mfoAItzt-
tion in the wilderness, and uncertainty ut
the lunt. There Was danger of ambush
/ by wild beasts 2s well as 10y sayages. they
: heard the SNAIL of the panther over their
. heads frequently as they passed :uto the
dense taugle of the palmetto hamulpcks or
light eye jungles. But they sere men
/ who had pause 10 thirst for the blood Of
the Seminoles, and they knew duriHg these
hours Of night only of the na~ pear, l.1,y
/ distant sound o. their Footsteps and hated
VGices sometimes the sobs oi the queIu-
lous squaNS, sometimes the uciAiug Wells
OF the fieud like warriors.
Judging 10y the position uf tie ruoun,
they went eastward from the '-Sink O Pin
I hooks wLeTe there stood a few deserted
4 wiEwams, crvssed several streams aud
'thicks, u and finally approached laile
island IN the midst of great expausr of
water aud forest. The island was drls,.i,
/ and closely shaded with mag uolias. b.lNs
! and live oaks, and great camp lire VA lae
center cast about a wonderful glow which
! disclosed 10 them a circle uG many ~ ~
vans. The Indians stood At bay and re
neSed the fight. But they were surprised
by the sudden apDaritiun oi iheir iuisu-
ers, who, they supposed, had been balticd
10y the tuTtuous aud tauglcd way which
they had led them. The sui,ii"rs da>hrd
In upon them and killed sguaW, bat they
I were quickly surrounded by more Iudlasls
than they had expected tu eucouniei. aud
cJula only cut then way back ln;sa tile,
lnOraSs, from which they maintained tu ,i,--
casiOnal fire at the figures, which ventured
ont of The wigwams, They related that
some of these were negropS- They ih.ll
plunged backward the way than the, I'D
come, and about sunrise foliiId theius,iv. 5
at the LoNel PiuAUrk Sink.