The New York herald., 1877-09-14


TO OF the just hatred OF men. for rnsy would
wrggle OF into the river moment with Shiny
splash and rise no more.
A TRUTHFUL SNAKE STORY
Apropos, when we had just finished discussing the
proportions Of OF these reptiles OF my assist
ants related adventure which made my flesh
creep SIT was down do Fenhalloway River. " said
he, when de Emancipation yet great way on
Ny ole massa an dis chile a-hshin in de river;
dat's to say, a-lshn' au' a-polin' OF
dc boat You know how de river is. doesn't you? You
know do palmettoss and bays what kinder hangs
de water Well, one OF dem de boat done has for
to pass under. auybow-eastwise you can't 90
a-down de river less you pole her under
it, do oddsr channels shaller. Well
mo am ole massa was gon' thro'
dycre slow like. I'D seed power OF snakes dyere
aiore roun' dc edgo Of dc water wc was a-goin'
along; nebber tinkin bout nuffin-when, mop !-dyere
fell TREMENDOUS moccasin all coilcd an ready to
strike, right in de middle OF de boat Why, chile,
tell you dis niger skecred dat air fust tme shua
nun. De massa he seize hole de branches q sweet
gum an swing hsself clean clar Of de boat; an he
done hung dyere doan know how long But jis watch
dat air crttur in de boat He look at me an look
right at bim but seed him lit' his head slowly
an slowly as If he war gwine for to strike. All de
time war tryn' 10 de boat ashore aud assay.
in my prayers fas ever could but when seed
dat great fiat head an forked tongue an burnin eyes,
while massa war u shoutin, Jump out dc boat! jump
out do bOat' up wild dc pole an struck at
do sarpnt Lord a-massa! I missed him an
do pole broke big hole through do
bottom. Tho water rushed in an de snake done make
for dis nigger. l jump into dat river mighty quick
an wade for de shore up TO de neck in mud an water
like de debbl would kotcn me. AM decar do dcbbii
would not a-skcered me more, nohow. De massa he
had got ashore an he help out and he 'clar done
turned pale gnost Massa all wet an nasty
too for he done had for to drop in to dc water Tell
you, darkies II dat snake had got into dc river fore
got clean away he would done nnishcd dis hycrc
chile" So saying, he piled the pole, and reflected
that if he had once turned pale many sultry suns
must have given him back very generous tan, for he
is the biackest OF my henchmon.
sUBAoUEoUs WONDERS.
Not Of tho least wonders We beheld was the
myriad Of snails. In some great abysses which
our boat glided seeming more frail such gaping
peril whore there water weeds could examine
the bottom 100 feet below If the water were
magnifyng lens, and bched it sprnkled with beauti-
ful specimens Of mollusk life. Their shells, under tho
peculiar eject OF the aqueous medium of the light,
cleaned with hucs Of the rainbow. Reaching my
hand into the stream and lifting handful Of the long
grass out Of tho found the blades bejcwsllsd
with these gems, which could examine at leisure.
No queen possessed splendid a casket OF
ments us is the Wacissa River but alas when taken
from her Depths like ambitions which We achieve
they lose their ustre in tho dulled perception of
reality Lying the bottom, too, wc could decry
brilliant hucd lizards aud black housed terrapns
PROVINCIAL NoMENsiArURE.
Tho negros uppellations for many things in nature
extremely amusing Ho desgnates tcrrapin
scooter" and one OF the larger kind is alligator
cooter." Tho "coot'' is the "Bue Pcter;' tho
iS ha stnior tnrka hc hut
tern tho 'nigger boy" The alligator through
out the South is known to every the gator"
woodpecker is q "pecker.wood"
CAPTURED rARrlKs.
Some writer's about Florida have doubled the ex-
stence OF the species OF the woodpecker
tho ivory bill or picus principals During each day
OF voyage thus far have frequently heard pairs
OF them hammering away at the dead trunks ir the
swampy edge Of the stream. The blows which they
deal the wood with their terrible beaks sounding like
joiner at work, unmisakable; but as u further
evidence their nfantile cries conclusive An hour
ugo Jake went in quest of male and fcmalc across
the river. He pushed tho boat into a small bayou and
crept up on them very cautiously. He shot both Of
them SO as to disable them and brought them over
camp triumphantly. Their anger is fierce, and thoy
keep up. shrl and dismal squaling all
the time which might deceive passer
into the belief that trying to
establish the stwn relic Of bsrbarsm' tho banks
of the Wacissa. As write my mplacable prisoners
fast drilling holo into a water bucket which
they have tied. With their angry and their
persistent hammcring they make me wish for ''The
Anvil Chorus'' as moro endurable
INVERTED FORESTS.
The river for distance OF twelve miles from its head
is broad and majestic Tho current is rapid but gen.
tie, and while it onward bears scarcely ripple
on its surface except from passing zephyr Its bor-
dcrs OF venerable woods, which Iise out of tho water
are reflected with much the aspect Of reality that
the beholdcr is fan to believe that he forests In
verted, phantasy which would bcttcr accord with
ancient theories regarding China than with those OF
the present day, and to which mon as trees wakng''
could bear no comparison for Intrinsic novelty.
A MAZE or CHANNELS.
singular feature OF the Wacssa Is that Il grows mar.
rover and narrower toward its mouth Much moro
water seems to come from its source than is dis
charged into the Aucilla. The contraction of its
banks, or rather of the morasses combining t-for It
scarcely be said to have banks except at certain
ponts-begns at a string Of islands, which are very
picturesque, and, dividing the broad channel into
maze OF chutcs, bcwildcr tho voynger much to his
rghttul course Here an Infinite number of sruns
and bayous which may lead away for miles, and then
suddenly terminate in bog ooze or be clogged by
drifted timber, or their waters may sink in neither
caverns TO emerge again nobody knows where
Where they separate from the main strean, they all
appear equally broad and practicable but alas! for him
who trusts their fair seeming alone He may be al.
lurcd by bit OF enchanting scenery in one
or the rapid current of another but un-
loss he has old habitue OF tho river
as his guido WOO will como OF his error
1t will be like wandering without light in the
labyrinths Of tho Mammoth Cave. The islands are
covered with rank and brilliant vegetation. Rising
from tho smooth and impld river abruptly, IN which
they arc faithfully mirrored, they seem
- the baseless fabric u droam
Indeed just before reaching then an ancient tree
called King Cypress, which stands midway OF the two
shores in majestic lovelness there is anchored vert
able floating ISLE 1t is of DIR Il and alIu
vium, borno up by the lighlness OF the former and