Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-01-25


nothing to charm the romaneer, or even
provoke the Indian" enthusiast to an
exhibition of his prevailing sympathy
As | had now arrived in a country
void of roads or even tracks. it became
a necessity to me to invoke the aid of
the Indian, especially as my guide
while / was not familiar with this part
Of the Florida world, and nothing but
rStrscing our route, would place him
where he was in country he knew.
did not propose any returL just yet, so,
after pantomimically talking with Billy
Buster, engaged with him to pilot me
all around. After slipper, while loung
ing ,around the fire smoking, l was
reused by hearing, away off in the dis
tance, the most demOniacal yslls l ever
listened to. Soon they changed into q
monotonous chant, and visions of Bea-
dies Library by the wholesale few be-
fore me. In a minute l was scalped,
roasted, frlcasssed and tortured, that is,
in mind, as the loneliness of our situation
was realized; and ali sorts of Indian out
RACES crowded IN on my memory. As the
yeils and singing, came nearer very fast, l
could not restrain myself; so I went to
meet them, resigned to any fate, and won
dering who in the dickens it could be dis
turbing the silence of the night in that
hids0us manner.
did not wonder long, for a mounted
Indian, in buckskin suit and
gaudy trimmings, rode into our camp,
giving one rip roaring yell to finish the
strain. There was sinister smile on his
face, and great amount of .perspiration.
| When he rolled off his horse there was an
uncertainty in his gait, and huge can
teen at his side proved to be the overpow-
ering influence. 1t was Chepko, the Indi-
an Chief, and so drunk as only Injun can
get, and be active. He staid with US un-
til we made some coffee and then went on
his way singing and yelling at his best.
Next morning [ went for Billy Buster.
and ''what sight was there my country
men, " in that camp. Chepko, divested of
his clothes, lay in the dust, too drunk to
rise. All over the surface of the ground
lay f'poor Iniun, in the same condition,
squaw as well, and my guide-where was
hei searched around, turned this and
that one over, until through the clotted
sand around one face [ recognized Billy.
1t took several kicks to arouse him, but
finally got him on his feet and his girl
squaw helping, clothed him in his buck
skin, put him on pony and started.
He soon came out of his drunken stupor
and took the van. His route took me into
the most beautiful country 1 ever saw.
1t was nothing but the most symmetric-
al of hills, and most picturesque of lakes.
The air was salubrious, the vegetation,
trees, and wild flowers charming, and l
gave full enjoyment to that which sur
rounded me. There is peculiar charm in
being away in the depths of a country, of
such nature-away from all civilization
and with nothing but nature for a COM
panion. 1t is then that ones soul rises to
to the occasion, and realizes the Master
Hand, evidenced by every step taken.
There is no loneliness, for all is full Of in
terest, and field is found where all is
more than enhancing company. No one
can describe the feeling that pervades
them, when in such situation as this, 81
lent contemplation is natural, and fills one
with perfect realization of the majesty of
| Nature.
enjoyed such country for two days,
and then left it for one full of swamps,
marshes and creeks.
1t seemed compatible now to have rain,
reaching wet country, and we had it l
assure you. In South Florida, it. rains
very easily-that is, it has no trouble in
falling. The drops just make it busi-
ness to come down; they don't knock
against each other and splinter up into
mist. they just leave the clouds, mind
their own business in coming down, and
fall in their entirety. The consequences is,
that they come quicker, larger, and great
ity for the inside Of everything. II soon
got through my hat, ran down my hair,
gleefully glided down my neck all round,
and found resting place in my boots, and
1 was soon literally standing in water, yet
on horseback.
OF course ought to have been prepared
for. it, had umbrellas, oil-skin coat,
sou'wester, ETC.. but had to be particular
in the weight of what took with me, and
every little helping, did not take the
''littles" along. But I was prepSred-that
is. l did prepare then. l accepted the
moisture as I accepted the sunshine, not
liking to discriminate with Dame Nature,
so prepared for soaking, and soon had
one Isn't it singular when one is wet
through how indifferent he is to water.
| / was / know, and when we halted for
the day, though still raining, l started
out with the driver, to see if we could
furnish some venison for supper. How
pleasant it was; my clothes entered into
it, and would joyfully exclaim, ''swiSh"
'fswosh, while my boots, being lower
down on the scale, would chime in ''quer-
swosh, querswosh." What fun the rain
had oil my nose, always keeping drop on
the end as sentinel, and how it would
chase around my neck, running down my
sleeves ana dropping off my fingers;
then the wicked portion of the rain
would rest on the end Of my back hair,
Just to cool off, and with dexterous
glide, oo-ooh, down it went the whole
lenght of the spine. But pleasure soon
loses its charm in too long continuance,
and it was so with this. Our deer hunt
commenced with determination to do .or
die, for our provisions were getting very
low, and something had to bO done.
Now 1 had never shot deer, nor had
| seen one, nor would know one if |
saw one, perhaps.
had heard good many deer stories,
and all agree that novitiate always had
the "buck fever. They never diagnosed
the disease to me, and Was left in cruel
doubt. somehow felt it in my bones.
that was to take this disease, and it was
| vvbila /; n. mo ,,,,,,, VI mara