The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-08-06
The Cattle nerders of Elorlan.

A letter dated Fort Myers, Florida,
says: The Caloosahatchee Mt this point
isa deep and wide stream, affording
easy navigation for ocean craft. From
here eastward the river narrows, and
drains an open prairie, or savann-
country. This region Is a vast cattle
range, and inhabited only by herders
and the remnants Of the Seminoles.
Some of these cattle raisers are wealthy,
andfpiide themselves on their acquisi-
tions. Cuba affords them market
and their available wealth Is mostly in
Spanish doubloons, though great deal
OF 1t is in Mexican dollars. The silver
money Is kept in sacks representing $50,
800, or 5000. and never untied-pass-
ing from hand to hand for the amount
marked on the tag. Every man is his
own banker, and his coin is good deal
safer under bis own roof than 1t would
be in the custody of any bank. 1t would
be impossible to rob one of these cattle
men OF his money and get away with it.
The weight of the coin would prevent
rapid flight, and there Is no place to fly
to If fight were possible. Hemmed in
by swamps and ocean there Is no safety
for him who would rob his neighbor,
for he could not get away or make use
at home Of what was another's. II
theft were attempted swift punishment
would follow the offense. No useless
judge or superfluous jury would con-
sumo time in determining the magnitude
of the crime. The offender would die
with his boots on, and there would be
no cumbering of a court record with the
transaction.
The people of this region are honest
from a desire to be so. Everybody's
house Is open. The merchant, who is
always his own clerk, leaves Enclosed
the door of his store when he goes to
diuner. Ii q customer should come in
during his absence and want a plug of
tobacco, he would take the tobacco and
leave the value of it in coin in its place.
II he couldn't make the exact change at
the time he would mention It after
ward and square the account. There is
no such thing as cheating on the part of
a merchant. He couldn't keep store if
he was known to cheat, and he never
attempts it. There is unlimited mutual
confidence on the part of buyer and
seller.
One of these "cattle kings" as the
herders designate each other, is miser,
and lives in a miserable hut, with no
company but dogs. He has boxes of
doubloons in untold numbers secreted
about his premises, has no visitors and
no neighbors, for, in addition to being n
miser, he is hermit. Perhaps fancy
has credited him with more wealth
than he actually possesses, but he is
reputed the richest man in Florida, and
marvellous stories are told of the gold
and silver he has buried. AS poorly as
this miser cattle king lives, there are
none of them who live much better.
Bacon is their staple meat. and with all
their cattle, they have neither milk nor
butter, and fresh beef but seldom.
With climate and soil that would
produce fruits and vegetables the year
round, they have nothing of the kind,
except what is gathered in a wild state.
One or two families at Fort Myers have
done something in the way of producing
fruits, but elsewhere about here no ef-
forts are made in this direction.
The Ca!oosahatchee is favorite
home of the alligator. Thousands line
its hanks, basking in the hot sun OF
April. Deer are found in abundan ce
and bears and wild cats are too numer-
Gus to make the rearing of hogs or
sheep possible except in Enclosures.
Fish of fine quality can be had for the
catching. Birds of gaudy plumage and
ravishing song enliven the forest, and
bush and tree of exquisite flower and
foliage make picture OF which the eye
delights to linger.