The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-04-21
A FLORIDA MYSTERY.

Phenomenon Which, Nobody Has Yet
Been Able to Investigate.
Maurice Thompson, the WE'LL known writer,
and the champion archer of the country, con-
tributes the following from Tallahassee, Fla,
to the Chicago Times: About twenty eight
miles from this city, in the midst of a densely
timbered marsh, there has been seen for more
than forty years dense column of smoke, ris-
ing almost constantly, and defying the investi-
cations of the curious. 1t has long been To-
cally known as the Wakulla volcano, from the
fact that it is situated at no great distance
from the famous Wakulla spring Only yester-
day stood upon high hill south of the city and
! watched the smoke roll IN and drift away from
tnat mysterious spot whittier as vet no human
foot has wandered. Judge White, formerly Of
the circuit court here. and now leading
deal of information touching the so-called vol
cano. In fact, he it was who headed the most
nearly successful of the many parties which
have from time to time attempted to explore
the mystery. The New York Herald once Or
ganized corps of discovery, which most dis
astrouslY failed to accomplish its object. the
leader losing himself in the awful morass and
nearly starving himself before finding his way
out
THE VOLCANO,
or whatever it is, sends up a column of rather
blackish smoke, which may be seen fully thirty
miles in fair weather When first it attracted
attention, some fifty years ago, it was supposed
to be the camping place of band of Indians
left behind when Osceola's braves were ex-
PEELED from Florida. Later the wise heads at
tributed the great pillar of cloud by day to
fires kindled in the swamps by run
away slaves. a few years afterward, during the
war, it was declared to be the work of deserters
from the rebel army of men who had skulked
into the Jungle to avoid conscription But
the Indians are all gone; the slaves are free,
and the war Is long since over; still the smoke
ascends, and still the sailors along the gulf
coast, and the tourists through middle Florida
fres1de story. The thing called vol
cano actually exists. ''Some years ago."
said Judge White, in response to my
inquiries -"some years ago 1 determined to
visit the spot ard solve the mystery of that
smoke. I felt sanguine of success: I believed
then, as do now, that something in the form
of an active volcano, but of course Of very
small dimensions. could easily be found. Or
ganized party of active young men, and, arm
ing myself with a surveyors transit, set out
joint of land I trained my instrument
upon the smoke column, and having
fixed on the line ordered my men to begin
cutting way into the swamp, which, at the
worse, until progress was next to impossible
Cypress, ash. oak, elders, vines, air-plants,
briars, long moss, everything that ever grew
in swamps grew there in tenfold tangle of
luxuriance. The weather was terribly hot, for
in order to get through the wettest parts, we
had to choose midsummer for our exploit, and,
after twodays Of swelteling among the moe
casins, alligators and mosquitoes, ali my men
DESERTED THE ENTERPRISE,
leaving me and plucky colored lad to 60 on
Every foot Of the way had to be chopped ont
while we stood in water from one to three feet
in depth, and suffered the assaults of millions
of ravenous insects In the afternoon of the
third day we reached a tall pine standing on
sandy hillock in the swamp. By cutting cleats
and mailing them transversely to the side of
this tree, as had proposed to do before begin
ming the exploration, I was enabled to climb
to the height of ninety feet, whence viewed
the smoke column rising from the midmost
miles distant The immediate point whence
the smoke issued seemed to be the apex of q
fiat mound of about mile in width. covered
with mass OF swamp growth absolutely I'M
nearly dead with exposure and fatigue, made
my way back by the track had cleared. One
thing is sure, the smoke is there and the mys-
terry is there 1t ought to be thoroughly inves-
tigated." There is no installing Judge Whites
sincerity or doubling his truthfulness. Then
too, his companions in the exploration are
here. and yonder is the column Of black smoke,
towering above the swamp, to add convincing
force to hia story. have talked with many Of
of the oldest and best-informed citizens Of the
column has been visible, with but slight inter-
missions, for at least forty five years All the
old tars on the gulf coast line Of steamers ply
ing between Pensacola and Cedar Keys are
FAMILIAR WITH THIS SMOKE Pillar
as it is very plainly visible from great dis
lance on the water 1t is certainly very re-
markable and mysterious thing Seen from the
hills south of Tallahassee at distance of some
twenty miles, the smoke appears of
about the volume thrown from the smoke-pipe
Of an ocean steamer. When there is no breeze,
the column rises to great height, t1aring at
the top. If the wind is strong it trails
across the wild swamp like low
hanging thunder-cloud Judge White
says he can form no definite opinion as to the
nature of the fire which causes the smoke. If
it is q volcano, it must be very small one, and
Unlike any other In tho world. The crater
could not be over half a mile IN extent, and the
smoke vent not more than few feet in diam
eter, with trees and swamp growth springing
mp close around its rim. TO an energet-
ic, enterprlslng man, not fully acquaint-
ell with what constitutes Florida swamp
jungle, the approach to this volcano would seem,
viewed from distance, quite practicable: but
moments reflection upon facts as they exist
will dispel the delusion. The swamp IN ques-
ton is near the gulf coast, is about fifteen
miles in diameter, is flooded with water grown
full of everything, from gnared cypress-knees
to green-brier brambles, which can serve to
impede the explorer. Add to this mosquitoes,
gnats, foul air, and venomous serpents and
you will begin to see the difficulties No boat
can enter, because, even where the trees and
bushes are cut and removed, the stumps will
be in the way Of course, investigation and
SOLUTION OF THIS MYSTERY
are not impossible; but as yet no one having
both means and Willingness to prosecute the
matter has been found. do not for moment
believe volcano is there; but that something
exists which for many years has baf1led the
curious cannot be doubted 1t seems that no
one having any sciantific knOW|edpe has avar
directed his attention to the subject of this
phenomenon. The idea of volcano in
swamp is treated as absurd, and the column Of
smoke is dismissed as mere smoke and nothing