The Southern herald., 1882-09-02

when near OHs Of the gunboats, Tom told bin
sisrOly to shut up Or be Eeald threw bin
overheard. Rslursiug. the slOoP Of course
made better time. and when New Orleans
was reached aud the money vas paid, The
druggist volunteered the Information that ths
barrels eontained ten thousand dollars worth
Of qalnius and other drugs il cases packed
10 the whisky barrels,
0n another occasion. when required to
bring a small heavy box from hidiOg place
near Biloxi, the same man, after getting the
box 90 board at night, ran over TO tbs Chan
delsur Islands, took 10 lot Of pelican oil,
smsared bis boat iaside and ont with it, and
started for home. after packing the bsx in a
larger Ons and covering it With several sides
Of bacon and soms Olher provisions. When
II is knOwa that pelican oil is obtained by
chasing young pelicsns, knocking them down
with sticks, throwing the bodies into large
trOughs and leaving them exposed to the sun
until the beat extracts tbs oil. which is
drawn Of from The dscompossd mass, it may
be imagined that the smell is anything but
pleasant. With this cargo IN an open boat
aud under the bot suu, no inspector cares to
take more than a second glance at the craft,
and the officer Of the guuboaia. after Order-
ing him to come to them. held their hand
ksrchieis to their noses aud more huHiedly
ordered him away. he delivered tie box
without trouble. and was handsomely paid,
but never learned what it contained.
al one time a Confederate officer Of high
rank. and connected with ous Of the best
families iu New Orleans, came to him With
whom be before bad dealings and wanted to
be taken across the lake. The officer had
escaped from prison presumably through
bribery, and a viglant search was being
made for him. Ten Struggled him into the
swamp near Indian Bayou, furnished him
with provisions, kept him there three days
and nights, and one dark. tsmpssIuous even
log, about 10 o'clock, started him across the
lake, a distance Of about 2s miles, 10 small,
skif built sail boat, The passage was a
perilous one, and even alarmed Tom al times
while the officer was SO terrified that be once
refused to bail out the boat, saying it was
no use, as they were certainly lost. AT early
dawn the storm subsidsd, aud they found
themselves near the north shore. but nearly
three miles from the appointed place, which
they reached, however, without interruption,
and where the officer found a friend with
two horses awaiting him. Hs escaped to
bis own lines, but was afterwards heard to
declare that had be known what was 10 store
for him that night, be would have remained
in prison in preference to encounteFiug such
an experience. A day or two after his return
Tom dropped into large Wholesale house
on Canal street, and was handed blank
envelope containing Eve Sl00 bills,
The Indian Bayou is, or a short time ago
was, strong skif twenty feet Or more in
length, and Of FIVE or six feet beam. The
old skih has history, aud for craft worth
only eight or ten dollars has probably carried
more valuable eargoes than any similar clumi
sy contrivance ever did. Il has probably
made forty OF fifty trips from different bayOus
across the Lake Pontchartraiu, distance ol
twenty eight miles, aud always at night and
always landing In the same place. Joufed'
crates well posted regarding signals, were
always on the lookout for il when it wa'
expected, and the skif was pulled right oyel
wagon sunk in the water on shelving
beach when it brought load. -Four or siz
powerful horses were hitehsd to the wagon
and as soon as the boat was ia position, away
the team went through the woods, carrying
boat, cargo and oil. The game was continued
: uaiutsrruptedly, hundreds Of thousands o
dollars worth Of drugs and other valuable
, articles being transferred 10 that manner
until one night the passage was unusually
rough and the boat was delayed so that il
the early dawn It was sighted by the look
out on guuboat Chase was made, but b.
almost superbuman exertionu the men man
aged to reach the shore, The boat was ru
: over the submerged wagon, and in the twink
lag Of eye boat, cargo, team and me
: disappeared in the woods, much TO the as
: constituent Of the crew 10 the guuboat, wh
: were even then coming 10 in yawls, and cor
/" ideutly expected a good haul. The la'
;" trip. however. broke up the business at tha
> point, as such a close watch was afterwar
kept 10 that vicinity as to make il impOssibl
to effect landing.
John W, a jolly, whole sOuled fellow
= probably a. thoroughly acquainted with Ii