The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-12-27
chambers Journal.1
Florida SCrackerS."
ICONCLUDED,

| Gno CRACKERS, VINO nave sprung IIOu
two or three generations Of degener-
ated whites. The omnipotent inhu-
ences of forest solitude, of climatic
exhaustions, Of bad water, and Of an
existence without ambitions, bear
down body, mind and morals to the
level of the native savage. Such en-
vironments mentally debase all who
are subject to them.
I could not resist the inference that,
after century or two, the finest Eu-
ropean race, if left to itself in Florida,
would sink to perhaps lower condi-
ton than the Indians themselves. For
the developed intellect having gone
chiefly towards the ideal, declines,
amid thefvast realities of nature, to a
level beneath that Of the savage, who
has progressed in his special way under
silvan conditions. All the mental up
building which civilization has effect
ed becomes impedimental, when white
people revert to a state from which
their ancestors emerged ages ago.
Hence, unless they keep up contact
with external civilization, and indeed
apply its methods in their daily lives,
they must become victims to a degen-
eracy of which we in England have
no conception.
While I continued to speak to the
Cracker women, who sat listlessly in
the hut, they did not manifest any de-
sire to make acquaintance with me.
Had I addressed two of Madame Tus-
saud's inanimate figures, they would
have displayed as much interest as
those before me- No doubt much
that said was utterly Indifferent to
them; perhaps my language was al
most foreign to them, for the vocab-
ulary Of the Crackers is necessarily
limited. They are mostly illiterate,
and are not concerned with subjscts
that lie out Of their contracted range.
| bore the taciturnity Of the ladies
without effort, since [ wished to study
Cracker life AS far as circumstances
permitted; so, while talking, I exam
ined the details of the miserable hovel
in which their lives were passed. 1t
was about sixteen feet square, built of
small pine logs, and rooted with rough
boards. Through the intervals be-
tween the logs, the air and light came
freely. It had no floor; being on the
crown Of the knoll, the rain flowed
away from it as it fell. There was no
fireplace, for Cracker cooking is al
ways done in the open air. A clumsy
shelf stood at one end Of the hut, and
upon it were placed few plates and
cups. In the middle Of the dwelling
was sort of bench, though used as
table; beside it, two or three rickety
chairs. Such were all the visible
household gods. Where the family
slept, or how they slept, was not ap-
parent to my uninstructed eyes. Ii
was evident enough, however, that do
mestic conUenances were as little con-
sidered as domestic comforts. 1t was
also evident that there was no accom-
modation for belated guest, and that
[ must sleep on the ground, if | got
lost again in the forest; for did not
doubt that Cracker habitations were
pretty much alike. Whether my eou=
versation grew oppressive, or whether
the need Of narcotic refreshment was
urgent, I could not determine; but af-
ter while the lady Of the house arose
and said something which I did not
understand, for it was muttered rather
than uttered. Taking it as the Crack
er mode of terminating an interview,
I retired, while the lady proceeded to
the fire, and deliberately filed and
lighted short, black pipe.
Her husband had meantime been
successful in getting the kettle to
boil, and stood contemplating his
achievement with his back against a
tree He did not pay the slightest at
tention to his wife as she lit her pipe;
but after a few clouds of the smoke
had slowly reused him with its fra
GRANGE, he put his hand into the poek-
ct Of his pantaloons and drew Firth a
rope Of rudely twisted tobacco leaves.
From this he bit a mouthful, and be-
gan to masticate it with the quiet en-
ioyment of a ruminating animal. His
eyes left the steaming kettle and dwelt
upon his bare and dusty feet, as if
they were beatitic vision. The lady
of the house went to the shady side Of
the hut and sat down upon an up
turned box; there she inhaled the
fumes Of her pipe, coughing from time
to time, and expectorating copiously.
Her dau ghter sat near her and gazed
dreamily at the ground.
As feebly interested observer of
these varied occupations, ! began to
find them monotonous after q time,
and finally to be intolerahle, before
dinner, My appetite had that pecu-
liar accentuation well known to Flori-
dians at midday; for the peninsula, |
may remark, is notorious for the gas
trio energy of its inhabitants and Wis
itors. I had breakfasted at half past
six, had walled Wany miles, had come
to terms for dinner, which was clear
ly ready. Yet the women of the es-
tablishment seemed as unconscious of
the meal and the guest as though this
were a foodless world. Happily, the
old laay's tobacco got burnt out at
length; she coughed at her case; put
the pipe in her pocket, and calmly
bade her daughter "put out the po-
tatoes."
The latter rose still more calmly,
and brought much oxidized tin YES
sci, perforated with numerous inartist~
ic holes, probably made wish build
ing nail. Into this vessel, the con-
tents Of the kettle were poured, at a
short distance from the fire. The wa
ter being drained off, the vessel was
carried into the hut, whence issued
some minutes afterwards a subdued
IL L L