The Russellville Democrat., 1883-08-09

IN front. 'Set Hcr JtDs SAiu the
Captain, "Jibs h--f' said California,
'swhat do know about jibs" "set
her flap then said the Captain. Cal
ifornia turned the sail loose and said
"now d--n you, flap" Take drink
said Frenchy, and then we s.'.....ff;,5ssed
California and sni9..oun Duke at the
jib and went sailing down the river.
The San Bernard is a most beauti-
full river, wide and deep, with little
current only as the tide GIBBS and
flows, salt enough to keep it clear
and bright, and the timber on the
banks loaded with Mustang grapes.
We had good trip to the Narrows,
killing several aligators and some
water fowl, and two fine fish jumped
aboard. The Narrows are made by
large oyster reefs from either bank
of the river that have only a narrow
deep channel near the middle. There
is a legend that long ago two ranch
men were coming down in skifi
and as they passed through the mar
rows one rowed while the other
played ON fiddle. 1t was night and
dark, and the rover knocked the
fiddler on the head with the oar,
robbed him and threw him overheard,
fiddle and any, and from that time
since, that fiddler's restless ghost can
be heard every night playing the
fiddle, and the strangest part OF the
story is that the music is actually
there.
We had arranged to be at the Mar
rows by moonlight and take in the
situation, and had no trouble in
hearing the fiddler, sopetimes so
near as to cause the ladies to insist
that we move on, then away off over
the water. ! had insisted ali the
while that / would not tumble to the
racket unless he played the Ark,
Traveller, which he did not do, nor
any other tune for that matter with
out drawing somewhat on the imagi-
nation. 1t sounded something like
harp or violin in the distance, and
may be heard any night when the
wind is not too high. We could not
even guess as to what caused it.
We passed safely through the mar
rows, landed on the beach, slowed
the ladies away in Capt. Ducraz's $
"Beech house," spread our blankets
on the sand and slept till awakened
by the morning sun.
The week on the beech was one
of nnalloyed pleasure. Water fowl
was plentiful, and fish so easily
caught that fishing would lose its
edge but for the variety, beautiful
colors, and odd shapes of some of
the fish.
We started back up the Bernard
about o'clock in the evening to
avoid the noon sunshine. The wind
vas fair, and half past six found us
fifteen miles up the river. Here we
landed in a palmetto thicket and
cleared of room to spread supper.
While this was being done, the Cal
ifornian's wife took the French baby
to keep quiet, wandered off prompt
ly into the woods and got lost. Night
was coming on, and ten miles Of
jungle back of us with plenty of wild
animals. California, and Frenchy
and his wife went wildly into the
woods calling. The Captain come
ashore with his foghorn and began
to blow that we might find our way,
and we all started out in different
directions calling. About this time
a sloop came up, landed, and turned
her crew all out into the woods yell
ing. You have heard of making
"Rome howl" Well that wasn't
any noise to this bowling in the will
derness. We found her about three
miles out in the jungle, exhausted,
but still going further away.
When we all got back to the boat
il was eleven o'clock, and we had
no. much appetite for supper, but a
big appetite for wine. We anchored
out in the rivef, slept on deck, and
went home in the morning.
j. L. w.