The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-09

/ regret that regard for my own comfort
/ compelled me TO interfere with their en-
! joyment Of such fine day Drifting
| on, l was soon quite near the man
/ groves fringing the low shores Of many
! little islets, and followed admiringlv a
! flock Of ducks with snowy head-dresses
/ into a narrow creek. Then a huge sea-
! turtle thrust his rough black head out of
! the water directly in front of my boat.
Following the impulse of the moment,
I plnnged my harpoon deep in his back.
/ The creature struggled aimlessly. and
/ then swan swiftly up the narrow chan
mel, dragging the boat. Bass and sheep
head and cavalhO darted out of our way.
ducks and divers took refuge ON the
swampy islets; great sharks. attracted by
the blood, dashed around. and still the
| turtle carried me deeper and deeper in
the network of islands Disguised with
myself at The infiction Of such needless
pain. [ began to draw the suffering
creature toward me that I might take
out the harpOOn He was still strong.
and it was only after a hard struggle
! that I got in all my line. and seized his
tail. I paused a moment to take breath.
1 saw we We're among the islands on the
eastern shore Of the river: that the wind
ing channel we had been following
here opened into little bay. shut in, ex-
cept at some narrow saga-vays by I'M
penetrable mangrove thickets; two ALI
gators had raised their heads to see what
had caused such unusual comm0ticn in
their quarters. and several sharks, mad
dened by the blood. were swimming
wildly around. The sun was nearly
down and / reached for my hatchet to
save my harpoon. Just then the turtle
struggled franticalIy. he threw up one
flipper. caught it on the edge Of my
frail craft and 7 was laundering in the
water. ins5inctively struck out for the
shore and perched myself on a mangrove
root. Here was a pickle The water was
shallow. but going for my boat was out
Of the question would soon be legle5s
ana armless. Thee would be no waking
from such dream as that. The sun was
fast sinking; we haNeno twilight; must
do my work quickly. The boys will find
me tO-m0irow-to-night l must find
dry place in the swamp and build fire.
Among the mang owes found a little
shell mound, and heaped on it all the
dry wood | could get-it was then dark.
The mosquitoes We're on me in swarms;
they crawled down my neck and up my
sleeves; they feasted on my face and
hands; my clothes, saturated with salt
water We're full of impurities from the
sWamps, stung me like fire Grinding
my teeth and wriggling my body, l cut
some splinters with my clasp knife, and
taking match from my nickel safe l
managed to start a fire. But if the light
was comfort to my mind it made mat
ter8 worse for my body. The air seemed
only mosquitoes and sand-fiies; there was
no room, l argued in my agony for oSy-
gen and hydrogen; it was a mass of
| living insect life The minute little sand
flies crept through my clothes, and in my
hair and beard: the roar Of the mOsqui-
| toes grew deafening as the thunder of
NiagaJa-cOntinGOu GOus-OverpOwering. In
vain I lay in the smoke till [ was al
most suffocated. my hungry enemies
plunged recklessly through the puDgent
| cloud an, sitting heat made by burning
mangrOve wood. I was bleeding at every
pore, and after some hours gaveupin de
spair. The roar Of the charging millions
became louder; through the smoke I
could see their glaring eyes; they melted
each other; they sounded always their
battle cTies-my senses ruled. As the
soldier on the field becomes confused and
uncOnciOus of all but the mad excite
ment Of the hour. 50 [ lost all sympathy
with my own suffering, and was madly
interested in watching the terrible on
slaught Of the enemy. Naturalists say
the male mosquito is harmless; I have
had a high opinion Of woman's powers
since that night Of March 18th. 1878.
From loss of blood or from suffering I
saw much Of which am afraid to speak.
l saw my fierce assailants whet their
cleaning blades; I saw them spread their
long legs, clothed in bristling hairs and
grasp my flesh with tremendous taIons;
their eyes glistened: they screamed and
/ fought like harpies for tender spots on
my eyeids and lips. They plunged long
/ dagger5 into my vains, and reeled away,
drunken with blood. They were vultures
/ fighting over a carcass. For I no longer
had sentient life: my conscious suffering
was over. They pushed and stamped
and twisted about in frantic efforts to get
/ at my eye-baIls. and I knew i they could
do this. they would penetrate to my
brain and take my soul too, vet I hardly
cared. If one had sat on the bridge of
my nose and waved a foreleg politely,
making request that Iopen my eyelid. I
/ think 7 sh0I7lH have done il