Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-04-30
JACKSON OF CHICAGO.

a.t5-
Improvement and Reclaim Company of
Mobile, to explore and map certain lands
in Florida lying we'll down on the edge
Of the great Cypress Swamp. The
company had purchased nearly 1,000,-
Y 600 acres Of wild land in the location I
have mentioned, and it was necessary for
some one to visit it and walk over most
of the ground before it could be put in
the market as Contemplated. / had been
on the ground three weeks, having two
men with me when the adventure hap
6pened which / am about to relate.
One morning the three of us left our
camp beside one of the lakes of the
upper St. Johns for o tramp, intending
to return by evening, While I made
notes and kept the topography, the
men noted the varieties of the wood,
nature of the soil, and other details of
interest. On three different occasions
we had encountered white men in the
dense and lonely forest, and knew from
their looks and surroundings that they
""AS LCASSSlNNo 4AoAA NlFI41ASt1Ou
Twice we had stumbled upon rude
camps occupied by negroes and they
we're q tough looking lot.
We had travelled a distance Of per-
haps three miles when Twas stung on
the back OF tic ii ght hand by an insect
resembling hornet, although much
larger. In fifteen minutes the pain
brought me to q halt, and my hand was
swollen like a puff ball. After consul
tation, it was decided that should re-
turn to camp, and the men should push
on by compass and cover q certain
area, and come in toward night. Be-
fore l had covered the distance to camp
was near screaming out with pain, and
my arm was putfed up with the poison
There was u remedy in the medicine
chest, but it was a full hour be-
fore the pain was relieved. Then l be-
gan to feel sleepy, and l bunked down
and was on-fast asleep. At about
noon, after a nap of two hours, was
awakened by the sound of human
voice.
Say, your
I opened my eyes to find white rem
egade standing over me, holding one
of my reyolvers in his hand
"Git up!''
sat up: All our goods in camp
had been packed up and taken away.
The man who confronted me was the
wickedest looking fellow we had seen
in the; swanlps. His hair and whiskers
were SO long and unkempt that little
of his face but his ugly black eyes and
yellow teeth could be seen. His cloth
ing was part cloth and part skins, and
it was plain, that he had avoided civil
zation for years.
"Git up and come" he growled.
"Who are you and what do you
want?" demanded as l reached my
feet.
"Walkr' he commanded pointing to
the west.
At that moment third actor ap-
peared 1t was a woman-tall, gaunt,
ferocious, and dressed in the same non
descript costume as the man.
She came out of the jungle to the
west and as soon as near enough to
make her words understood, she said:
IF he won't move, down him and
tie his hands and feet. We kin tote
two SIGH as him. -
She had the other revolver in her
hand and noticed that they both had
hurting knives. was ynarned. still
weak from the effects of the poisonous
sting, and entirely in their power The
woman struck into the Jungle, I fol-
lowed, and the luan brought up the
rear.
After walk of about quarter of a
mile we reached the bank of the lake.
Tied to q tree by rawhide rope was @
floating cabin. The foundation was a
rough~made scow, and the upper works,
as they are termed, consisted of long,
narrow and stoutly made hut of logs.
There was chimney of mud and sticks,
from which smoke issued, and two per-
sons were on the bank to receive us.
One was boy of twelve or thirteen and
the other girl, two or three years old
.Jer. They looked moro like wild ami
mails than human beings, and talked in
= language so strange that could not
understand word.
! "Go ahead" said the man, as I halt
1 ed on the bank; and followed the
woman aboard of the scow and into the
cabin. it was house in which there
was but one room, with the hides OF
cattle thrown over the wild Southern
moss for beds. There was no stove, but
& q sort Of fire. place made OF stones,
with two or three kettles on the hearth
as kitchen furniture. IT,.
All our camp equipage had been re-
moved to the cabin and my Winchester
rifle stood in the corner. AS this was
anew fire arm, did not believe they