The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-02-10
" HUMAN" WOLVES.
Startling Experience with Them in
the Great Florida Swamp.

l had been employed by the Great
Improvement and Reclaim Company of
Mobile to explore and map certain
lands in Florida lying well down on the
edge of the great Cypress Swamp. The
company had purchased nearly one mil
lion acres of wild land in the location
have mentioned, and it was necessary
for some one to visit it and walk over
most of the ground before it could be
put into the market in the manner con-
templated. 1 had been on the ground
three weeks, having two men with me,
when the adventure happened which l
am about to relate.
One morning the three Of us left our
cabin beside one of the lakes on the
upper St. Johns for tramp, intending
to return by evening. While 1 made
notes and kept the topography the men
acted the varieties of woods. 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 were
renegades from civilization. Twice we
had stumbled upon rude camps occu-
pied by negroes, and they were tough
looking lot.
We had travelled distance Of per-
haps three miles when was stung on
the back of the right hand by an insect
resembling hornet, although much
larger. In fifteen minutes the pain
brought me to halt, and my hand was
swollen like puff-ball. After a con-
sultation, it was decided that I should
return to camp, and the men would
push on by compass and cover certain
area, and come in toward night. Be-
fore had covered the distance to camp
was near screaming out with the pain,
and my arm was putting up with the
poison.
There was a remedy in the medicine
chest, but it was a full hour before the
pain was relieved. Then l began to
feel sleepy, and l bunked down and
was soon fast asleep. AT about noon,
after nap of two hours, was awak-
ened by the sound of a human voice.
Say, your
opened my eyes to find white
renegade standing over me, holding
one of my revolvers In his hand.
Git up!"
l sat up. All our goods in camp had
been packed up and taken away. The
man who confronted me was the wick
edest-looking fellow we had yet met in
the swamps. His hair and whiskers
were so long and unkempt that little of
his face except 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 civ
ihzation for years.
Git up and come" he growled.
who are you and what do you
wantp" demanded as l reached my
feet.
"Walkw he commanded, pointing
10 the west.
At that moment q third actor ap-
peared. 1t was woman---tall, gaunt,
terocious 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
bis hands and feet. We can tote two
sich as him."
She had the other revolver in her
hand, and l noticed that both had
hunting-knives. Twas unarmed, still
weak from the effects of the poisonous
sting and entirely in their power. The
woman struck into the Jungle, l fol
lowed and the man brought up TIT
rear.
After a walk of about a quarter of ,
mile we reached the bank of the lake
Tied to tree by rawhide rope was
floating cabin. The foundation was 8
rough-made scow, and the upper
works. rs they may be termed, con
sisted of long, narrow and stoutly
made hut of logs. There was chin
ney of mud and sticks. from which
smoke issued. and two persons were OF
the bank to receive us. One was a boz
of twelve or thirteen. and the other
girl two or three years older. The,
looked more like wild animals thai