Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-01-28
- HUMAN" WOLVES.
Startling Experience with Them in
the Great Florida Swamp.

Ihad been employed Sy the Great
Improvement and Reclaim Company of
Mobile to explore and nap certain
lands in Florida lying well down on the
edge of the great Cypress Swamp. The
company had purchased nesrly 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-
templatod. had been on the ground
three weeks, having two men with me,
when the adventure happe0ed which l
am about to relate.
One morning the three of us left our
cabin beside one of the lakes on the
upper St. John S for tramp, intending
to return by evening. While made
notes and kept the topography the men
noted 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 a tough
looking lot.
We had Travelled a 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 4 halt, and my hand was
swollen like put1-ball. After con-
sultation, it was decided that l 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
1 was near screaming out with the pain,
and my arm was putting up with the
poison.
There was remedy in the medicine
chest, but it was full hour before the
pain was relieved. Then l began to
feel sleepy, and l bunkcd down and
was soon fast asleep. At about noon,
after a nap of two hours, l was awak-
ened by the SQUAD of a human voice.
Say. your
l opened my eyes to find white
renegade standing over me, holding
one of my revolveTs in his hand.
Cit upr'
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
1t was plain that he had avoided civ
ilization for years.
Git up and come he growled.
''WhO are you and what do you
want?" | demanded as l reached my
feet.
..Walk!n he commanded. pointing
to the west.
AT that moment a third actor APP
peared. 1t was woman-tall. gaunt,
ferociouS and dressed in the same nom
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:
IL Ht ol IuOte OcNu Uiill Tie
his hands and feet. We can tote two
SIGH as him.
She had the other revolver in her
hand. and 1 noticed that both had
hunting-knives. / was 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 the
rear.
After walk of about quarter of a
mile We reached the bank of the lake.
Tied to a tree by rawhide rope was a
floating cabin. The foundation was a
rough-made scow, and the upper
works, as 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 on
the bank to receive us. One was bow
of twelve or thirteen. and the other a
girl two or three years older. They
looked more like wild animals than