The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-03-24
THE SWAMP GANG.

AND HOW TT WAS "wIPED OUT"
Some ten years ago I was engaged
with others in the re-survey for the gov
ernment of certain portions of the Ar
kansas river. In order that we might run
into creeks and over bars we were pro-
vided with a small steamer called the
Sprite. The crew consisted of captain,
mate, engineer, fireman, cook and wheels
man, and my brother surveyor was gen.
tleman named Mortimer White. The ac-
commodations were rather scant, but we
lived we'll, and, as is the rule in such
cases, none of us was overworked. We
had time to hunt and fish, and there were
days when the steamers fires were not
lighted at all, our lines being run by the
aid of the skiff.
At that time-and it may still be the
case-there was a hard population along
the Arkansas. I do not refer to the
towns, but to the so-called hunters, trap
pers and traders who made a living along
the rivers, and whose skiffs, RATS and
house boats were encountered half a
dozen times day. They were crowd
of restless Arabs, and if there was an
honest man among them we failed to dis
cover his presence. On several occasions
attempts were made to steal our skiffs,
and if rope or chain was left on the bank
for half an hour unmatched it was spirited
away in a mysterious manner. While
there were some genuine hunters beating
up and down the banks, the great ma
joTity of the wanderers were chaps who
had gone into hiding to escape the law,
and they were ard-looking cases.
One afternoon, while most of the crew
were fishing in bend half a mile above
the toat, and while those who remained
with me aboard the steamer were asleep,
/ caught sight of villainous-l looking
face watching the steamer from the
bushes. We were then tied up to the
right-hand bank, about twenty miles be-
low Pine Bluff. While could see the
fellow through the blinds of my state
room, he could not catch sight of me.
he made long and careful scrutiny of
the steamer, and after time was joined
by two others. All three had rifles, re-
volvers and knives, and the condition of
hair, whiskers and clothing proved that
they had been hiding for months. They
approached the steamer within six or
eight feet looked her over again, and re-
tired as noiselessly as they came.
The presence of the strangers was re-
ported when the crew came aboard, but
no one seemed to regard it as a serious
matter. The men had probably been
mousing around in hopes to lay their
hands on some article of value. We had
been keeping sort of hap-hazzard an,
chor watch when tied up with the fires
out, and this night the man who stood
watch was probably fast asleep as soou
as the rest of us. turned in about 1C
o'clock and was soon asleep, but at mid.
night was awakened by voice calling:
"Come now-you are wanted out
side!"
! sat up in bed to find rough looking
man in my stateroom. Ny lamp had bean
lighted, and I saw that he had revolver
in his hand.
"What do you want!" asked.
'Twant you. We have concluded tc
take the job of running this steamer of
your hands"
''Then you belong to gang who have
captured her2"
'Exactly; and if you fool around much
longer shall get mad and do some shoot
ing"
As got out out of bed and began tt
dress I heard men running back and
forth, and presently the boat begar
moving. AS she had no fire under hel
boiler, | felt certain that she was towco
down stream by one of the skiffs.
"What are you going to do with the
Sprite2" asked the man as I was dress
ing.
''None o. your business" he promptly
replied.
I had had a rifle and revolver in my
stateroom, but they had been taken away
As was afterward ascertained, the out
laws had crept aboard as quietly as 1ndi
ans, found the anchor watch fast asleep,
and had entered every stateroom ano
gathered up all the weapons before any
one was aroused. I was marched to the
main cabin, which was our dining room
and there found the rest of the people
assembled and under guard. All hac
been aroused in the same manner, ano
nobody had yet been hurt. It may vel
be imagined that we were disguised
lot of citizens; but we had been fairl!
trapped, and there was no help for it
The captain had counted six outlaws
two of whom were in the skif towing
the steamer, one at the wheel, and tn
other three keeping guard.
We were towed down about five mile
and then up bayou setting in from tn
right-haud shore, and running back int