The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-05-22
On the oklawaha River.

U W. ". DuUtetu, IN DetFOU FTce 1FeSS.
The average width of the Oklawaha river
proper does not exceed fifty feet, and at
the'cypress gate" there is only room enough
for the boat to pass between the two lofty
trees which meet and interlace E.leir tangled
branches high overhead But the valley of
the Oklawaha is nearly mile in width,
covered with from one to two feet of water
and forms one dense and continuous cypress
swamp, s'grand, gloomy and peculiar" No
outlet is visible for the passage of the
boat until she reaches the next sharp bend
of the stream, from which short narrow
reach can be seen closed apparently by
another crooked bend in theopposite direc-
ton. Still the little boat coughs and puffs
along, winding and twisting through the
tortuous channel, colliding heavily against
the tall cypress and palmettoes on one side,
glancing rapidly over to the other bank to
again rebound from the trees on that side
also, moving on by successive leaps from
side to side
Tall cypress trees, with huge and mas
sive trunks and graceful, delicate foliage,
line the banks on either side, lifting their
lofty heads high in the air, and locking and
es overhead Slender-stemmed palms wave
on high their long plume-like leaves, fringed
with feathery leaflets, trembling with every
breath of air, and the broad palmetto leaves
balance and sway to and fro with regular
and ceaseless oscillation.
Grouped closely around the feet of these
'mighty monarchs of the wood the more
modest bays and myrtles form dense and
impenetrable underground, and the entire
forest is thickly draped with heavy festoons
and long, dropping pendants of the Spanish
moss, covered with climbing vines and air
plants innumerable, uniting all the wild
luxuriance of tropical foliage with the SOM
bre and funeral gloom of the impenetrable
forest.
Piled high upon both banks are huge
logs of driftwood and fallen branches, gnarl-
ed and twisted and covered with the birds
and reptiles of these southern waters. Huge
alligators lie stretched out at full length
enjoying their siesta. Sleeping calmly by
their sides are soft-sheH turtles of enor-
nous size. Unlike the smaller, fattened,
disk-like, short-necked and round-headed
turtles of northern waters, these 'soft
shells" are nearly hemispherical in shape,
with long, slender, snake-like necks and
pointed heads Moccasin snakes of great
length and brilliant color lie coiled in spiral
folds, all sleeping soundly and basking in
the warm summer air.
As the boat heaves in sight the snakes
slowly uncoil, and gliding smoothly out
upon the black and turbid water, disappear
beneath its surface. The turtles lift their
long and slender necks, the alligators raise
their huge unwieldly heads and stare
wildly at the approaching boat.
When the night comes down upon this
gloomy forest and darkness which can be
felt envelopes you the effect is still more
weird and uncanny. To light the way
through the narrew and crooked channel
the boatmen build huge fire of pitch
pine in an iron cage above the "texas"
or pilot house. The bright red light brings
out the huge trunks of the cypress trees,
the slender stems Of palms and palmettoes,
and the vanished green foliage of the bays
and myrtles in the foreground, strongly re-
lieved against the dark and turbid water
and the intensely black shadows of the dis
/
Attracted by the fiery beacon of the boat
huge bats fit around and above this primi-
tive headlight. Cranes, herons, water tur-
keys and limpkins sail around and around
it, making night hideous with their un-
earthly shrieks and cries. Tree toads in
Vulnerable add their shrill and tremulous
treble, and the heavy diapason Of the enor-
nous bull frog forms the basso profundo
of this internal chorus.
Suddenly this chorus is interrupted and
the leafy arches of the forest reverberate
with the sharp, shrill whistle of the down
boat. The signal is promptly answered by
the up-boat, and thrill of excitement pre-
walls on board Owing to the narrow chan
mel and the more difficult steerage with the
rapidly descending current the down-boat
has the right of way. Our negro deck
hands muster promptly on the forecastle.
The boat is steered close to the right bank
and buries herself beneath the overhanging
foliage The deck hands grasp the trees
and branches and hold her firmly in posi-
ton. The sharp, shrill whistles are given
and repeated at brief intervals, and although
the sound rapidly approaches nearer and
nearer the down boat is still invisible.
Suddenly out from the thick darkness
she leaps into sight, sweeping round the
nearest bend of the stream, looming large
and high in the narrow channel, her primi-
tive headlight streaming aloft in pillar of
fire, casting its red light over the passen-
gers grouped on her forward deck and the
negro crew mustered upon her forecastle,
and as she sweeps rapidly down upon us
three sharp blasts of the whistle-the cour-
teous signal salute-are given and repeated.
The passengers waving hats and handker-
chiefs and the negro deck-hands Of the
down boat shouting in chorus the jubilee
song: "Swing low de cha'iot, Lo'd," to
which our own crew responded with, '1'm
gwine down to Dixie"