Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-04-03
THE SWAMP GANG,

some ten. years ago / was engaged
with others in the re-survey for the GOV
crnment of certain portions of the Ar
kansas river. In order that we might run
INTO creeks and over bars we were pro
vlded with a small steamer called the
SpTlte. The crew consisted of captain
mate, engineer. fireman, cook and wheels,
man, and my brother surveyor wasa gen
tleman named Mortimer White. The ac-
commodatlons were rather scant, but we
lived well, 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 skiif
At that time-and it may still be the
case-thcrc was hard populat Oh along
the Arkansas. | do not refer to the
towns, but to the so called hunters, trap
pers and traders who made living alone
the rivers, and whose skiffs, RATS and
house boats were encountered half il
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 skitfs.
and if rope or chain was left on the bank
for halfa an hour unmatched it was spirited
away in mysterious manner. While
there were some genuine hunters beating
up and down the banks, the great ma
Jorlty of the wanderers were chaps who
had gone into hiding to escape the law.
and they were hard looking cases.
One afternoon, while most of the crew
were fishing in bend half mile above
the Loaf, and while those who remained
with me aboard the steamer were asleep,
caught sight of Il vilainous- looking
face watching the steamer from the
bushes. We were then tied I'D to the
rlght-hand bank, about twenty miles be-
low Pine Bluff. While l 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, whiskcrs AMI 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 nois lcss'y 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
mouslnS around in hopes to lay their
hards on somc article of value We had
been keeping sort of hap hazard an
Choir watch when ticl up with the fire,
out, and this night the man who stood
watch was probably fast asleep as soon
US the rest of us. l turned in about 10
o,clo, k and was soon a lecp, bit It mid
night was awakened by voice calling:
Come now-you are wanted out-
s:dc,"
sat up in bed to find a rough looking
man in my statcroom. My lamp had bean
lighted, and saw that lie had lcvolvc..
in his hand
What do you want" asked.
81 want yJu. We a concluded to
take the job of running tbs steamer off
your lands"
''Thcn you belong to gang wLo have
captured her"
'Exao tly; and if you fool around much
longer shall get mad md 90 som" shoot
ing"
As l got out out of bed and began t,
urcNs Hca.u men running back and
forth, and presently the boat bceal
moving. AS she h d no fir. under her
b)i.er, | felt cent in that she was towcd
down s'ream by one of the skilrs.
''What are You going to do with the
Sprte?" l ked the man as l was dress
ing.
None o your business, -" he promptly
replied.
had lal a rifle and revolver in INV
stateroom, but they had been taken away.
AS was aftcrward ascertained, the out
laws had crept aboa.d as quietly rs Indi-
ans, found the anchor watch fast asleep,
and had entered every s.atcroom and
gathered up all the weapons before any
one was aroused. was marched to the
main cabin. which was our dining room.
and there found the rest of the pcop'e
assembled and under guard. All ha |
been aroused in the same manner. and
nobody had yet been hunt. 1t NAV well
be imagined that we were Il disguised
lot of citizens; but we had been fairly
trapped, and there was no help for it.
The captain had counted six outlaws.
two of whom were in the skitf towing
the steamer, one at the VIII, cl, and the
other three keeping guard
We were towed down about five miles
and then up bayou setting in from the
right-hsnd shore, and running back into