Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-02-25
HUMAN" WOLVES.
Startling Experience with Them in
the Great Florida Swamp.


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 l.
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. had been on the ground
three weeks, having two men with me,
when the adventure happened which |
am about to relate. & lg
One morning the three of us left our
cabin beside one of the lakes on the
upper st, Johnston tramp, intending
to return by evening. While l 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
locks 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. {,'t, .3At2f .s'N
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 putf-ball. After con-
sultation, it was decided that 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 pulling up with the
poison, .-r-r.s
There was remedy in the medicine
chest, but it was full hour before the
pain was relieved. Then | began to
feel sleepy, and / bunked down and
was soon fast asleep. At about noon
after nap of two hours, l was awak
ened by the sound of n 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 hat
been packed up and taken away. Tn,
man who confronted me was the wick
edest-looking fellow we had vet met il
the swamps. His hair and whisker
were so long and unkempt that little o
his face except his ugly black eyes ant
yellow teeth could be seen. His cloth
ing was part cloth and part skins, anC
il was plain that he had avoided civ.
ilization for years.
Cit up and come" he growled.
"Who are you and what do you
wantPn ! demanded as / reached m,
feet.
WALK he commanded, pointing
to the west.
AT that moment third actor APP
peared. Ii was woman-tall, gaunt
ferocious and dressed in the same non
descript costume as the man. Sh,
came out of the jungle to the west, an,
as soon as near enough to make he
words understood she said:
IF he won't move down him and til
his hands and feet. We can tote tw,
SIGH rs him. =
She had the other revolver in he
hand. and ! noticed that both ha,
hunting was unarmed, still
weak from the effects of the poisonous
sting and entirely in their power. Tn
woman struck into the Jungle, / fol
lowed and the man brought up tn
rear. 80
After walk of about a quarter of
mile we reached the bank of the lake
Tied to II tree by a rawhide rope was
floating cabin. The foundation was ,
rough-made scow, and the uppe
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 whic
smoke issued, and two persons were o.
the bank to receive us. One was DO
of twelve or thirteen, and the other
girl two or three years older. The
looked more like wild animals thai
human belngS, anu tukeU IN IAN
guage so strange that | could not un
derstand word.
Go ahead" said the man, as halt
ed ON the bank; and | followed tn
woman aboard of the scow and into tn
cabin. Ii was Il house in which Their
was but one room, with the hides o
cattle thrown over the wild Southern
moss for beds. There was no stove. but
sort of fireplace made of stones, wit
two or three iron kettles on the heart
as kitchen furniture.
All our camp equipsge had been re
moved to the cabin, and my Winches
ter rifle stood in the corner. As thi
was then new arm l did not believ
they knew how to use it. but my re
VIEWERS were Colts old pattern sn'