The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1888-06-09
Albeville 3etiaiollal.
"a Trip iross. R..sgrs%Hy ao vesla.EE~
i0D kGssE.

a lew weeks ago a party OF pleas
~urc-secNcrs myselt among thcnumh2r,
boarded the "CIovcrda'o," q trim
built Iit1le boat belonging II n Of
the party, and arranged fer either
sailing or pulling, as the occasion
required. Our objective point was
NermiEion bay. where we intended
spending a few days pleasantly cruis-
ing, fishing, exploring its manv little
coves, camping on its islands. and
viewing the beautiful scenery which
came in our way. How VIC snccecd-
cd, | shall endeavor to portray by q
few notes mentally taken while on
the trip. Having slowed away snugly
baskets, boxes, etc, full OF good
things for the inner man, q liberal
supply of snake bite antidotc, guns,
fishing lines, ard everything pertain
lug to a trip of that kind, We jumped
into the boat and pushed Of. We
were soon going down the bayou at
as rapid q rate Of speed as a pair Of
willing arms conld propcl Us. Every
Que was in good spirits over the treat
that was in store for us: so lighting
orr cigarettes we settled ourselves
down as comfortably as circnm-
stances would permit to enjoy the
passing scenery.
The bayou winds smoothe and
flower skirted among tnpcloes and
expresses, through whose honghs we
caught glimyses of coy little farm
houses and patches Of we'll titled
fields. At each bend Of tie bayou
sceaes of wild beauty strangely min
gled with the works Ct man, burst
upon our enraptured vision. There
were huge expresses and live oaks
perhaps several centuries old. whose
knarled and spreading branches,
festooned with Spanish moss and
trailing vine, seemed to reach across
and interlacc above mid.stream.
There were tiny skifs beautifully
painted, and small sail boats; some
moorcd to the grassy bank under
. the shady branches Of some veneer
able live oak, while others glided
gracefully up and down On missions
of business Or pleasure. Ash, oak,
sweet gum, magnolia, and numerous
other trees whose anne | do not
know, line the bank on either side
like towering walls Of green, while
singing birds Of beautiful plumage
perched upon or fitted among the
trees. The air, redolent with the
perfume of the s~emi-tropical flowers
and plants that grow SO prolusely
everywhere along our route, the
joyous singing of birds, the hum OF
the bees, as they darted hither and
thither among the flowers gathering
their rich stores Of golden honey;
and over oil strcamed down from a
~cloudless sky the genial rays Of a
glorious sun; together, making a
picture so vivid and impressive, that
to the. lover Of nature could never
be forgotten.
BY dint OF hard pulling, as the
shadows Of evening deepened into
darkness, we reached the marsh,
One by one the stars and firefies
came oat until the whole armament
from horizon to horizon was SO thick.
ly studded with them, that one could
hardly distinguish where one com
menced or the other ended. It was
indeed a sublime sight. Not q sound
broke the reigning silence, save the
chirp OF a cricket hid among the
marsh grass, the tender note Of q
lone bobolink cooling to his mate, OF
the low rustic Of the reeds as they
bent gracefully TO a passing breeze,
We were so impressed by the soiem
nifty of the surroundings, that forget
ting everything but the beauties o.
the night, We unconsciously dropped
our oars and drifting along with tho
current. gaZed with mute admiration
upon the scene. 1t was not long
however, before II thoughts were
suddenly diverted from their soaring
flight among the stars to more ter
restial objects. A keen buzzine
sound broke the spell and admon
ished US that the cold-blooded mos
quito was on the rampage, and il
behooyed us, If we wished to escape
their provoking attacks, to move on
snecdily and find q suiiahle CANNING