The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1888-06-09
Victory bad scarcely perched upon

Victory bad scarcely perched upon
our banners, when from ont the deep
soliIudcs % the marsh, there came a
sounG Of dire significance" Cloud
after cj"ad Of bloodthirsty mosqn!-
toes swarfnad around ns. Aiming
/ ourselves with onr old hats, and
forming into i hollow square, We
braced ourselves to receive the
charge. The shock was terrible.
lgt We survived ii; and after s'aught-
eg;n@ millions Of the little vampires
q the marsh, to save ourselves from
'tpta. anuii.iIation. we beat a hasty
retreat, and sought shelter under
cover Of the bars. Once inside these
fraiI but effective barriers Of cheese
cloth. We hid defiance to the enemy,
aud prepared to enjoy ourselves as
hest VIC could within their narrow
limits. b. the aid OF the dim light
Of a smoky lantern, we es&aved 70
while away at hour st cords. In.
oar positions were so Crami el, We
finally gave it up in despair. We
cllatted, smoked and cracked jokes
alternately, NATL, one by n my
companions, and eventually myself,
snccnmhcd to the drowsy god.
We we're awakened next morning
by the sun shining into our faces,
feeling very tired. We Gid not dare
to venture out, as the bars were lit
teraily gray with mosquitoes. How
ever, as the morning advanced, and
tie sun became warm, they gradual
ly dispersed; and by even o'clock
their numbers were so greatly dimin.
ished that we made a successful
"sortie," got the fire lighted and
made coffee, with bay water.) As
we poured it out clear and strong, we
smiled in anticipation Of how we were
going to enjoy it; but our joy was
OF short duration. Hardly had we
raised the cups to our lips and tasted
the nectar of the gods, when some
one, splitting out a great mouthful Of
the liquid, gave vent to an eIclama-
|tipn not to he found in the late version
OF the Bible. lit was salty.) BY this
time, as We could not drink salt
water, however doctored, nor with.
stand the ravages Of the mosquitoes,
we had concluded that Hell Hole"
was a very appropriate name for the
place; so we folded our tents and
silently stole away"
Leaving Hell Hole to war with
its mosquitoes, we turned our bow
homeWard towards Shell Island,
: where we arrived about noon, after
a hard pull against wind aud wave.
Pitching our camp on the eastern
end OF the island, under a clump OF
blackberry trees growing up through
the shells, we soon had a cracking
fire and essayed once more to make
coffee, this time With success. 1t
! was quite entertaining to see some
of the boys while slipping their cot.
! fee, counting the blisters and mos
; quito bites on their hands and faces.
: | do not wish to convey the impress
sion that | was not in the same pre-
!. dicamont as my companions; on the
, contrary, [ could show my full quota
, Of bites aud blistcrs; but | had been
there before and consequently some.
. what used to them.
Being iatigued after the worry Of
the previous night and the mornings
hard pull, We threw ourselves down
t upon the shells to rest, and finding
I the place pleasant and cool, and com.
parativeIy free Of mosquitoes, the
: proposition was gladly received and
unanimously accepted to camp there
until next day. The balance of the
afternoon we lonnged about the
2 island gathering pieces Of Indian
l pottery Of peculiar shape, smoking
. talking, shooting sea-guIls, drinking
l coffee, catching, cooking and eating
crabs, and enjoying ourselves gcner
I; ally until night. That night at least
S we enjoyed perfect rest. Lying or
T our blanquets listening to the soft
t music Of the waves, as they chased
each other up the sloping she'll bank
at our feet, and gazing half awake
at the bar as it futtered lightly on
the breeze, we went to sleep.
e Early the next morning we were