Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-16

| q jungle OF cdH0b Iudsu-BLdssB " ~ OSS
swamps, alligator ponds and magnolia
! sloughs, with now and then a small
| hummock covered with beautiful live
oaks and cedars.
For 100 years this wild island has been
the place of safety of outlaws fleeing
from Justice. "Gone to Honey Island -
is bit of slang used by the people Of
Louisiana and Mississippi to mean that a
rogue has made his escape. Once within
the dense brakes of that wonderful will
derness the criminal is almost certainly
safe from even the most determined pur-
suers. AS well look for hare in weed
prairie as to look for hiding man in
jungle like that.
IN 1892 a youth of nineteen, rather
small for his age, but wen knit and OF
cool, self possessed demeanOT, came to
little town in Southwestern Mississippi
and began to make inquiries about Honey
Island. He was stranger to everybody
and his speech betrayed his Northern
breeding. Evidently he had made
long, hard journey on horseback, for
his animal was jaded and thin, and he
himself bore the marks of protracted
fatigue.
Men wondered, as they looked at him,
why youth of such pleasant cOunten-
ance and gentle bearing should be max
ing his way TO the refuge of desperadoes.
Surely he was no outlaw seeking a hiding
place, though his equipment was by no
means indicative of peaceful purpose.
A pair of heavy holster pistols hung at
his saddle bow, and across the saddle,
Just between the pommel and his legs,
he bore long, heavy rifle.
"What d 'ye want to go to Honey Is
land for?'' demanded a citizen whose
curiosity overcame his politeness.
81 have business there, - WAS the SIM
pie, evasive answer.
"An' ven have business away from
there poorly sudden, fore ye've been
there long, - remarked a bystander.
This is just what L expect re-
marked the young fellow, with strange
smile, "It's what 1 want
1t is needless to say that when the
word passed through the village an
nouncing the advent of a boy who was
on his way to Honey Island, not lit
tie excitement resulted. Everybody
desired to see the young stranger, and
nearly everyone had some ADVICE to give
him, the aggregate of which was that
be had better not go. He would get
lost in the brakes, he would be eaten
by bears or wolves or panthers, he would
mire in the quicksands, he would be
killed by the desperate men who luTked
there, or he would be bitten by rattle
snakes, moccasins or cottonmOuths.
The TaIr- haired youth only smiled and
went on making notes (of the informa-
ton that was gwen HIM and drawing
map sketches in his little pocketbook.
Maybe he's surveyor, some one
suggested.
cor land Spectator, =" ventured an
other
"a government timber agent, - added
a third.
But he was too young, and why this
secrecy and mystery?
When he was gone it came into some OF
their minds that mayhap he was, after
all, a great criminal with a golden re-
ward on his head How foolish not to
have detained him. No sooner had this
thought taken form than pursuit was
proposed, aud Immediately four or five
determined men set forth on his track,
following as fast as their fresh horses
could go; but they could not overtake !
him, and at last they came to where he |
had swan the river on his horse. Just as |
they reached the bank thew caught a |
glimpse of him disappearing into dark |
taugle of cane and bay bushes. Not one |
of those iron hearted men cared to follow |
further, and even if they had the effort |
would have been in vain, for the young |
rider, as was evidenced from his move
ments, possessed a knowledge of wood |
craft that would enable him to escape |
the most cunning pursuer.
1t was a nine days wonder IN the viii |
lage (when the party returned and told |
their story that boy should have the |
nerve to go all alone where band of the |
prsvest men would not follow.