The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1891-09-12

fills the air as completely as the moan
ing OF a steady wind through a great
forest-an unremitting, full-rounded
n even melodious roar, composed of
billions OF croaks from the deep hoarse
bass OF the venerable. ard wary grand
father. through all the various keys
down to the shrill squeak of the
youngster just escaped from the igno-
mInious tadpole tail and attained to
the dignity of a pair of very long hind
legs.
With this predominant strain of the
music of the night ever in my ears.
now more lou lily now more softly as
tie faint airs shifted and swayed. with
ever the whisper of the ate under
the wedse-!ike bow, I still slipped
swiftly on to the stealthy dip of tire
less paddle"
A heavy swirling plunge into the
water inst ahead and an instant later
my boat cnts across the c%oncentric
waves raised by a good-sized alligator
as he took "a header from the bank.
Another splash /! 'Tis big mud-tnrtle.
most a"ciert of saurians, ferocious
fiery-eyed, who drops plummet-like
from an oyerlianging log. l sweep
beneath the low-swinging branches of
a fa%r-reaching willow. The dew-laden
leaves brush refreshingly across my
face and a solitary blackbirG frighten-
ed from his perch f1utters. wildly chirp-
ing and in frantic haste to some safer
retrea..
Hitherto my way has been between
the ranks of l0w-bending willows
which e to brood and caress the
waters they love so well. But in a
moment the willows are left behind
and to the right and left are high, and
IN the darkness seemingly impervions
walls Of giant grasses rising full ten
feet above my head.
At intervals | hear faint rustlings
and a soft popling IT'S the first breath
of the morning wind from the sea
whispering among the raspy leaves of
the slender roseaux aud the long rem
dulating blades of The bulrushes. To
the East are visible the first tender
tints of the comirg dawn as with still
unwearied stroke | round the last
point and see not far away a cabin
and a said boat. This is the end of the
first stage of my voyage. On a hot
August night | have padded fifteen
miles in three hours, which is not bad
work.
The cheerful greetings of the morn
ing. a cup of coffee strong enough to
make your hair curl, a rousing "glorian
on top of the coffee and then, "Debout!
debout "Ha !. Measures, en- route, en-
route !"
The canoe is hauled on the deck OF
our little lugger, the lines were east
off and with a light wind dead ahead
we beat down to the canal. Tedious
as this was it was nothing to the en-
nui of the canal. There the still ri
sing south wind was SO shut out by
the tall roseaux AMI the thick mango
bushes tnat we were almost complete
ly becalmed notwithstanding the poly
glot prayers and objurgations that
"Jack' my sharp-witled "Taco" boat
addressed to "San Antoine. On
ly the extreme peak Of our little sail
"drew' as the sailors say, and at last |
In disgust we ratified the cloth down
on deck. Then Jack took the pole and
| took the helm and thus we crept |
along that breathless, fiery lane. But
verify we had our reward for reaching
at last the long-looked-for bay we
were greeted by the welcome sight of
blue waves %glancing in the sunshine
aud by a thrice welcome pouring wind
sweeping direct from the bosom of the
sea.
Never ratified blocks more merrily,
never rose a sail more cherily than
ours as we hoisted away and with that
spanking wind abeam, the crisp spark
waterwashingthe deck up to the lee
combings, with the saucy waves
slapping our resounding bows, and
occasionally giving us a not unwel-
come shower-bath of salt spray we
away to the southeast.
In that direction a long dark line
trees barred the seward view look
!ng as if they had started out on an
procession of their own
Tor no supporting land was visible.
MIMI AnUED