Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-12-27
DEER-HUNT In ALA.
4 MONT m A WAREHOUSE AND a
TRIP ON THE TOM eicegE.
Muntsry Camp scenes, Famous Stories.
snd Mock Cearts-.A stand" end the
4ack IN Fall Cry--A Pretty Doe shst.
twri,sca for III. Dispatch.l

In the winter OF 1900 there were four Of
"A who started on the train for famous
deer-huntinc ground in the swamps OF tho
Tom Bigbee river. The people there call
Il the " Bigbe," and where the name in full
or In short came from cannot tell. IL 10
q long, crooked, narrow stream. on which
+" stern.whecl steamers run IN the winter
months from Mobile TO Tuscaloosa. In
summer the water is so low ana sand-bars
are 40 numerous that nothing but the
gmAlleet steamers will risk their Tat bot
toms on its trencherous shoals.
AZ the time write of there had been
loae season of almost drought, and only
one boat had gone above the small town
OF De,nopolis. Arriving here ut night,
We were assured that we would soon near
the hoarse whistle OF the boat as sne
Grounded the BEND Just one mile away.
II was nine miles around, apd as tne
= .Cunarder.n we could easily take q nap
and still have time enough TO meet her NJ
1.-THE lending" We might have gone 70
the hotel. but we thought 1t useless when
we would have 10 rise so soon. Two OF
ony marty. who would float down the
river for wild ducks. sought bed,
leaving orders for an early breahiast, 5ut
we. the other two, who were waitihg Ior
the boat. took all "our traps = guns,
BASKETS, satchels, ctc.-and went INTO the
waiting room of the warehouse.
pusKY ssoRrHs.
This vAs a small room: twelve, feet
sauare. boarded up with undressed plank
aud contained a small egg-shaped stove,
Around IL were several spllt-bottom chairs
and n wooden bench. These were closely
hacked with succession of lazy negroes,
Who had loafed in from one cause OF an
other and who soon fell asleep under the
genial warmth OF the stove.
negro can sleep In any place ana IN
sny position. Let his shiDs feel the nIe
and he will rock his head FROM side TO SIDE
and nod and snore as soundly as II he were
sfretched out on the softest bed or the
bardest board. And'to watch the grotesque
figures of these sleeping beauties" mt
fnlly podding in the dim light OF aiamp
was unmixed fun for many weary hour.
Now and then some restless one wouid De
syoused or imagine that the deep snore
OF some beaying chest was the whistle OF
the steamer Then would shire the whites
of many eyes and the pearl OF many teeth
from the black faces OF the mirthIui steep.
ers. But in few moments all would quie'
down again into a stiffness only broken by
the harsh SHORES of these lusty lungs.
Thus passed the night, and when the
faint dawning of the day was seen through
The cracks in the open walls at last we
heard the sound of that deep, coarse
whistle for which we had vainly listened
every moment during the iivelong night.
IL startled the sleeping town. Inc cnlck-
ems crowed and the dogs began to bark.
Cold as wc were, and knowing that two
hours moro must pass before that poat
could round the bend, still we were SO
weary of our waiting that We went out
upon the bluff and shivered IN the damp
wintry wind of the morning.
Here she comes at last J" rang outfrom
the bluff. and sure enough there were the
colored lights. the huge smokestacks slde
by side pouring out dense volumes OF
black smoke. the great furnaces blazing
with pins-knots, and the plash OF the
futter- wheel at the stern as she swung
round with the current, and the bow was
made fast to o tree by long rope hung
out upon the shore.
TYPICAL BTvEE BOAT.
What a boat! A huge fatboat, without
\ gunwail, but O sharp bow, and the deck
widening out toward the centre, and then
recedinR to the stern. In front pair OF
stairs branching to either side and leading
10 the cabin deck Above this another
smaller range of rooms, and above these,
percbed high up between the smoke
stacka the pilot-house." at which the
pilot stood with both hands grasping the
wheel.
between decks there WAS an open space
some twelve feet high, the upper deck De-
ing supported by small beams down each
side the boat. In front were the boilers
and furnaces, and all around these CORDS
of lieht-wood, or pine-knots, used for fuel
in these river boats. Back of the boilers
was the open space for freight crowded
now with bales of cotton, cattle. and
horses. Back of all these we're the engines
connected with the boilers by steam pipes
suspended from overhead, while two huge
"walkipg beams" turned the flutter
wheel at the stern with iron cranks.
Mounting the stairway. we entered tie
saloon, which extended the whole length
of the boat and on each side of which were
the small state-rooms, with two berths to
each. In one of these we soon forgot our
sorrows and "slept the sleep OF the Just. l"
The loud cursiDg of the mate, the song OF
the colored stevedores as they rolled the
cotton bales down the bank, the glare OF
the pine-knots blazing on an iron basket,
all were lost as We wrapped ourselves up
in the calico quilts and comforts and made
up for lost time in sleep SO deep that
nothing could disturb.
DREABY SCENE.
Breakfast was over and our Disguised
duck Hunters had been picked mp out OF
the rain. when we were at last aroused. IL
was q dreary scene. The ram was fainhg
IN torrents. The high banks shut out all
sight of the fiat country, and there were
but few passengers to share the discom-
forts of that dismal day.
Sparkling Jokes fell flat and insipld, and
the monotony of misery was only broken
now and then by "a landing" About 4
in the evening we slipped down the gang
plank, one by one, amid the pouring ram.
fioundered through the mud up the slip
perry bank. and were welcomed to log
cabin OF stills by those who were 10 meet
ne for the hunt. Under the house, which
stood ten feet above ground for fear OF
freshets, were tho hounds-eighteen IN all
and such yelping and bowling as made a
perfect pandemonium.
AMERBY CROWD.
But when we sat around the large. open
fireplace, half the width of the house,
piled up with blazing pIne-knOts. and
laughed and told tales and cracked Jokes
and quizzed each other. all discomforts
were forgotten, and we were as merry a
crowd rs ever sat around campfire. The
rain still poured, the roof leaked, and the
cold wind whistled through the cracks.
Out uuutf us NtIt bnc klONAiu-
that would make music IN the morning,
and all around US were those dark, deep,
moss grown woods where many buck aud
many doe were leaving the fatal tracks
that would give the trail in the morning.
Other hunters were to meet us from the
neighborhood, and some had already
reached camp when our boat hOUe 20 at the
landing. Soon large wagons rolled up
packed with bedding and,proyisions. But
gil were we'll drenched with rain, and the
first thing was To dry out the mattresses
and covering and seek place across the
room where there was no leak in the roof
and where the floor was dry.
sUaPTUoUs FEAST.
Across the open hall was another room
which we used as kitchen and servants
room. Here our man, Ross" soon had
the pot boiling with delicious coffee and
when he set the table we were RECALLED by
the bountiful stores of beef, fowl, pre-
serves, bread. biscuit. and cakes which
kind ladies had packed away. Our own
boxes of canned goods and barrel of
apples and oranges all added made o
most sumptuous feast. A blessing having
been asked we sli set down TO hearty
meal and then those who smoked lighted
their cigars aud we all grouped
around the open hearth with its