Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-10-02
FROM THE EVERGLADES

| months "Trip through lOIlud' REMARKED
Capt William Stainback last night land
while there met young fellow who told
me the most remarkable story | ever
! heard.
About four monthe ago, or some time
! IN April, | think, he said, four young men
met in Atlanta. My acquaintance, who
was one Of the quartetee, was from New
| York, another OF the party was from Ken
lucky, the third from Tennessee, and the
fourth was from Tennesc ae, and the fourth
was a Spahiard.
The three Americans had planned q
! fishing and hunting excursion through
! Florida, and asked the SpUniard to make
one of the party They had secured full
hunting and fishing outfits and left for
the land of flowers and fruits.
! They went nearly down to Lake kisSi.
NEE by rall and then took private con
veyance over the lake. After hunting
and fishing for few days in and around
this lake, they launched their boat and
went down the kissimee river to Lake
Okeechobee The latter is beautiful
body of water, hmpid as mountain
stream, placid as young girl's day
dreams, and smooth as mirror. 1t
abounds in the finest of fish and is sur
rounded with the forests which are full of
game. 1t lies just on the northern bounds
Of the Everglades, that vast UNEMPLOYED
region of Florida Here the party spent
two weeks more in hunting and fishing.
The sport grew monotonous and the four
boys onged for novelty.
Zone night while sitting around the
campfire, smoking their pipes and telling
yarns, dreaming of their sweethearts at
home, and yearning tor exploits which
would make them famous, the Spaniard,
who cared little for those he had
left behind and was more happy in the
haunts of the wild beasts than the
eectric-lighted abodes of men, suggested
that they explore the Everglades. The
boys mped Mt it. What stories of nd
venture they could relate when they got
back home.
"They packed their luggage and set out
through the Everglades. The party was
we'll equipped and armed with Winchester
repeating rifles and big knives. 1t was
easy going at first, and they enjoyed the
ever cl angling panorama nature spread out
before them. Beautiful wild flowers
blosSomed everywhere and filed the air
with fragrance. Fastoons of pretty creep
ers gracefully swayed in the soft tropical
air. The foliage of the trees, rich in he
green characteristic of the tropics lent
additional charms to scenery that could not
be surpassed in beauty.
"On, on into the unexpored regions
they pushed their way. AT times 1t was
hand work. So dense was the underground
and so closely entanglei were the vines
which grow every where that progress was
slow, and they had to cut their way
| through often to gain an egTcss. Finally
| they reached the tall pine, which grow so
densely in that region. They did not know
what was in front Of them. They were
now upon ground never before trodden
| 10y man. They we're In the midst
u the forest primeval, in unexpIored
wilds. 1t was necessary to keep a sharp
lookout for the dangerous rattle
snak which abound in this section.
from these shiny enemies, and often
had to bring their trusty Winchesters into
play.
"Ihe forest became so dense that one Of
the boys had to climb a tree every now
and then to see what was ahead and map
out the course. One da yone of the boys
was up in the top of one of the tallest
pines. They wore spikes in their shoes
such as are used by the lnemcu of the tele
phone companies and never went anywhere
without their big knives well, this time,
as Jack lad reached the top OF the pine
and was surveying the landscape over he
heard scream, followed by a sudden
whirr, just in time TO catch glimpse of a
huge eagle coming right at him. He
lodged his head behind the body of the
tree and lowered himself among the
branches The eagle had missed him and
went wniring by, The fight WIS not over
though. The American bird turned and
came back Again the tree saved Jack :
head, but he felt the lalons OF the eagle
clutch and sink into his left arm. II re
CURED but an instant TO draw his big
knife from his scabbard and with one
swlpe the head of the eagle fell down
through the branches of the tree to the
ground. The bird did not loose his talons,
however, ana it took one more stroke Of
the knife to cut the legs from the body
] hen the big bird tumbled from the tree
and knocked one of the boys senseess be-
low. This eagle WAS a monster Of the air
md measured Is feet and ~ inche, from
tip to lip. The skin was stuffed and will
be sent to the National Museum at Wash
ington. Jack did not climb any mcre trees.
however. The next time the party get lost
some one else will have 70 do the climbing
They pushed their way on through the
deusa forest. shooting what game they
could, and feasting on the fruits and Der.
RES which abound there. Tuey had been
in the forest for seven DAYS They were
ost and did not know what was ahead OF
them Tuis tune the Sganiard climDed
tree He pulled on up to the top Of one
Of the taliest pines and rested in the up
permost branches He looked out upon
the wilderness # pines about Tim every
where. About a mile ahead Of hin be
saw beautiful lake. In the center o. the
lake was large island he pulled out
his field glass, and upon examination saw
What appeared to IL gardens Of flowers
IL yelled TO bis companions, waiting be-
low, but his voice was lost in the soughiuR
Of the pines BE carefully calculated the