Smyrna times., 1892-11-09
For the Smyrna Times
AMONG THE SEMINOLES.
LAKE WORTH, DADE Co, FLA,

Nov. 1892
About four o'clock, or two hour bv
sum-" as the Crackers say, we started
VI for the "Glades," that is. Iccochee and
VI his younger brother, Owika, and NV
SELL Instead of going direct TO them
from the direction of the settlement
the trail bore off in a north bv east
n n course toward Lake Okeechobee. Not
, word was said as the way was liter.
e any pushed through the dense vegeta.
,Tr ton that blocked progress on every
e. SIDE The two Indians never faltered
Tor a moment as to the right course to
a. take every inch of the ground gone
,s over, appeared to be az familiar IN
d them as one feels at home in the
II sweet security of streets" Uudar a
cypress trees we found Icocbee's
ilttIe Nancy skiff all right, to take us
on our dreary way into the heart of
Vne Everglades. The loading took but
a lew minutes, and the eldest Indian
standing in the stern, with long
slender push pole, shot the boat ont
into the stream, while Owika. stationed
at the bow, with shorter pole Tended
1t oil from jutting points. l sat on the
aulldsnlp thwarts on a pile of blan.
kets, with the sun pouring down with
tropical vehemencs, although nearly
set.
FOr hours. the light skif threaded
It's way shiftly and without stop
through the maze of narrow cbanrolo
that everywhere intersects the vast
swamps OF the Everglades like a net.
work of veins. These channels are
crooked beyond conception, filled with
reaches that are in truth mo mans
frlend," since they describe perfect
circles. Many Of them are so Narrow
That We constantly brushed against tho
'ali sa" grass, forming impregnabIe
walls on both sides, and so bewilderinO
in their lnterlacing, that one to them
not to the manor born" would he.
come quickly lost, without apv noss,.
Olllty OF extracting his boat from their
'olls. vi no use whatever, in these
iaoyrlnthne channels is a commas .
sun 1t was evident We were steering a
que south course having entered tho
diaGes about two miles west of the :
seminole settlement. It is seldom
That these Indians are prevailed imam :,
to guide white man into any part of
tne Everglades, so jealousy do thew
guard the secret paths of their last :
place of refuge Seemingly it appears =
very easy to get on without their =,
leave, for the limitless sea of brown :"
grasses stretching as far as the eve =
can reach, was level as a floor. save =,
toward the horizon, islands appeared -
covered with tall cypress trees. -
AS the boat swept along could not m
but admire the fine physique of Icco. n,
chee' standing with the easy grace of d,
savage Apollo, the sun glistening on ar
his copper-cOlored limbs, as without f.,
the least effort, he guided the boot ba
with the pole. He wore a single oar. 10
ment' belted above the waist, and his al,
long, black hair was confined by a sk
crimson handkerchief. Owika was ba
dressed even more primitively, having an
nothing but a bit of cloth fastened
ABOUT his loins. l asked Iccochee how Ia,
ong it would be before we could bo
90 into camp, for as night began to tai
ieepen, the mosquitoes became anpov. mi
ng.
"Bimeby uncah," came the cautious me
eply. -, -
well, know, but where ?n ;no
Me fxum, hin-dle-ote (good) bime- int
"" ~
Owika looked around and smiled. dis
Yes, but am getting hungry. ~ ino
Uncah, you like um sofke (sofke) glo
lie like um bimeby." not
A half hours silence followed. wbiIe s,o.
ne skiff moved swiftly forward. Sud. 7
emily lccochee exclaimed, "Hin.dle- in
le; Camp now, bimeby l' raj.
A turn in the road, and change for the
le better had taken place. We were io,o
a stream that was bearing us along wit
ith decided current toward a belt EIo
cypress trees that formed the boun- ooo
ary of the Glades on that side. In a sno,
lort time the waving grasses were mor
It behind, and we were gliding -.
trough patches of mingled shade. -.
'er dark waters, to the camping r.
ace. .ue
1rho .t,g his
'ok canopied by the fragrant and ,.n 49,
despread tendrils of large grape .a'..
ne tree Beyond it arose the grace.
outlines OF group of cabbage H.,
lms' forming, for the time being. a
rfect camp side. Poles were soon a." o'
I, and placed on the ground. and in
Incredibly short time the sides -
d roof were thatcbed with the great. 10, -'9 :
nkly palmetto leaves, from the se%'
'es pear by, making it a rain proof n'",' naI1
elter. s'gii
For our supper we had coffee, bacon. -
hard-tack bread, and while Owika
eam and soon ro..s-, "ou' W 'he and
oH AeSuFheu Win cOu- hin,
OF line fish, that he had speared naa n'-
tn his jack light. me.
az ,n''o. supper 'ne Indians made beds myse
the abundant moss hanging in fes- soun,
'ns from the trees all around, and mole
er this a comforting smoke was fear
zen, previous to taking the stream unbe
ain in quest of alligators. An
We took places in the boat as before resp,
d headed down stream. The night thew
IS intensely black, and we had not the !