The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-11-21
THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES
A MYSTERIOUS REGION THAT Is
STILL UNExPLoRED.
Weird Sights and Sounds Greet All
Who Penetrate Its Dense Tansles
Rare Animals aud Birds.

HE southern extremity OF the
peninsula of Florida is one
huge marsh of forest, mud
and jungle, known as the
Everglades. The swamp proper has
an area of about 5000 square miles,
which is drained by Lake Okechobee,
and it covers nearly the entire coun-
ties of Dade and Monroe and portion
of Manatee.
The general composition is wilder
ness of tangle growth. immense
regions of morass, dense stubble OF
cane and scrub palmetto, and tropi-
cal paradise of sweet shrubs, beautiful
flowers and delicate ferns. The swamp
is overlooking with animal, reptile and
bird life, which here md little to dis
turb them save the everlasting quar-
rels among themselves. which often
end in their own destruction.
Strange cries are sometimes heard
coming from the depths of this mac
cessible domain, the fierce lashings OF
the water, accompanied by savage bel
lowipgs and screams from birds in
midair, bear testimony to some san
culinary conflict between huge saurians
OF other brutes of the jungle.
OF animals we know of, the swamp
conceals the largest alligators and rat
tlesnakes on the continent. besides
bears, wildcats, deer, wild hogs, cata.
mounts, lizards, chameleons, turtles,
gophers, turkeys, quail, many kinds
of fish and every species of water fowl
known to the tropical regions OF the
United States.
The largest alligator ever captured
OF which any record remains was taken
in the Everglades nine years ago by
an old hunter named Hickman. 1t
measured twenty-five feet six inches
from end of nose to tip of tail, aud
weighed much more than full-grown
OK. The writer hes killed rattlesnakes
in different parts of the swamp rang
ing from six to nine feet in length.
and saw the skin of one, owned by a
Seminole Indian, that must have been
twelve feet long in life.
The biggest frogs on earth find a
home in the Everglades, and it is not
uncommon to run across Jumbos OF
the family weighing anywhere from
six to ten pounds.
The Everglades is the true home OF
the ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird
thet is almost rarity to naturalists
and museums. It can be easily located
by it's call, which sounds very much
like the cry of hurt child.
The Indians have great respect for
the bird by reason of its powerful
beak, which is used as o mechanical
tool or weapon of attack, as occasion
may require. The Seminoles, like our
Western Indians. must wear a charm
of some kind, and the beautiful ivory
bill, polished and pierced, answers for
them the same symbol as elk teeth dc
for our Western tribes.
Perhaps the most interesting of al
feathered creatures found in this great
waste OF nature are the family Of
humming birds, which the Seminoles
very suggestively call ''sun birds. "
The black bear is quite a well-known
inhabitant of the Everglades, and
while he is, in this section, neither a:
large nor as fierce or strong as hi.
cousin of other ATTITUDES, yet he sur
passes all others of his kind in keer
shrewdness, ingenuity and innate
rascality when o meal is the Object
sought for.
The proper time for white man te
visit the available portions of thii
great swamp is in midwinter, and ever
then myriads of huge, black mosqui
toes assail you at every step, ant
dangerous reptiles under foot threaten
movement in every direction.
But look above on any bright day
that you can see the sunlight, and (
glance will reveal thousands of bus,
insects shooting like bullets through
the air, and all engaged on singh
commendable mission. These are tn
innumerable colonies of bees that b.
years of industrious accumulation
have made the Everglades the creates
honey depository in the world.
Enterprising settlers near by hav
set out desirable box homes and work
shops for them. and thus secure 81
the honey they require, with prac
tically little trouble and no expense
The only human beings that ca
enter the Everglades, either in th
winter or summer, without fear or az
noyance or disaster are the Seminol
Indians, who claim this vast, disms
waste as their birthright. Mosquitoe
and reptiles have few terrors for them
and as for the heat OF midsummer,
seems that the hotter it gets the be-
ter they like it. There are about 90
of these interesting natives left, VIII
In bands of from forty to fifty hay
heretofore led nomodic life, livin
Tor the most part by hunting and fisl
ing, and in q few csses cultiva
ing small patches of ground. I'll
bucks also gain small income |
killing and selling "plume birds.
and the squaws by weaving fant
basket and fern work from the mat
rial SO ready at hand.
The Indians live under the name
Seminoles, but each have their ov
tribal chief under . separate trib
name, such as the ssMiamis. HfalI
hassess,n s'Cow Creek" Cypress
ETC., and each is under the control
its own chief, chosen annually at +
green corn dance, which is in resli
the red mans Christmas, or year
season of jollity and plenty.