Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-03-18
THE HERMIT.

When ladies go alligator hunting,
they should clearly understand that
people whom they find and associate
with freely in an Alabama bayou should
not always be bowed to in Piccadilly
| This sounds simple-an axiom, in fact
but because Miss Wilcoxn did such an
uncalled for bowling, things happened
which put two most respectable fam
lilies in condition of open fury, and
earned dislike as the origin of evil. AS
matter of accuracy, my yachtmate
was far more guilty than I. He had
gone a-fishing one day in his shirt, and
had spent eight hours sandwiched be-
tween wind and water, and had natu-
rally returned with his legs bitten red
raw by the sun. He developed a temper
in consequence that would have made
him stunned in the pit, and was driv-
en- into deed of temporary separation.
Our yacht was then in the bayou Of
Bon Secours, which opens off Mobile
bay. and the man with the sunburned legs
said with many adjectives that move
ment for him was out Of the question.
He remarked that he would stay on the
sloop and fish for gaff tops'ls Gas they
call the catfish), and cavallos and sheep
heads and sharks and whatever else he
could get, and said that polite conversa-
tion was strain to him. He stated that
our crew (of one negro) would make a
suitable butt for his future remarks,
and put forward the suggestions that I
should take myself off. go and hunt
alligators up the lagoons, and live saw
age in the swamps, and eat crackers and
trout, and catch fever if there's any
throwing about" said the man with
the sunburned legs. "That'll be about
your form." So pitied the niger and
went off-in pale pink pyjamas and the
ten foot yawlboat.
The subsequent sail down the lagoon,
under brazen torrent Of sunshine,
came as one of the seven pleasures of
life There was great wall of trees on
the landward side, rearing itself from
the waters lip in a hedge of under
growth. To southward, from over the
rambling line of dunes, with their
fringes of scrub grass and palmetto,
came the dim below of the surf as it
creamed and crumbled on the white
gulf sand. And down the silver ripples
of the lagoon there blew an air, family
salt, which chilled the wet cotton against
ones spine
The lagoon bayed to an end, and there
opened out another channel to be punted
through, a narrow winding canal of
twirls and branches through quaking
marsh land, waterway rustling with
r fish and ablaze with yellow lilies. Car
dinal birds peered at one from the bushes,
and purple herons thrust out curious
beaks from the grass clumps. 1t was all
very peaceable and extremely hot.
Then there came lake with islands,
lake of water called by courtesy fresh,
which was lemon yellow to look through
and black to look upon. 1t swarmed
with fish, which took the hook and were
supped upon for their sins, and because
there was no whisky in the yawlboat for
dllution it served as beverage in all
its sulphurous nastiness. Then the sun
dipped behind the forests at the back,
and night followed like the shutting |
down Of a box. One mounted bullseye !
lantern on the hatband, which would |
shine down rifles sights, and put out |
again in the boat, padding stealthily. Tt |
is not always easy to distinguish be-
tween firefy and the CLEAN of an alli-
gators eye, and shots are apt to be
wasted and the neighborhood scared.
But on that night fortune held, and the
lead went home six several times. Then
the dead were made more safely dead
with the AK, and their slayer laid him
down to sleet Oh the boats floor with
his head beside the centerboard trunk.
So passed my first night away from
the sloop. The morning was occupied in
the process of skinning, and then once
more on toward the east. There were
more lakes and more canals all full of
their own new wonders, and ever away
In the distance on the starboard hand
was the noise CT the surf as it broke
where the logs from the gulf rivers bris-
tie in the milky sand. In late afternoon
came to lagoon with a wooded island
in it, and among the trees of the is
land, when they grew distinct from one
another, I saw man.
l bore down on him under sail, for
there was spanking breeze coming in
from the sea, and when we were within
hailing distance the boat grounded.
do you want to land here?" he
shouted.
II don't mind if I do"
"Then shove off again and drop down
to the tail of the island and luff up
sharp where you see a barked tree on
the beach. There's no deep water until
you come to there
1 did as he told me, put the boats
nose on small beach of pebbles and
waited, smoking. 1 waited half an hour
maybe, anc then he strolled up very
lelsurely with his thumbs in the waist
belt OF his trousers. I can't say he
seemed overpleased to see me. He asked
with point what had come for.
told him, and then said, "By the
way, you re a varsity man, aren't you?'
Yes, Oxford House. You are,
too, I've notion.''
From over the way-Pembroke
"Well, If you've nothing better on,
leave your boat and come up to nv
place. Sorry didn't tumble to you at
first, but then you don't look over re-
spectacle just now. Are you much down
on your lucl1?'
"Oh, I'm not hunting alligators pro-
fessionally. I'm here for amusement.
concluded he was there because he
had got into trouble with the law of the
land elsewhere, but I did not suggest
this because it is considered rude to
touch upon family matters unlimited.
But after minute he broached the
topic himself. "I'm here for amusement
myself" he said. "I'm here perma-
nently."
By this time we had got into bit of
a clearing inside the wall of trees--a
patch of sorghum, another Of sweet DO
tatoes, another of corn with stalks that
stood ten feet high, and a goodly plant
ing of green tobacco plants, with sham
bling palmetto growth at the back.
"Faith,' said. you've queer no.