The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-09-29

up his weight, and he had to wade
through the soft mud, the water often
reaching his waist, and so he dragged
himself on, hardly knowing in which di-
roctlon he was travelling. narrowly es-
Gaping being snake-bitten, and having
to shoot a huge alligator that proposed
to dispute the right of way with him.
AT shutdown he reached a lake,
which surprised him, as he had never
dreamed that one existed in that lonely,
desolate place. Its size, too, amazed
him, for as nearly as he could guess it
was about ten miles in circumference.
The shores, like the surrounding marsh,
were afloat, no solid land to be seen.
What should he do? Night was fast
approaching. The turf sank at every
step, and, worse than all, he had the
marsh cramps kind of rheuma tism,
brought on by walking over the yield
ing turf. Love Of life and determina-
ton to save himself gave him strength,
however, and he pushed on to the left.
always keeping as near to the shore as
possible, hoping to find a knoll on which
to spend the night About dark he
came suddenly upon low shelf roof
covered with trees. Having saved his
matches by sticking them in his hat
band, he soon had roaring fire, and
proceeded to dry his clothes. He did
not sleep much that night, owing to the
close proximity of too many alligators
The light had attracted them from all
parts of the lake, and as they swan
slowly about the ghostly glitter of
many eyes added another horror to his
already wretched situation, Daybreak
ended his weary vigil and revealed
short distance from him, in clump of
myrtle bushes on the reef, an iron cross.
Gle examined it carefully, but it was
devoid of any nscription-simply
plain iron cross planted firmly in the
shells. Suddenly it flashed upon him
that this was counterpart of the one
which he had often seen. All was plain
enough now. Lafitte had sailed up the
Mermentau and through some connect
ing bayou, now evidently grown over
with the marsh turf, into this lake, and
had buried another lot Of treasures on
this isolated reef.
There was no tomb here as on the
Chenier. LATTE thought the lake.
with its surrounding boys, hiding place
enough. Surely, no human being would
The fugitive did not stay to investigate
further. for he had eaten nothing in
twenty-four hours, but had to make the
mainland that day or not at all. Be
sides, the tide, which is governed in the
sea marshes by the wind alone, might
rise at any time, and then he would be
utterly cut off from hope of life. Climb
ing tree, he took survey Of the
country. Besides the shell reef, he saw
no dry land anywhere about the lake.
One thing attracted his attention.
About half mile to the east he saw a
blind bayou running out from the lake
towards Mermenfau, which was con-
firmation of his theory Of the manner in
which Lafitte had entered the lake, but
nature had closed it with a heavy
growth Of turf, making more secure the
old pirates secret. Looking to the
northwest he saw this ranch, which he
recognized as mine by the island of
trees. AS near as he could guess, IT.
was five or six miles away. To the
north he saw large number of knobs
and small islands of trees. He saw,
too, cove running out quite way
from the land. He concluded that the
better way was to head directly for the
knobs, where travelling would be much
easier keeping among them as long as
possible, and then strike directly for the
cove. This route was considerably out
of his course, but, being an old marsh
err he knew he would make time by 1t.
"He arrived here at three o'clock in
the afternoon, as near dead as any man
could be and draw breath 1 kept him
hid for several days, during which time
he told me the above story of one of the
most remarkable Journeys of which I
have ever known, he being the only
man who has ever been known to cross
the sea marshes at this point. He
christened this body of water Lake
Misere,' and we'll named it.
HE soon left for Texas, but relin-
pushed all claims to the 'find,' as he
told me he had no desire to visit the
spot again.
"And this" continued the rancher,
"Was what / was looking for, but it was
an experience, notwithstanding the fact
that l waited until a northwest wind
had so lowered the water in the adjoin-
ing rivers and bayous as to dry the
marshes to considerable extent. TAX
ing the best mud horse I had two
days rations, and my Winchester,
went into the cove to about the spot
where the young fellow had quit the
marsh. Taking a cattle trail l struck
for the furthest knobs, where / had
been several times before, for cattle
range out that far, but no further AT
the last knoll climbed tree, and look
ing almost south, saw a little island OF
trees standing by itself I concluded
from what my friend had told me that
this was the place. My horse got along
very well for awhile, but at last had
to get down and lead him. The marsh
out there is certainly tough. But ]
pushed on, and about twelve O'Clock
ran suddenly upon the lake. but not the
trees, for they were still on the other
side. Not bit of dry land upon this
side-not even knoll upon which tc
rest-nothing but floating prairie every
where was, besides, almost played
out, as was my horse, and was afraid
to follow the shore around to where the
shell reef was, SO was obliged to turr
back, and with great difficulty reached
the knobs. Here I was obliged to un-
saddle, as my horse was too tired to &c
any further. got out somehow, an6
have been laid up ever since"
Hence the buried treasure rests un
disturbed under its iron cross on thu
desolate shores of Lake Misere."
About six months later / met friend
greetings he said:
l