The National tribune., 1899-01-12
: s. (oRPoRAL<
IS G G& S5 53ss1 IKE

and as I rowed by the foot of the mair
street, a single shot was fired on the
| bank-the flash of the gun being towaro
me-though | did not know what they
were shooting at, nor did call to inquire
| In the neighborhood of Lambs Ferry
| Just at the head of Muscle Shoals, / lay
down in the bottom of my boat TO rest q
little, as | was very tired and sleepy
How long slept do not know not more
than an hour, | ink,-when | heard a
chicken crow, and, waking up, l found
was floating by a house on the bank.
IN AN EDDY.
| picked up my oar and began to paddle
leiSurely on, too tired and sleepy TO work
hard, and in a short time | passed an
other house. 1t was dark, to be sure, but
still could see that it bore a striking re-
Semblanca 10 the first one. Two brothers,
thought, live on adjoining plantations
or, perhaps, an old man and one OF ms
children. and have built houses alike.
| still pulled on, but 10, in short time l
passed another Just like the other two.
This was unaccountable for a minute,
but | remembered | mad seen big cotton
wood tree on the bank at each OF the
other houses, and now thought OF 1T,
they, too, were as the houses ana
fenceS-dll, all exactly alike. What could
it mean Was | bewitched! | started dI-
rectly across the river TO the opposite
bank, resolved TO leave a country where
such sameness prevailed. 1t savored too
much of enchantment TO suit me, SO
would go elsewhere; but as | approached
the channel ! discovered that | was IN
big eddy caused by an island on one SIDE
and a sweeping curve in the bank on the
other. and that | had been floating around
in a circle-how long ! could not tell.
Shortly after | pulled ashore on an IS
land TO pass another day, hiding my
canoe under the oyerhanging bong ms,
which projected far out over the water,
and lying down in my boat to sleep:
After taking long nap, ! was awakened
by a rafting in the chains OF my BOAT,
and rising up and peering over the gun,
vale, eSpied a large, fat raccoon reared
up on his mind legs playing with the loose
end of the chain as it dangled from the
limb il was tied to.
His look was astonishingly intelligent,
and he enjoyed the sport till the swinging
iron hit him on the nose, when he hustled
of up the bank, and was seen no more.
Scarcely however was he away, before
a mink came trotting down to the END OF
my boat, and cast an inguirIng look into
IL: but one glance Sufhced hIm, ana ne
was of like d shot.
Nothing more occurred TO diStur me TIL
discovered a company of rebel cavalry
on the north bank OF the river. Nearly
opposite where ] lay, on that side, was
house, and as the cavalry approached II
saw an OIL man DrlnS an oIliceI oo"H 10
the waters edge and point out to him
where was hid, after which the latter
rode back to the company, when they all
moved off down the river, and | began t.
fiatter myself that | should not be dis
turbed. Still, thought it best to keep
good lookout for them, and soon saw
them about three fourths Of mile down
the river.
They came to the bank, and | was sat
isfied now that something was TO be done.
They dismounted, and six OF them got
into large canoe, and, pushing of, set
out toward me, coming a considerable DIS
lance, when they appeared 20 be called
back by the party on shore. A brief con
sultati0n then ensued, and they again
pushed out in the river; but this time
they steered below the end of the island,
ard again ! was almost ready to believe /
would not be disturbed.
MUSCLE SHOALS.
In about hall an hour | heard them
up the river on the opposite side
If the island, which was here very mar
row. | watched them closely, and dis
csyered that they were not more than 70
yards of, and coming rapidly; -, quickly