The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-05-05

r EFT me endeavor to describe the
camp and its surroundings, so that
the reader may become a participatOr
in the thrilling events, and share in
imagination the feelings of awe and
wonderment with which gazed upon
q scene such as few hunters have wit
messed. A clear, limpid stream, 20
yards wide, flowing over a smooth
sandy bottom, between low banks COW
cred with reeds, ten to twelve feet in
height On the right bank the reed
fringe, dense but narrow, separates the
etream from wide level terrace, cor
cred with short grass, struggling hush,
and here and there q ffhe spreading in
cheuga tree. This terrace-which in
flood time is covered with water-runs
back for distance of 80 yards. to the
real flood bank of the stream, 20 feet
above its present level. On the top and
edge of the bank, under shelter of
huge inchenga, my camp is pitched.
Forest trees surround it, and in the
branches of those nearest to the tent
are hung masks and skins dry or dry
ing, skulls and horns finding rest
ing place in some trees at a greater dis
tanCe from the tent, while on o plat
form of logs, under O grass thatch, is
pile of tusls. Beyond camp stretches
an extent of park-liIle forest. Across
the river there is no open bench be-
tween it and the food bank but broad
and almost impenetrable area of reeds,
growing on the sandy ridges and in the
intervening hollows, through which at
times branches of the stream flow.
Above, on the opposite high bank, the
forest is excessively dense, full of low,
thick jungle, and lacking the park-lil1e
appearance of the country on the
right bank. In the light of day the
viewis a cOlor-scene of great brilliancy,
for it is now nearly midsummer, and
the green reeds are in flower, the aca-
.cias in blossom, and hung with sweet
scented balls of pink and gold flowers,
many of which give forth delicious
perfumes, are spread in clustering
spangles through the vivid green of
the young grass, or hung in festOonE
of color from the larger trees.
The forest itself is a wealth of 70.
Hage and color, to which my descrip-
tive powers cannot do iustic Brilliant
butterflies fit from flower to flower
while every now and then black and
yellow swallow-tail darts through the
forest openings, sISimming past the
tent into the forest beyond, and drag.
.on-fies of startling color dart on gauzy
wings among the reeds. Kingfishers
seek their food among the arching
branches, sweet-voiced birds at morn
and evening court admiration, whiIC
myriads of insects swell the murmur
ing voices of these solitudes even ir
the intense heat of MONDAY. But now
the sun has set in the glowing west
and the threatening thunder-cloudi
have passed away; the troops of tn
''monkey-people" have drunk their fl
and sought their resting places among
the topmOst boughs in the forest
doves have cooed their evening lula
by, and franeolins uttered their cheery
good night; the brief twilight is past
and the moon is over all, hanging lil5l
a silver shield in e sky of blue, stud
ded with stars, whose brillianey tn
eiweller ia northern ATTITUDES canno
know. In the open it is still as ligh
as day, but in the shadows is the dark
ness of night. Il was a moonlight
night, such as might be experienced il
any other part Of the tropical zone
and confirmation was yet required tha
the scene was that Of a hunters cam
in the wilds Of Africa. About $3.50 ?
m. had finished the various little du
ties which have TO be attended to &
a camp after the days sport is ovel
had cleaned my rifles, written up M
diary, and, having smoked my everinl