The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-29
t thhuu.o1, ,h h sun nen. a. we pushso our canoe

i, ~ the dense growth That lined ia banks. Al
leators clustered around every spot Of sunshine.
eager 10 enjoy the last ray before retiring
| for their short winter nap.
We pushed our canoe ten miles before We
again cane out of the Tensas sunlight. Al
though there were four feet OF water in the
chute where it, waters united with tho Tpnsl-,
VI" had to throw onrselve. fiat IN the canoe
10 avoid the ovrrhanging bushes, From the
Teslsa~ its opening was bnrely distinguishahlo
Right here wa~ = secure c.lmping and hiding
liiace; We marked TIE pot ana pushed on.
ing "a buoy SON" ten rods below the opening.
No one ha. any idea Of the intricacies or
make an attempt 10 navigate. them. often
did We wander mp some wrll-dctinrd course,
10 find II end N an impnssablr swamp.
Bayou~ d. ,,laCr and Boeuf were disturbed
by our canoe. and was nearly four weeks
before We arrived nj Moses landing. near which
point We determined 10 strike for the Arkansas
River
BY paths by day and secure roads bv NIGHT
these we must have. There was the Red River
10 cross, pOrtages 70 make and mon 10 avoid
every where. | kept an accurate map of tn"
way The last of January found uS across
the Arkansas and padding up the White River
In our biz canoe.
at Bradley's ward SURVEYS had been made,
ties and track laid, and. with the exception Of
the rolling stock the lnder Ground Railroad
was completed from the banks of the Teche
Moore was in the woods when We arrived. and
rs We were pretty tired, we threw ourselves
dow on IN" floor and slep, until about dark,
silent man usually, but this evening h"
was quite laxative.
"Gentlemen, said h". we have our railroad
and there Is no doubt plenty of work. IN cas-,
ot accident the engineer and conductor will be
likely Ia 40 under: as for the passengers, the
extent Of their injuries would be- a sound fog
cing II We succeed VI have a gold mine.
II VI" fail we hang. unless We are lucky enough
10 escape
This w, knew. and that night felt pretty
AAl.H nN.RF ~ NlnAHA ~ lnI
ing was close and plausible. No on" would
suspect negroes Of attempting TO escape to tho
North from q place so far removed IA Att,aka-
pms II they disappeared, the most that would be
dole 10 recover them would hr to search some
neighborhood and the swamps round about.
for usually when they did run away. this was
their refuge for n few weeks. When starved
ont they would return TO their old homes, sad
der. wiser and much hungricr and dirtier than
before After receiving Their usual 100 lashcs
they would crawl into some old glnhonse ana
le there until the first smart was over, then
stupidity return To their work
on the contrary, the esCa ping negro In the bor-
der States would he followed TO death or cap
lure \ white man caught near their quar-
tiers must explain his business pretty conclu-
sively. or the home guard, taking his case into
their hands, would escort him across the border.
the chances being that he would die en- route,
For these reasons Moore agreed with rs that
the farther South We conducted our operations
the better
The next day. bidding Moore farewell, we
commenced the return trip to Attakapas, via
I, G.. Railroad
on arriving We found the store finished.
II was a small wooden building, about twenty
feet wide by forty feet long, with a shed al
tached We began to unpack our goods
which We did not display on our counters,
these contained various disguises-Stains for
the skin, false hair, wigs and complete para
phernalia for different costumes While away
We had shaved OIr faces smooth to be better
prepared.
The goods unpacked. We had our opening
and trade commenced, Business was good
CHAPTER VI
One day I was busy tryi ng, 10 trade
with an Acadlan for q, couple Of bales OF COZ,
skew I T Bill sn waE dashed u T%V9t Inc door Skew
Bill was a character. An nnlucky blow received
when a child had twisted his nose SO hat t
stood AT an angle Of forty-five degrees win ms
face hence Skew Bill,
Sneider believed himself to be a celebrated
negro hunter, although 10 my knowledge he
never caught or found one runaway. There
was proved by court that he had been quite
successful IN finding other people mules'
and, contrary TO the wishes of the general public.
Sneider had MS vet escaped the rope
Adozen or, more dogs followed at hi4 heels
hound, cur, buN and monarel, mono OF them.
10 listen 10 his brag, bur could smell a niger a
mile away
peculiar voice, | went 70 the door.
What is it,
There's h to pay, at Coverly's. I've got tn.
"Whot : il, Sieve What is no"
"Oh, n dozen Of the old mans best hands have
took to the swamp, and all his dorgs was p-
"Sureg"I nsked.
Wall, | reckon it must be-the nisgers is
sorne' the dogs is dead and about a dozen
Nv benr, stood sin and il seened ne 10
should suyoco,a before / could breathe again
Wesner had been gone two DAYS. and. Unknown
10 mo. had SET The hall rolling There was no
he contemplated the step so soon, as he had said
,o,bing 70 me aho,I.
"SaW, YOU haven't heard EN- 60 bv vour
Mace have you9" cried Sneider
'"Of course not. If I Ind | would have stoned
them
"you can't track ON by the mules. for they're
not sbod' and ali mules and nigSers goes bare
foot in Ills country. said Bili
DO YOU know who thev nre9"
no; the old man JUS, sent for me
hunt with YOU"
4 right, you're a good one. Bring Terror,
my doc with Won ~ ~
my siTW he there without fail. and leave George
here r. lend store '"'' ""'
wi Here was wa. bI' a / n enough Esdx for h." one day ,r Mhers
tbat HE absence was connnrted with the SIAM
rede Of Coveriy's negroes. and | lonred for sin
set knowing well Ihat he would not leave
lie sDyauns NV dnvligh- 7 did NOT moro tbnn
hh,Is helinvc thai no wns with The rIna ave-
,h"rse sn n' nntynds Toiaht hn, bc aIsdi n owSro ID
> mognisCent siaiion black as night. and inc
sswiftest runner in ali sonthwe-tern Louisiana
irter nv customers we're gone I went over
70 .me K E1"r w gnro Thsre wns No. nn ,n ~
INA n bs obsence and I came hack 70 tho store
~ nt,ri,m, ,ta doy ,ario,s naonle can,a dr;,i,y