The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-08-13
"FRoGolNGv IN THE SOUTH.
Exciting Sport Enjoyed In the Swamps
of Dixie Land.

From the New York Times.
For picturesque and exciting sport. the
place to go "frogging'' is below Mason
and Dixons line. On the edge of those
vast southern swamps. where the mos
quito and malaria germs vie for suprem-
acy, may be found crude shanties and
cabins. These are the homes of colored
lumbermen and fishermen who are Inn
mune to the drenching mists and MAS
matic environments. 1t Is In these fol-
iage-tangeld mlres that the builfrog at
tains size that Is seldom seen In the
north, and the only ones who know how
TO reach him In the wilderness of cypress
and magnolia are tho men who live with
In the sound of his deep "glunk. glunk."
DE bes' way to ketch him." says Mar
Gus, who goes into the swamps after
cypress timber. "is to go ct night wild
light en- blin' him. Den all yo' got to do
Is pick him up an put him In 81 bag. In
de day time he will hop all obeh de
swamp lax flea, en- yo' can't ketch up
wild him."
Possibly Marcus will extend an invita-
ton for you to accompany him on one Of
these nocturnal "frogging" expeditions,
and II you accept the little penalties of
being drenched with oozy mud and hav-
ing a mosquito bill In every pore Will not
Seated In a light bateau your sable guide
will pole along the shallow expanses OF
sluggish ponds with scarcely sound.
The smoky lamp In the bow casts weird
reflection on the thick scum and attracts
myriads of insects of which huge mos
quitoes predominant. But Marcus does
not seem TO mind them.
"Dey's bit me so often" he chuckles, as
you keep up an incessant slapping. dat
.t..F& For n
Then the route of the bateau assumes
the shape OF circles and horseshoes until
you are at the mercy of your guide. IL
he should lose his way In the wilderness
of all but impenetrable foliage the
chances of getting out of the tangled
swamp would be uncertain indeed. But
Marcus knows every acre OF the sluggish
waters, treacherous Eossbanks and
dense thickets The bottom OF the bateau
scrapes on submerged trunks and roots.
but the boatman skilfully poles over the
INSTRUCTIONS He lodges the limbs that
hang over like long green arms and tears
away the meshes Of wild oats and water
vines that stretch out like nets In front
of the boat In the meantime the famll-
lar concert Of deep "glunk. glunks" Is in
creasing in volume and resounding on ev-
cry side. You are now In the frog coun-
try"
aHeah's When de big ones stay" an
nounces Marcus. dropping his pole and
wrapping a cloth around the smoky lamp
To form an improvised bulls eye. Watch
me cunjhe dem."
The thin yellow light shoots across the
green scum and the effect Is startling.
Frogs pop out OF the mire like popcorn
ON a hot hearth. There are big frogs and
little frog, and they rush for the light
like gnats for an arc-lamp. AS Marcus
predicted, they are blinded by the light,
and all he has TO do Is reach over the
side of the bateau and lit them In. They
ara en- completely dazed that they scarce
Iv kick when their slim legs are forced
into the wide burlap bag. When the
greenback population Is depleted in one
vicinity, Marcus poles deeper into the