The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-06-15
Tho pcsts ofTne swamp.

lNftr S9IWhSht W SAit ehh
-
Tho Pests ofThe swamp.
We we're camping at the mouth OF the
usuloyer. 40 Floridians term the shoi,
canal which connects the head waters OF
the Indian River with those OF Mosquito
Logon. II Was perfect, windle. even
| log. The stArt, that In the north appear
10 be embedded 10 the sky, stood out IKE
brilliant ioerustHtiops on the velveiy black
dome. AT or feet The water raced, sing
log, bet weeu the walls OF coqaina rock, its
surface lighted By little h.ckers OF phos'
phorcscsnce.
Now apd then hsh eAped In the swift
current, ningipg up shower OF golden
drops Ike sparks from Roman candle.
| Holt Hsrdee, lsnk and hoilow.cheeked
"crscker, (" WAS broiling sir-pound weak
fsh over the Goals Of our fire. Lying back
Agsinst q heap Of Spanish moss, smiled
the sppetzlng odor and listened drowisly
10 the murmur Ct the csrreat. tsounded
miles away like the echo Of playing waters
but all At once 1t seemed to gather volume,
aud ripg 10 my ears with sharper hum.
Then eomethiug tickled my cheek That
pest OF Florids, the mosquito, was stirring
abroad, In spite Of the clear GOODNESS OF the
night.
Holt Hsrdee chuckled At my angry ex.
clamation.
You Nor,herntrs are all alike, he said
A few mo- qlitoesj s'spoils the scenery Tor
you.
Well, you'd kick II they bothered you the
way they do me, rttorted. You're 90
saturated with qulnine that no ordinary mos
quito would dare to tackle you.
reckon ] don't taste as good as you'all'
said Holt, 'skiliully transferring the smok-
ing fish to broad + annette fan, which ser
we'd 10 lieu OF platter. This yere hsh
won't ever be better than he is now, so help
yo.elf, sph. Here's the CT fee, and there's
some corn. cake in that tin box by yo' el-
bow.
For stme minutes we ate with the silence
and relish of men who had spent full day
In the open tie. Then Holt, pouring out
his second mugful Of aromatic coffee, SAID
It's strange how little thing like mos
: auto, whose bite amt more'n pin'priek,
can change the face of nature for man, so
TO speak. Yo' fus.ing over thatl feller jes'
now makes me think Of q time had once
u do y n river, about two years ago.
Iwas cut with a f,ler named Cobb, from
}. New York. Cobb had got an Idea that he
must kill Tar b fore going back North
: Bars stay Pretty w'll bid up during the
< winter, but alol about spring they begin
u to stretch and come out Of their holes,
yawnin' and hungry. When the turtles
Q start to laying along the beaches, bars Is
y busy folks. That's the best way to get 'em'
d ,Jes' dig blind In the sand, near where the
% turtles have en- nesting, and lie out In It
on moonlight night. fyou don't get a
q shot at bar then. reckon there ain't any
;. In that county.
d told Cobb that sometimes, between the
IL heat and the mosquitoes and the sand flie',
b'ar-huntipg meant more hardship than
IL fun. but he didn't care. He was right grit
J. ty chap. What be wanted was bars
y ,kin-never mind the cost.
10 Ii began to rain about then, and kept 1t
"a up for ten days on end. We didn't try to
" 20 out. Jes. lay round our camp on the
= river shore, catching q few fish now ard
ther, and spending the rest OF the time dry
10 ing our clothes before the fire.
re When the rain broke, Cobb fretted to bt
ID of. We started right after supper, ant
ID sailed down the river to Broadhill Creek
!" She's q pretty wide creek, and runs bacl
into the marsh for two miles or more with
Ct out turn. Then she bends quick to thu
or left, like doubed-up arm, and runsl thre'
u miles farther, ending In round pond lik'
NC clenched fist
40 We left the sailboat at the turn, that be
De ing ss near to the beach as we ecould get By
water. 1t was q cloudy night, and LOOKED
D. as II 1t might rain again. 1t was not
though. Hot and sticky. And the walk
10 ing was bad all niggerheads and walow
with tall saw-grass, that kept you from
ks seeing where you was stepping.
Cobb kept slumping down into the muck
u. holes and almost leaving bis rubber boot
no behiod when he dragged bis feet out. Tha
Dc marsh mud's like glue-ond smells about
~ bad. wore leather shoes. I'D tried rub
IL Der pair once and knew when had enough
We did three miles Of this, and then th
10 ground began to gorw fifmer and the Rraa
ny shorter. Presently we struck san and fel
the wind OF the cesn.
We crossed couple OF dune ridges, An
re- came out on the beach The tide was CON
'e- log In. We could see the white rim OF II
long way on ether side Of us. There wa
ia' ust enough moonlight peepln' through th
clouds to show US that, land to touch ID
tg tops OF the slow waves with whitishglar'
'fe But II looked pretty dark to shoot bars.
10 This Ia foe. raid Cobb. lt's so mystel
20 lou, snd-snd sort Of uacanny. Jei tei
'n' those herons ca 10 the marsh Ike druid
horns!
go L. dIdn't take long for ua to scoop aha
ne log hole 10 the sand, - deep enough
lie In comfortably. Id been up and COW
no the beach little way and seen plenty
~ turtle signs, so knew we were well pltce'
'n' I was sure OF itsm men. later when u M
'n' thing black AID .routd l,omed up At u
ne cd 10 Of ID, water. Ipoiuted II out 10 Cob
BE gave lump and grabbed his rlns.
uu hi.ab'a,,he wll.perd.
p' No, lot eIss.ly, said !. IN loafe
head, and she's bigger than any bar 20
cut ever saw. She'll weigh eight hpndrs
EN- pounds II she weighs anything.
too You wouldn't believe bow cautious th'
wo old ltflferhtad WAS. She lay last At u