The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-05-26

OuC HOW IOHB CHey lHIcliucu w oV"y'
had not long to wait. Pretty soon Black
Snake, who was an Indian of fine stature
and of great muscular development, came
into the circle where the warriors were
smoking. He made short talk, and
they palavered and pOw-wOwed on many
topics. Finally, l got the information
desired and then crawled away with my
heart in my mouth. After 1 called in
the other pickets-and they were glad to
come in, you may be sure-and then |
went to camp and made my report to
Capt. Nj.
l told him Black Snakes men were too
well equipped for us to venture an at
tack, unless we wished to lose more men
than we could afford. But did tell him
that we could stop Black Snake by sub
terfuge, and then told him my plans.
He said they were good ones, and so
gave me permission to venture "my ven
ture."
Captain and / decided not to let the
men take part in my little "fun." l
knew if succeeded in my little project
my fortune was made-in the army.
After staying in camp till about 10
p. M, crept along toward the Indians,
who were about mile north of us. After
| got in sight of their fire / went slower
and more careful, not stirring even q
leaf / crawled along until was pretty
close to their camp, about fifteen or
twenty yards from the outside of the cir.
Gle made by the fire. I saw the Indians
had made semi.circle around the
horses, which were not tethered, except
"White Horse" their leader 1.-THE horses,
| mean). He was tethered to a tree so
that he could reach water in the river
The river made fence on one side of
the semi-circle made by the camp.
The Indians in most part were sitting
around the fire smoking, telling yarns
or mending their implements of war and
of the chase, for they were going to break
camp at sunrise and join OsceOla, who
was around Lake Okeechobee, watching
for chance to strike the settlers blow
Osceola had just been released from
prison, where he had been pining for his
squaw, whom slave trader had claimed
as negro escaped from Virginia mis-.
tress. He was with Wild Cat, for those
two chiefs had linked their fortunes and
their clans together, and were making
desperate attacks on the "pale faces" V
AZ I watched those wild men of the
wood / perfected my plans. My main
object was to secure their horses. This
could be done with, possibly, no blood.
shed on either side, and l was to do it!
One by one they dropped away from
their circle and went to their blankets,
until only six old Indians were left by
the fire.
l went back to camp to report my oh.
servations and my new plans. 1t was
then about midnight. hoped that by
2 the Indians would be asleep and the
fire out. just as the moon set, about
1870, l left camp and made dctour
around the Indians camp until I got
directly north-abOut a mile-of them,
and on the bank of the river. Then I
got into kind of floating bower I had
made. 1t looked Just like a loo that
had collected grass floating down stream,
with me inside. The current took me
down stream rather slowly. After got
started l realized what was before me,
The water was not very cold, but the
gators were swimming around me. I
suppose they contemplated taking a nan
on that log" but they were not hungry,
or something was the matter with them,
for they never molested me.
Although l seemed to go slow I was
soon close enough to the enemies camp
to see the outlines. Then I began to
steer toward their side of the river. scan.
ming the bank as well as I could for some
stray sentinel, but nothing but horses
could be seen.
white Horse" my target, was under
tree near the bank. lie was in deem
shadow. cast by the tree, and I could
only surmise that the white spot was he,
AZ soon as l could walk in the water
l did so, and went slowly up the bank,
working in at right angles to the camp,
So by the time I had crawled out OF the
water l was on the bank encircled by the