The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-06-03
THE DROWNED n

1898.
THE DROWNED LANDS.
The Flats of Eastern Florida In
Rainy Season.
Water, water, water, north, south
and west-miles of it-varying from
three or four inches to three feet IN
depth, stretching away as far as the
eye could reach! The monotony, OF
the wide expanse is broken only here
and there by small clumps Of palmet-
tos or stunted yellow pines which
grow on little rises Of land too high
for the water to entirely stife their
growth. Except for this all else that
meets the eye is water. That is now
the flats or drowned lands of eastern
Florida appear during the rainy sea-
son.
It was some time, after n Of these
periods of downpour that we pitched
our tent on a long ~pine-covered ridge
on the edge of this drowned country.
A crowd of Seminoles had come into
the settlement that morning and re-
ported the water falling and the deer
abundant, and of course that was
enough to start US off. In a short
time our outfit was packed into a wa
gon and we were on Jul way to the
hunting country.
Floundering through mud, water
and palmettos was hard work for the
horses, so one man was detailed t0
drive the team, keeping, to the high
er lands as much as possible, while
the others of the party, four in num-
Der took the dogs and started in bee
line for the place chosen as u first
camp site on the edge Of the drowned
lands proper. Several of the dogs
were good deer hounds and paid no
attention to smaller game, but some
of the pups in the pack were con-
tinually off after raccoons. In pass
ing by a little flag pond, one pup
freed a big coon in q dead pine tree,
and while he was barking at it, the
other. pups discovered three more
among the flags and there was a bat
tie royal. For a few rinutes there
~'as a confused mass of dogs, 'coons,
vegetation and water in the ir, and
the din would have done credit to
any menagerie at feeding time. ALI
and George took a hand in the game
and switched the pups so severity thai
they gave up coon hunting and there
after gave US but little trouble. A
little later the old hound, Lester,
started a deer, but we were unable to
get a shot.
When we reached the camping
ground we found that some one else
had just vacated it. The ridge pole
of their tent was still in position
and fastened to nearby pine trees
we're two deer heads and four tur-
key feet, showing that success had
attended their hunt. We Oon had
the canvas up, horses picketed and q
fire going. Two O. the boys, Charlie
and Frank, went out hunting anc
found, several coveys Of quail anG
killed enough for u supper. After
the meal was over we sought oul
blankets. The fire died down along
with the conversation and soon the
camp was wrapped IN darkness and
slumber.
After breakfast travel through the
water was resumed and by noon we
were again on land dry enough fol
camping purposes. George, Franz
and myself did some hard hunting
during the remainder of the day, bu7
though tracks were numerous we saw
nothing and returned to camp empty
handed.
Next morning several Of the boys
had an exciting chase after the hors'
es, which had strayed away FROM
camp and when found were taking
the trail toward home. After their
return we set forth, Charlie and Ali
on horseback accompanied by the ole