The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-05-01
INST IN SWAMP OF
FLORIDA EVERGLADES
.o,sr ADVENTURES BATTLE
THROUGH JUNGLE WITH AN
1MALs FOR TWO WEEKS.
cuDEs FLED FROM A GHOST

Indians Left Trail-Makers Stranded
Amid Reptiles, Panthers and Alliga-
tors Hunger Adds to Discomfort OF
Party of Motorists.
Trsversing country never before
,oon bv white men a party OF ~ in
.-oo;d motorists, who sought to cross
tbe famous Everglades in Florida by
.r+omobile, consumed two weeks in
sta,d Of four days in navigating the
.ro,cberous swamps, undergoing hard
shins of every kind.
Hopelessly Mired Near Goal.
The men were hopelessly mired in
.bo;r automobiles within so miles of
Miami, their goal, but were i1nally
obic to pull their cars out OF the
s,ramps and proceed. They lett Fort
Myers with nigh hopes OF accomplish
mo something never before done by
Their Indian guides deserted them
after several days, admitting that they
aabor,se1ves were lost. Their main rea-
s sl,r for the desertion, however, was
heir belief that they had seen ghosts
n the waving grass and would pro-
coed no further.
Had Thrilling Adventures.
The motorists had true pioneer adj
ventures, suffering the most from the
;nnumerable swarms OF insects which
stung them severely. When their In
J;an guides deserted them they push
ed forward resolute1y, building bridges
and roadways where necessary, and
helping pull each other out OF boys. -.
XII sorts of tropical animals and
roo+;Ies were encountered, resulting IN
n;tched battles sometimes. A l4-toot
aIIipator was numbered among one of
the carly kills. Panthers trailed them,
during the day, and at night the howl
inc OF huge wild cats made the mo-
torists all the more uncomfortable.
Found Many Snakes.
Noccasin snakes, one of the most
deadly reptiles of the Florida swamps,
were found and killed in great num-
hers The motorists had to exercise
great care in working their way
through the swamps, that they did not
fall victim to a moccasin or a savage
gator
ecrbed by the adventurers, made mo-
tor travel almost impossible. Spanish
moss dripped from the trees, under
brush was so thick that axes were re-
nuired most of the time in clearing a
passage way, treacherous Dogs often
mired the cars, while electrical storms
were common.
Given Food by Indians.
Alter their first four days in the
dark Everglades the food supply be-
j gan to run low. Their Indian guides
Shot some deer and wild turkeys and
this was used until the Indians de-
serted Then it was case OF living on
81 bread crusts, with the meat from an
occasional turtle.
After several days of wandering the
motorists stumbled upon an Indian
village and there they were given
0od. Their new friends guided them
as Jar as they could, and one of these
Indians succeeded in breaking through
to Miami. where the Maimi motor
/ club sent by airplanes the food, gaso--
& line. rope and other necessities needed
by the stranded party.
Reached Miami in Rags.
When the struggling party reached
Miami the pioneers were clothed in
rags, mute evidences of the hardships
Of Everglade travel. The men needed
medical attention for the poison in
their systems through drinking swamp
water and from the many insect bites
they suffered.
Several of the explorers had slight
touches OF malaria from sleeping on
Il the wet ground, and they all were de-
8 termined that, though they had done
something never before attempted by
white men, they would never undergo
E such an experience again.