In the Wilds of Florida: A Tale of Warfare and Hunting

that he would soon stop the leaks when we got onshore.

  "If we don't go down in the meantime, my friend," said Lejoillie. "Irather think that in leaving the _Great Alexander_, we only tumbled outof the frying-pan into the fire."

  "Don't trouble your head about that," observed our guide, Silas Munch,whom, by-the-by, I ought before to have introduced. Born in theBahamas, of British parents, he had come over to the States, and hadbecome a naturalised citizen, such characters being known in that regionas Conches. Hot sand and sea air had burned his countenance to amahogany tint. He was small and wiry. His costume consisted of abroad-brimmed hat, a coarse blue cloth jacket worn above a jersey, whilehis nether man was clothed in leather gaiters reaching to the thighs,and strong boots, so that he was prepared for service either afloat orashore. He carried a rusty rifle, with a powder-horn and belt slungover his shoulders, and an axe and long knife stuck in his belt.

  We had paddled on all day. Still the banks appeared as far off as ever,and the water as rough as at first. Just, however, as the sun wassinking, Munch pointed out a sand-bank, where he thought that we couldland and pass the night. We were very glad to get on shore, and haul upthe canoe. While some of the party collected wood for a fire, and madeother preparations for camping, Munch, taking his gun and a small ironpot, asked me if I would accompany him into the forest. In a short timewe reached a group of pitch-pines, one of which he tapped, and collectedthe juice in the pot. Not far off also were some gum-trees, from whichhe gathered a handful or two of gum. With these we returned to thecamp; when, mixing the juice of the pitch-pine with the gum, he boiledit down in a small tripod. The canoe being by this time dry, he spreadthe mixture over the leaks, and assured us that she would thus beperfectly water-tight. Though we kept up a blazing fire, the sand-fliesand mosquitoes nearly drove sleep away, and we were all ready at earlydawn the next morning to continue our voyage. We had now got beyond theinfluence of the tide, and had the current against us; but as it ranwith no great strength, we made good way.

  The river was still of considerable width, though the water wasperfectly fresh. As we passed along the banks, alligators innumerablewere seen. On one occasion a strong blast struck us as we were roundinga point, and almost drove our canoe among the tangled brushwood whichlined the banks, where a dozen or more of these enormous reptiles weredisporting themselves. They refused to move, until we were within a fewfeet of them, when half of their number plunged into the water rightunder our canoe, striking her bottom so violently with their scaly backsthat we fully expected to be upset.

  We paddled as hard as we could to get off the shore. Had we beencapsized, our fate would have been sealed, for many of them were twentyfeet in length, and could have crushed us and our canoe with one snap oftheir jaws. Happily, the brutes are as cowardly as they are powerful inappearance, and they were probably more frightened at us than we were atthem. I rather think that Lejoillie, judging by his countenance,heartily wished himself safe on shore.

  As we paddled on, the scenery changed, and animal life became moreabundant. Snake-birds, uttering their shrill cries, flew off from everyoverhanging bough; kingfishers darted hither and thither, astonished atthe appearance of our canoe; bitterns flew from tree to tree, andterrapins splashed hastily into the water, as we approached. Talllilies, with large white, crimson, or purple blossoms, and beautifulflowers of various descriptions, fringed the water's edge; while thebanks were overhung with tangled masses of the densest tropicalvegetation, beyond which rose forests of cabbage-palm, backed on thehigher ground by tall pine-trees. The alligators continued as plentifulas ever; numbers of them lay on the banks, watching us with savage eyes.Lejoillie shot one of the fellows, who refused to get out of our way;indeed, had we not been unwilling to expend our ammunition, we mighthave killed scores of the monsters. We passed one huge fellow swimmingslowly down the stream, with a number of birds on his back, to whichalso was attached a whole forest of boughs, reeds, and water-plants, sothat he had the appearance of a floating island. Lejoillie was ofopinion that he had been wallowing in the mud, as his back was thicklycovered with slime, to which the water-plants and boughs had becomeattached so firmly that he was unable to shake them off. It was curiousto see several birds flying about him; or settled on his back,exhibiting the most perfect fearlessness.

  We encamped on a spot of much the same character as we had chosen on theprevious night. A short distance behind rose a rich hummock, wherelive-oak, mahogany, mulberry, gum, cabbage-palm, and other valuabletrees and shrubs, grew together in the greatest luxuriance. Beyond itstretched a savanna, where our pilot told us we should find abundance ofsmall birds. At daylight we took our guns, and went in search of them.We saw plenty of quails, gorgeously coloured red-birds and blue-birds,and mocking-birds of sweet tone, but no animals of any size, though wecame across not a few black snakes and rattlesnakes; the former, beingharmless, were allowed to live, but we never failed to shoot off theheads of the latter.

  We returned with a good bag of quails, which afforded us a luxurioussupper. As game would not keep many hours, we had to eat it at once, orthrow it away. We formed our camp with more care than usual, as ourguide suggested that there might be Indians in the neighbourhood, orthat a panther or a bear might pay us a visit, while it was notimpossible that an alligator might come foraging into our camp. We keptup a large fire, therefore, and one of the party remained on watch, eachman taking a turn of a couple of hours. About midnight we were arousedby a most fearful bellowing. We started to our feet, and, supposingthat some unknown monsters were approaching, seized our rifles andpistols, ready to defend ourselves. On looking about, however, we couldsee nothing. Our pilot's laugh reassured us.

  "Those are only 'gators," he said; "it's the sort of music they're fondof, and it's no use trying to stop them. They'll not come on shorewhile the fire burns brightly. As long as they keep in the water,they're welcome to make all the noise they like."

  Never having heard the sound of the alligator's voice before, I had noidea that it could give forth such fearful roars. As our guide hadobserved, there was no use in attempting to stop them; so they continuedtheir horrible concert, preventing us taking a wink of sleep, untilmorning dawned, when we turned out, and gathered round our fire to enjoyour breakfast, for which our wakeful night had given us an appetite. Assoon as our meal was over, we started; but we met with no particularadventure.

  It was time again to land for dinner, or rather forage for our dinner,for we had no meat on board fit to eat.

  Carlos and I accompanied Lejoillie, while the rest of our party remainedto catch fish, and make up the fire for cooking them.

  We had shot several snipe and a fat turkey, when, as we were clamberingup a bank, being somewhat before my companions, I was not a littlesurprised to see, within four paces of me, the huge head of a blackbear, peering over the tops of the palmetto to ascertain what wasapproaching. I mechanically raised my rifle to fire, calling at thesame time to Lejoillie and Carlos to come to my assistance should Imiss. I never felt more nervous in my life, for although I believedthat I should wound the bear, yet I might the next moment find myself inhis embrace, with his jaws applied to my neck. Aiming at his chest, Ipulled the trigger, and then leaped back to avoid him should he springon me. He, however, had been more frightened than I was. When my shotentered his body, he must have been on the point of turning to fly; butthe bullet had taken deadly effect, and he had not gone ten paces, whenover he rolled, and lay struggling on the ground. Lejoillie and Carloscoming up, fired into his head and killed him. We at once set to workto cut him up, and procured an ample supply of steaks for all our party.

  Paddling on again, as usual, we continued our journey, until afavourable camping-place presented itself. During the night, while Iwas on watch, I heard a singular cry, ceaselessly repeated, whichresembled the words, "Down-ka-dou, down-ka-dou," accented in a gutturaltone. I waited until I was relieved by Carlos; then, instead of lyingdown, rifle in hand I crept towards t
he point whence the soundproceeded, when I saw a tall bird standing in the water, every now andthen darting forward, poking his long bill amid the reeds which grewaround. I should at once have shot it; but I knew that, if I did so, Ishould be unable to pick it up without the risk of being caught by analligator. Thinking that probably the bird would remain until themorning, I returned to camp.

  As soon as Lejoillie awoke, I told him what I had seen. He and I atonce set out with Caesar in search of it. We had not gone far, when, ondashing forward, a large bird rose, and was flying over our heads.Lejoillie fired, and brought it down. He uttered an exclamation ofdelight as he ran forward, observing that it was a bittern of a peculiarand rare species, of which he had not a single specimen in hiscollection. It stood nearly two feet high. The plumage was of a richbrown, streaked with black; its breast grey; its beak as sharp as adagger. The