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

loose plumes on its neck, with its large yellow eyesdilated, like all night-birds, gave it a stupid look. Lejoillie hurriedback to the camp to skin it. On cutting it open, we discovered that itate small birds, as a water-rail, which it had swallowed whole, wasfound in its stomach.

  It took us ten days to ascend Pease Creek. Though the current ran at noplace very strongly, it was against us; and as we got higher up, ourcourse was obstructed by the trunks and branches of trees blown down bya tempest, through which we had to cut our way.

  At length we reached a small shallow lake, from which the eastern branchof the river takes its rise. We had come to the termination of ourvoyage.

  "I have brought you thus far in safety, gentlemen," said Munch, as wepaid him the stipulated price for his services, and the hire of thecanoe. "I wish that I could accompany you farther, and that I could becertain you will get through without misadventure. I have little doubtabout your finding the food you require; but I am not quite satisfiedthat you will escape the Redskins. Keep out of their way if you can; orif you fall in with any, show them that you are not to be trifled with."

  "I have a favour to ask, my friend," said Lejoillie. "Will you allowyour black, Jupiter, to accompany us? I have spoken to him, and he iswilling to go if you will give him leave. I'll pay for his journey backto Hickory Bluff, when we reach Castle Kearney. We should not wish topart with him until then."

  Munch hesitated. "Toby and I will find it a hard matter to paddle thecanoe back without him. Still, as we shall have the current with us, Iwon't prevent him, if he wishes to go. What do you say, Jup?"

  "Me like to go with Massa Jolly, an' Tim, an' young gentlemen. Maybedey not find de way without me," answered the black.

  "In that case you may go, if they pay your wages from the time we leftHickory Bluff," answered Munch, who had an eye to business, and wouldthus save several dollars. To this Lejoillie at once agreed; and it wassettled that Jupiter, or "Jup," as he was more familiarly called, shouldjoin our party. We were very glad to have him, for he was an active,intelligent fellow; born of free parents in the country, and wellacquainted with every part of it. He had frequently joined huntingexpeditions into the interior, and knew the habits of the Indians aswell as he did those of the animals we were likely to meet with.

  The lagoon was filled with alligators, who shoved their noses up amongthe lilies and other water-plants, looking at us with hungry eyes, as ifthey would very much like to feast on our bodies. We managed, notwithout difficulty, to reach the shore, and, carrying our traps to apine-ridge elevated three or four feet above the lake, we encamped. Thenext morning, having strapped on our knapsacks, we commenced our marcheastwards; while Munch and his companion set off on their return voyagedown Pease Creek.

  CHAPTER SEVEN.

  A DREARY REGION--HUNTING--THE VALLEY OF MUSHROOMS--AN EXPLOSION ANDCANNONADE--GOBBLERS--THE CABBAGE-PALM--A PALMETTO-LEAF HUT--THEMOCKING-BIRD--THE RED ORPHEUS--AN EVENING'S AMUSEMENT--ATTACKED BYSPIDERS--SOUNDS OF THE FOREST--"JUP" AND THE EAGLE--INDIAN TRAILS--ONTHE BORDERS OF LAKE KISSIMMEE--CANOE OR RAFT--SHOOTING AN ALLIGATOR--THECAT-BIRD--FUTURE MOVEMENTS--IN CAMP--OUR COURSE SELECTED--MAKING ARAFT--"ATTACUS LUNA"--WHAT TIM SAW IN THE MORNING WATCH--ABOUT TOSTART--AN ALARM--INDIANS--THE RAFT LAUNCHED--UNDER WEIGH--OUT OF RANGE--AFLOAT ON THE LAKE.

  We five travellers had been for some time making our way eastward in asdirect a course as we could steer by compass across a pine-barren. Theground was as level as a floor. Now and then a rivulet appeared, fromwhich we quenched our thirst; while the magnolias and other floweringplants on its banks relieved the dull uniformity of the woods. The sun,however, beat down on our heads with intense force, and our legs weretorn by the sharp teeth of the saw-palmetto which covered the ground.Here and there rose distant islands of pine, which give the name to theregion. Not a human being could we see, the only animal life visiblebeing some lean wild cattle, which found a scanty subsistence in thenatural grasses which had sprung up where the palmetto-scrub had beenburned. Frequently we had to turn aside to avoid the swampy pondsfringed with saw-grass. The surface of these ponds was covered withwater-lilies of various hues, amid which alligators large and smallpopped up their heads, warning us not to approach too near. Tallsand-hill cranes stalked about uttering loud whoops, until, disturbed bya shot from one of our rifles, they flew off to a distance. Turkeybuzzards, useful but disgusting-looking birds, were feeding on thecarcasses of some of the cattle which had died from disease, or beenbitten by rattlesnakes. Near the edges of the ponds we observed thetracks of numbers of these snakes. Probably the cattle, going down todrink, had trodden on some of the creatures, and been bitten in return.We killed several which lay in our path.

  We had been unable to get near any of the wild cattle, nor had we comeacross any deer, so that, with the exception of a duck, two snipes, anda plover, we had shot nothing that would serve for our supper. At lasta hummock appeared in the distance ahead, and towards it we directed ourcourse, intending to camp near its borders at an early hour, so that wemight have time to obtain a supply of large game. As we approached thehummock, we found it to be of considerable size, and apparently denserthan usual; still we hoped to be able to make our way into it in searchof deer.

  I have already described the various trees which grow on thesehummocks,--enormous cabbage-palms and cotton-trees, scarlet maples andcedars, black and white gum-trees, magnolias, and many others, the wholefestooned with creepers and hung with air-plants of gorgeous hues. Thespot we chose for our camp was a high sandy ridge, on which grew a groupof pines, affording shelter and firewood, while a stream flowed near,into the bottom, where it was lost to view.

  Carlos, who was tired and somewhat out of sorts, remained with Tim andJup to form the camp, while Lejoillie and I set out with our guns insearch of game. We had not gone far when my companion fired at a duckof peculiar and beautiful plumage, with a black body and white tuft onits head. We hurried forward in pursuit between the thick trees, eagerto secure the prize. The duck, however, again rose just as we had gotup to it, but fell once more in a still thicker part of the hummock,where we could see through the trees the glitter of water. In spite ofthe numerous impediments in our way, we pushed forward until we foundourselves well-nigh in darkness, though the sun was still high above thehorizon, the tree-tops which joined overhead being interlaced bynumberless creepers of various descriptions, forming a roof impenetrableby the light of day. An almost insupportable mouldy odour, like theeffluvium arising from a dead body, pervaded the atmosphere; but eagerto obtain the bird, Lejoillie pushed on, and I followed. The pool intowhich the duck had fallen was covered with a green scum; and on throwinga piece of wood into it, the green changed into violet, as if somechemical product had been mixed with it. The ground itself was coveredwith a white efflorescence, which stuck to our feet, and made us slip atevery step.

  As our eyes became accustomed to the light, we discovered that we werein the midst of fungi or mushrooms of every shape and colour. Some werealmost microscopic, collected on the bark of the decaying wood; otherswere of gigantic proportions, equal in circumference to the trunks ofthe enormous trees amid which they grew. No vegetables except moss andtoadstool-like productions could exist in that airless and pestiferousregion. In every direction lay the trunks of enormous trees blown downby some hurricane, so completely rotted by damp that a stick run intothem went right through. They lay like vast skeletons, serving tonourish the mushrooms which grew vigorously in the rank vegetation.

  Here also were vast gelatinous and transparent masses, from which oozedout a yellow-tinted liquid, of so venomous a character that a dropfalling on the skin raised a blister. Other fungi were of dazzlingwhiteness, which Lejoillie likened to a casket of pearls, supported byan azure stalk. Many were in the shape of a Chinese hat, and of anorange-red colour, striped with silver bands; indeed, the whole tribe offungi appeared here to have their representatives. Many were as tall aschildren, with heads upwards of two yards in diameter. Some were ofro
se colour, and resembled vast umbrellas. Still more numerous werethose of a cup shape, and of a bluish tint, the interior resembling ahuge pot.

  We advanced in single file amidst the rows of giant mushrooms, notwithout considerable fear that in this gloomy valley some strangemonster would suddenly appear before us, to resent our intrusion intohis domains. Suddenly Lejoillie, who was a short distance in front,slipped on the slimy ground over which we were walking, as if on ice,and in falling struck one of the largest mushrooms, which, to myastonishment and dismay, immediately exploded with a report like that ofa piece of artillery, throwing into the air a vast cloud of dust.Losing my balance almost immediately afterwards, I followed his example,when directly the whole valley resounded with reports, the mushroomsbursting on every side, as if defending their colony against the visitof strangers. Confused by the sound and blinded by the red dust