voyage of the paper canoe-第52节

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When　gathered　around　the　firesides　of　the　backwoods　people；　the　conversation　generally　runs　into　hunting　stories；　Indian　reminiscences；　and　wild　tales　of　what　the　pioneers　suffered　while　establishing　themselves　in　their　forest　homes。　One　event　of　startling　interest　had　　occurred　in　the　Suwanee　country　a　few　weeks　before　the　paper　canoe　entered　its　confines。　Two　hunters　went　by　night　to　the　woods　to　shoot　deer　by　firelight。　　As　they　stalked　about；　with　light…wood　torches　held　above　their　heads；　they　came　upon　a　herd　of　deer；　which；　being　bewildered　by　the　glare　of　the　lights；　made　no　attempt　to　escape。　　Sticking　their　torches　in　the　ground；　the　hunters　stretched　themselves　flat　upon　the　grass；　to　hide　their　forms　from　the　　animals　they　hoped　to　kill　at　their　leisure。　　One　of　the　men　was　stationed　beneath　the　branches　of　a　large　tree；　the　other　was　a　few　yards　distant。


The　Panther's　Leap　（106K）


Before　the　preconcerted　signal　for　discharging　their　rifles　could　be　given；　the　sound　of　a　heavy　body　falling　to　the　ground；　and　an　accompanying　smothered　shriek；　startled　the　hunter　who　was　farthest　from　the　tree。　　Starting　up　in　alarm；　he　flew　to　the　assistance　of　his　friend；　whose　　prostrate　form　was　covered　by　a　large　panther；　which　had　pounced　upon　him　from　the　overhanging　limb　of　the　great　oak。　　It　had　been　but　the　work　of　an　instant　for　the　powerful　cougar　to　break　with　his　strong　jaws　the　neck　of　the　poor　backwoodsman。

In　this　rare　case　of　a　panther　（Felis　concolor）　voluntarily　attacking　man；　it　will　be　noted　by　the　student　of　natural　history　that　the　victim　was　lying　upon　the　ground。　　Probably　the　animal　would　not　have　left　his　perch　among　the　branches　of　the　oak；　where　he　was　evidently　waiting　for　the　approach　of　the　deer；　if　the　　upright　form　of　the　man　had　been　seen。　　Go　to　a　southern　bayou；　which　is　rarely；　if　ever；　visited　by　man；　and　where　its　saurian　inhabitants　have　never　been　annoyed　by　him；　　place　your　body　in　a　recumbent　position　on　the　margin　of　the　lagoon；　and　wait　until　some　large　alligator　slowly　rises　to　the　surface　of　the　water。　　He　will　eye　you　for　a　moment　with　evident　curiosity；　and　will　in　some　cases　steadily　approach　　you。　When　the　monster　reptile　is　within　two　or　three　rods　of　your　position；　rise　slowly　upon　your　feet　to　your　full　height；　and　the　alligator　of　the　　southern　states　　the　A。　Mississippiensis　…　will；　in　nine　cases　out　of　ten；　retire　with　precipitation。

There　are　but　few　wild　animals　that　will　　attack　man　willingly　when　face　to　face　with　him；　they　quail　before　his　erect　form。　In　every　case　of　the　animals　of　North　America　showing　fight　to　man；　which　has　been　investigated　by　me；　the　beasts　have　had　no　opportunity　to　escape；　or　have　had　their　young　to　defend；　or　have　been　wounded　by　the　hunter。

It　was　nearly　ten　o'clock　A。　M。　on　Friday；　March　26th；　when　our　merry　party　left　Old　Town　hammock。　This　day　was　to　see　the　end　of　the　voyage　of　the　paper　canoe；　for　my　tiny　craft　was　to　arrive　at　the　waters　of　the　great　southern　sea　before　midnight。　The　wife　and　daughters　of　our　host；　like　true　women　of　the　　forest；　offered　no　forebodings　at　the　departure　of　the　head　of　their　household；　but　wished　him；　with　cheerful　looks；　a　pleasant　voyage　to　the　Gulf。　The　gulf　port　of　Cedar　Keys　is　but　a　few　miles　from　the　mouth　of　the　Suwanee　River。　　The　railroad　which　terminates　at　Cedar　Keys　would；　with　its　connection　with　other　routes；　carry　the　members　of　our　party　to　their　several　homes。

The　bright　day　animated　our　spirits；　as　we　swept　swiftly　down　the　river。　　The　party　in　the　shad…boat；　now　called　〃Adventurer；〃　rowed　　merrily　on　with　song　and　laughter；　while　I　made　an　attempt　to　examine　more　closely　the　character　of　the　water…moccasin　　the　Trigono　　cephaluspiscivorus　of　Lacepede；　　which　I　had　more　cause　to　fear　than　the　alligators　of　the　river。　The　water…moccasin　is　about　two　feet　in　length；　and　has　a　circumference　of　five　or　six　inches。　The　tail　possesses　a　horny　point　about　half　an　inch　in　length；　which　is　harmless；　though　the　Crackers　and　negroes　stoutly　affirm　that　when　it　strikes　a　tree　the　tree　withers　and　dies；　and　when　it　enters　the　flesh　of　a　man　he　is　poisoned　unto　death。　　The　color　of　the　reptile　is　a　dirty　brown。　　Never　found　far　from　water；　it　is　　common　in　the　swamps；　and　is　the　terror　of　the　　rice…field　negroes。　　The　bite　of　the　water…moccasin　is　exceedingly　venomous；　and　it　is　considered　more　poisonous　than　that　of　the　rattlesnake；　which　warns　man　of　his　approach　by　sounding　his　rattle。

The　moccasin　does　not；　like　the　rattlesnake；　wait　to　be　attacked；　but　assumes　the　offensive　whenever　opportunity　offers；　striking　with　its　fangs　at　every　animated　object　in　its　vicinity。　All　other　species　of　snakes　flee　from　its　presence。　It　is　found　as　far　north　as　the　Peedee　River　of　South　Carolina；　and　is　abundant　in　all　low　　districts　of　the　southern　states。　　As　the　Suwanee　had　overflowed　its　banks　below　Old　Town　　Hammock；　the　snakes　had　taken　to　the　low　limbs　of　the　trees　and　to　the　tops　of　bushes；　where　they　seemed　to　be　sleeping　in　the　warmth　of　the　bright　sunlight；　but　as　I　glided　along　the　shore　a　few　feet　from　their　aerial　beds；　they　discovered　my　presence；　and　dropped　sluggishly　into　the　water。　　It　would　not　be　an　exaggeration　to　say　that　we　passed　thousands　of　these　dangerous　reptiles　while　descending　the　Suwanee。　　　Raftsmen　told　me　that　when　traversing　lagoons　in　their　log　canoes；　if　a　moccasin　is　met　some　　distance　from　land　he　will　frequently　enter　the　canoe　for　refuge　or　for　rest；　and　instances　have　been　known　where　the　occupant　has　been　so　alarmed　as　to　jump　overboard　and　swim　ashore　in　order　to　escape　from　this　malignant　reptile。

The　only　place　worthy　of　notice　between　Old　Town　Hammock　and　the　gulf　marshes　is　Clay　Landing；　on　the　left　bank　of　the　river；　where　Mrs。　Tresper　formerly　lived　in　a　very　　comfortable　house。　　Clay　Landing　was　used　during　the　Confederate　war　as　a　place　of　deposit　for　　blockade　goods。　　Archer；　a　railroad　station；　is　but　twenty　miles　distant；　and　to　it　over　rough　roads　the　contraband　imports　were　hauled　by　mule　teams；　after　having　been　landed　from　the　fleet　blockade…runner。

As　the　sun　was　sinking　to　rest；　and　the　　tree　shadows　grew　long　on　the　wide　river's　bosom；　we　tasted　the　saltness　in　the　air　as　the　briny　breezes　were　wafted　to　us　over　the　forests　from　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　　After　darkness　had　cast　its　sombre　mantle　upon　us；　we　left　the　〃East　Pass〃　entrance　to　the　left；　and　our　boats　hurried　on　the　rapidly　ebbing　tide　down　the　broad　〃West　Pass〃　into　the　great　marshes　of　the　coast。　An　hour　later　we　emerged　from　the　dark　forest　into　the　smooth　savannas。　　The　freshness　of　the　sea…air　was　exhilarating　　The　stars　were　shining　softly；　and　the　ripple　of　the　tide；　the　call　of　the　heron；　or　the　whirr　of　the　frightened　duck；　and　the　leaping　of　fishes　from　the　water；　were　the　only　sounds　nature　offered　us。　　It　was　like　　entering　another　world。　　In　these　lowlands；　near　the　mouth　of　the　river；　there　seemed　to　be　but　one　place　above　the　high…tide　level。　　It　was　a　little　hammock；　covered　by　a　few　trees；　called　　Bradford's　Island；　and　rose　like　an　oasis　in　the　desert。　The　swift　tide　hurried　along　its　shores；　and　a　little　farther　on　mingled　the　waters　of　the　great　wilderness　with　that　of　the　sea。

Our　tired　party　landed　on　a　shelly　beach；　and　burned　a　grassy　area　to　destroy　sand…fleas。　　This　done；　some　built　a　large　camp…fire；　while　others　spread　blankets　upon　the　ground。　　I　drew　the　faithful　sharer　of　my　long　voyage　near　a　thicket　of　prickly…pears；　and　slept　beside　it　for　the　last　time；　never　thinking　or　dreaming　that　one　year　later　I　should　approach　the　mouth　of　the　　Suwanee　from　the　west；　after　a　long　voyage　of　　twenty…five　hundred　miles　from　the　bead　of　the　Ohio　River；　and　would　again　seek　shelter　on　its　banks。　It　was　a　night　of　sweet　repose。　　The　camp…fire　dissipated　the　damps；　and　the　long　row　made　rest　welcome。

A　glorious　morning　broke　upon　our　party　as　we　breakfasted　under　the　shady　palms　of　the　island。　　Behind　us　rose　the　compact　wall　of　dark　green　of　the　heavy　forests；　and　along　the　coast；　from　east　to　west；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　were　the　brownish…green　savanna…like　lowlands；　against　which　beat；　in　soft　murmurs；　the　waves　of　that　sea　I　had　so　longed　to　reach。　From　out　the　broad　marshes　arose　low　　hammocks；　green　with　pines　and　feathery　with　　palmetto…trees。　　Clouds　of　mist　were　rising；　and　while　I　watched　them　melt　away　in　the　warm　beams　of　the　morning　sun；　I　thought　they　were　like　the　dark　doubts　which　curled　themselves　about　me　so　long　ago　in　the　cold　St。　Lawrence；　now　all　melted　by　the　joy　of　success。　　The　　snowclad　north　was　now　behind　me。　　The　Maria　Theresa　danced　in　the　shimmering　waters　of　the　great　southern　sea；　and　my　heart　was　light；　for　my　voyage　was　over。



＇　Etext　Editor：　The　book　includes　an　advertisement　for　Bishop's　previous　book：　A　Thousand　Miles'　Walk　Across　South　America；　N。　H。　Bishop　＇





THE　PAMPAS　AND　ANDES：　A　THOUSAND　MILES'　WALK　ACROSS　SOUTH　AMERICA。　BY　NATHANIEL　H。　BISHOP。　12mo。　Cloth。　Illustrated。　　Price；　1。50　　Notices　of　the　Work。



His　Excellency　Don　Domingo　F。　Sarmiento；　President　of　the　Argentine　　Confederation；　South　America；　in　a　letter　written　to　the　author　during　1877。　says：　〃Your　book　of　travels