voyage of the paper canoe- 第42部分

The　fortress　was　regular　and　beautiful；　and　was　the　largest；　most　regular；　and　perhaps　most　costly　of　any　in　North　America　of　British　　construction。　　Pursuing　my　journey　southward；　the　canoe　entered　the　exposed　area　of　St。　Simon's　Sound；　which；　with　its　ocean　inlet；　was　easily　crossed　to　the　wild　and　picturesque　Jekyl　Island；　upon　which　the　two　bachelor　brothers　Dubignon　live　and　hunt　the　deer；　enjoying　the　free　life　of　lords　of　the　forest。　　Their　old　family　mansion；　once　a　haven　of　hospitality；　where　the　northern　tourist　and　shipwrecked　sailor　shared　alike　the　good　things　of　this　life　with　the　kind　host；　was　used　for　a　target　by　a　gunboat　during　the　late　war；　and　is　now　in　ruins。

Here；　twenty　years　ago；　at　midnight；　the　　slave…yacht　〃Wanderer〃　landed　her　cargo　of　African　negroes；　the　capital　for　the　enterprise　being　　supplied　by　three　southern　gentlemen；　and　the　　execution　of　the　work　being　intrusted；　under　　carefully　drawn　contracts；　to　Boston　parties。

The　calm　weather　greatly　facilitated　my　　progress；　and　had　I　not　missed　Jekyl　Creek；　which　is　the　steamboat　thoroughfare　through　the　marshes　to　Jekyl　and　St。　Andrew's　Sound；　that　whole　day's　experience　would　have　been　a　most　happy　one。　　The　mouth　of　Jekyl　Creek　was　a　narrow　entrance；　and　being　off　in　the　sound；　I　passed　it　as　I　approached　the　lowlands；　which　were　skirted　until　a　passage　at　Cedar　Hammock　through　the　marsh　was　found；　some　distance　from　the　one　I　was　seeking。　　Into　this　I　entered；　and　winding　about　for　some　time　over　its　　tortuous　course；　at　a　late　hour　in　the　afternoon　the　canoe　emerged　into　a　broad　watercourse；　down　which　I　could　look　across　Jekyl　Sound　to　the　sea。

This　broad　stream　was　Jointer　Creek；　and　I　ascended　it　to　find　a　spot　of　high　ground　upon　which　to　camp。　　It　was　now　low　water；　and　the　surface　of　the　marshes　was　three　or　four　feet　above　my　head。　　After　much　anxious　searching；　and　a　great　deal　of　rowing　against　the　last　of　the　ebb；　a　forest　of　pines　and　palmetto…trees　was　reached　on　Colonel's　Island；　at　a　point　about　four　miles　　across　the　marshes　and　Brunswick　River　　from　the　interesting　old　town　of　Brunswick；　Georgia。


Home　of　the　Alligator　（101K）　


The　soft；　muddy　shores　of　the　hammock　were　in　one　place　enveloped　in　a　thicket　of　reeds；　and　here　I　rested　upon　my　oars　to　select　a　　convenient　landing…place。　The　rustling　of　the　reeds　suddenly　attracted　my　attention。　　Some　animal　was　crawling　through　the　thicket　in　the　direction　of　the　boat。　　My　eyes　became　fixed　upon　the　mysterious　shaking　and　waving　of　the　tops　of　the　reeds；　and　my　hearing　was　strained　to　detect　the　cause　of　the　crackling　of　the　dry　rushes　over　which　this　unseen　creature　was　moving。　　A　moment　later　my　curiosity　was　satisfied；　for　there　emerged　slowly　from　the　covert　an　alligator　nearly　as　large　as　my　canoe。　　The　brute's　head　was　as　long　as　a　barrel；　his　rough　coat　of　mail　was　besmeared　with　mud；　and　his　dull　eyes　were　fixed　steadily　upon　me。　　I　was　so　surprised　and　fascinated　by　the　appearance　of　this　huge　reptile　that　I　remained　immovable　in　my　boat；　while　he　in　a　deliberate　manner　entered　the　water　within　a　few　feet　of　me。　　The　hammock　suddenly　lost　all　its　inviting　aspect；　and　I　pulled　away　from　it　faster　than　I　had　approached。　　In　the　gloom　I　observed　two　little　hammocks；　between　Colonel's　Island　and　the　Brunswick　River；　which　seemed　to　be　near　Jointer's　Creek；　so　I　followed　the　　tortuous　thoroughfares　until　I　was　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　one　of　them。

Pulling　my　canoe　up　a　narrow　creek　towards　the　largest　hammock；　until　the　creek　ended　in　the　lowland；　I　was　cheered　by　the　sight　of　a　small　house　in　a　grove　of　live…oaks；　to　reach　which　I　was　obliged　to　abandon　my　canoe　and　attempt　to　cross　the　soft　marsh。　　The　tide　was　now　rising　rapidly；　and　it　might　be　necessary　for　me　to　swim　some　inland　creek　before　I　could　arrive　at　the　upland。

An　oar　was　driven　into　the　soft　mud　of　the　marsh　and　the　canoe　tied　to　it；　for　I　knew　that　the　whole　country；　with　the　exception　of　the　hammock　near　by；　would　be　under　water　at　flood…tide。　Floundering　through　mud　and　　pressing　aside　the　tall；　wire…like　grass　of　the　lowland；　which　entangled　my　feet；　frequently　leaping　natural　ditches；　and　going　down　with　a　thud　in　the　mud　on　the　other　side；　I　finally　struck　the　firm　ground　of　the　largest　Jointer　Hammock；　when　the　voice　of　its　owner；　Mr。　R。　F。　Williams；　sounded　most　cheerfully　in　my　ears　as　he　　exclaimed：　〃Where　did　you　come　from？　How　did　you　get　across　the　marsh？〃

The　unfortunate　position　of　my　boat　was　explained　while　the　family　gathered　round　me；　after　which　we　sat　down　to　supper。　　Mr。　　Wilhams　felt　anxious　about　the　cargo　of　my　boat。　The　coons；　　he　said；　〃will　scent　your　　provisions；　and　tear　everything　to　pieces　in　the　boat。　　We　must　go　look　after　it　immediately。〃　To　go　to　the　canoe　we　were　obliged　to　follow　a　creek　which　swept　past　the　side　of　the　hammock；　opposite　to　my　landing…place；　and　row　two　or　three　miles　on　Jointer　Creek。　　At　nine　o'clock　we　reached　the　locality　where　I　had　abandoned　the　paper　canoe。　　Everything　had　changed　in　appearance；　the　land　was　under　water；　not　a　landmark　remained　except　the　top　of　the　oar；　which　rose　out　of　the　lake…like　expanse　of　water；　while　near　it　gracefully　floated　my　little　companion。　We　towed　her　to　the　hammock；　and　after　the　tedious　labor　of　divesting　myself　of　the　marsh　mud；　which　clung　to　my　clothes；　had　been　crowned　with　success；　the　comfortable　bed　furnished　by　my　host　gave　rest　to　limbs　and　nerves　which　had　been　severely　overtaxed　since　sun　set。

The　following　day　opened　cloudy　and　windy。　The　ocean　inlet　of　Jekyl　and　St。　Andrew's　sounds　is　three　miles　wide。　　From　the　mouth　of　Jointer　Creek；　across　these　unprotected　　sounds；　to　High　Point　of　Cumberland　Island；　is　eight　miles。　　The　route　from　the　creek　to　Cumberland　Island　was　a　risky　one　for　so　small　a　boat　as　the　paper　canoe　while　the　weather　continued　　unpropitious。　　After　entering　the　sounds　there　was　but　one　spot　of　upland；　near　the　mouth　of　the　Satilla　River；　that　could　be　used　for　camping　purposes　on　the　vast　area　of　marshes。

During　the　month　of　March　rainy　and　windy　weather　prevail　on　this　coast。　　I　could　ill　afford　to　lose　any　time　shut　up　in　Jointer's　Hammock　by　bad　weather；　as　the　low　regions　of　　Okefenokee　Swamp　were　to　be　penetrated　before　the　warm　season　could　make　the　task　a　disagreeable　one。　　After　holding　a　consultation　with　Mr。　Williams；　he　contracted　to　take　the　canoe　and　its　captain　across　St。　Andrew's　Sound　to　High　Point　of　Cumberland　Island　that　day。　　His　little　sloop　was　soon　under　way；　and　though　the　short；　breaking　waves　of　the　sound；　and　the　furious　blasts　of　wind；　made　the　navigation　of　the　shoals　disagreeable；　we　landed　quietly　at　Mr。　Chubbs'　Oriental　Hotel；　at　High　Point；　soon　after　noon。

Mr。　Martin；　the　surveyor　of　the　island；　　welcomed　me　to　Cumberland；　and　gave　me　much　information　pertaining　to　local　matters。　The　next　morning　the　canoe　left　the　high　bluffs　of　this　beautiful　sea　island　so　filled　with　historic　associations；　and　threaded　the　marshy　　thoroughfare　of　Cumberland　and　Brickhill　River　to　　Cumberland　Sound。　　As　I　approached　the　mouth　of　the　St。　Mary's　River；　the　picturesque　ruins　of　Dungeness　towered　above　the　live…oak　forest　of　the　southern　end　of　Cumberland　Island。　It　was　with　regret　I　turned　my　back　upon　that　sea；　the　sounds　of　which　had　so　long　struck　upon　my　ear　with　their　sweet　melody。　　It　seemed　almost　a　moan　that　was　borne　to　me　now　as　the　soft　waves　laved　the　sides　of　my　graceful　craft；　as　though　to　give　her　a　last；　loving　farewell。




CHAPTER　XIV。　　ST；　MARY'S　RIVER　AND　THE　SUWANEE　WILDERNESS。



A　PORTAGE　TO　DUTTON。　　DESCENT　OF　THE　ST。　MARY'S　RIVER。　　FETE　GIVEN　BY　THE　CITIZENS　TO　THE　PAPER　CANOE。　　THE　PROPOSED　CANAL　ROUTE　ACROSS　FLORIDA。　　A　PORTAGE　TO　THE　SUWANEE　RIVER。　　A　NEGRO　SPEAKS　ON　　ELECTRICITY　AND　THE　TELEGRAPH。　　A　FREEDMAN'S　SERMON。


I　now　ascended　the　beautiful　St。　Mary's　River；　which　flows　from　the　great　Okefenokee　Swamp。　The　state　of　Georgia　was　on　my　right　hand；　and　Florida　on　my　left。　Pretty　hammocks　dotted　the　marshes；　while　the　country　presented　peculiar　and　interesting　characteristics。　When　four　miles　from　Cumberland　Sound；　the　little　city　of　St。　Mary's；　situated　on　the　Georgia　side　of　the　river；　was　before　me；　and　I　went　ashore　to　make　inquiries　concerning　the　route　to　　Okefenokee　Swamp。

My　object　was　to　get　information　about　the　upper　St。　Mary's　River；　from　which　I　proposed　to　make　a　portage　of　thirty…five　or　forty　miles　in　a　westerly　direction　to　the　Suwanee　River；　upon　arriving　at　which　I　would　descend　to　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　　My　efforts；　both　at　St。　Mary's　and　Fernandina；　on　the　Florida　side　of　　Cumberland　Sound；　to　obtain　any　reliable　information　upon　this　matter；　were　unsuccessful。　　A　　settlement　at　Trader's　Hill；　about　seventy…five　miles　up　the　St。　Mary's　River；　was　the　geographical　limit　of　local　knowledge；　while　I　wished　to　ascend　the　river　at　least　one　hundred　miles　　beyond　that　point。

Believing　that　if　I　explored　the　uninhabited　sources　of　the　St。　Mary's；　I　should　be　compelled　to　return　without　finding　any　settler　upon　its　banks　at　the　proper　point　of　departure　for　a　portage　to　the　Suwanee；　it　became　necessary　to　abandon　all　idea　of　ascending　this　river。　I　could　not；　however；　give　up　the　exploration　of　the　route。　　In　this　dilemma；　a　kindly　written　letter　seemed　to　solve　the　difficulties。　　Messrs。　Dutton　&　Rixford；　northern　gentlemen；　who　possessed　large　facilities　for　the　manufacture　of　resin　and　turpentine　at　their　new　settlements　of　Dutton；　six　miles　from　the　St。　Mary's　River；　and　at　　Rixford；　near　the　Suwanee；　kindly　proposed　that　I　should　take　my　canoe　by　railroad　from　　Cumberland　Sound　to　Dutton。　　From　that　station　Mr。　Dutton　offered　to　transport　the　boat　through　the　wilderness　to　the　St。　Mary's　River；　which　could　be　from　that　point　easily　descended　to　the　sea。　The　Suwanee　River；　at　Rixford；　could　be　reached　by　rail；　and　the　voyage　would　end　at　its　debouchure　on　the　marshy　coast　of　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。

Hon。　David　Yulee；　president　and　one…third　owner　of　the　A。　G。　&　W。　I。　T。　C。　Railroad；　which　connects　the　Atlantic　coast　at　Fernandina　with　the　Gulf　coast　at　Cedar　Keys；　offered　me　the　free　use　of　his　long　railroad；　for　any　purpose　of　exploration；　&c。；　while　his　son；　Mr。　C。　　Wickli