for de old folks at home。
〃All round de little farm I wander'd When I was young； Den many happy days I squan…der'd … Many de songs I sung。 When I was playing wid my brud…der； Hap…py was I。 O！ take me to my kind old mud…der； Dere let me live and die！
〃One little hut among de bushes； … One dat I love； … Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes； No matter where I rove。 When will I see de bees a…hum…ming All round de comb？ When will I hear de ban…jo tum…ming Down in my good old home？〃
We all joined in the chorus at the end of each verse：
〃All de world am sad and dreary Eb…ry…whar I roam。 O； darkies； how my heart grows weary； Far from do old folks at home。〃
We soon entered forests primeval which were quiet； save for the sound of the axe of the log…thief； for timber…stealing is a profession which reaches its greatest perfection on the Florida state lands and United States naval reserves。 Uncle Sam's territory is being constantly plundered to supply the steam saw…mills of private individuals in Florida。 Several of the party told interesting stories of the way in which log…thieves managed to steal from the government legally。
〃There；〃 said one； 〃is X； who runs his mill on the largest tract of pine timber Uncle Sam has got。 He once bought a few acres' claim adjacent to a fine naval reserve。 He was not； of course； able to discover the boundary line which separated his little tract from the rich government reserve； so he kept a large force of men cutting down Uncle Sam's immense pines； and； hauling them to the Suwanee； floated them to his mill。 This thing went on for some time； till the government agent made his appearance and demanded a settlement。
〃The wholesale timber…thief now showed a fair face； and very frankly explained that he supposed he had been cutting logs from his own territory； but quite recently he had discovered that he had really been trespassing on the property of his much…loved country； and as he was truly a loyal citizen； he desired to make restitution； and was now ready to settle。
〃The government agent was astonished at the seeming candor of the man； who so worked upon his sympathy that he promised to be as easy upon him as the law allowed。 The agent settled upon a valuation of fifty cents an acre for all the territory that had been cut over。 'And now；' said he； 'how many acres of land have you 〃logged〃 since you put your lumbermen into the forest？'
〃Mr。 X declared himself unable to answer this question； but generously offered to permit the agent to put down any number of acres he thought would represent a fair thing between a kind government and one of its unfortunate citizens。 Intending to do his duty faithfully； the officer settled upon two thousand acres as having been trespassed upon； but to his astonishment the incomprehensible offender stoutly affirmed that he had logged fully five thousand acres； and at once settled the matter in full by paying twenty…five hundred dollars； taking a receipt for the same。
〃When this enterprising business…man visited Jacksonville； his friends rallied him upon confessing judgment to government for three thousand acres of timber more than had been claimed by the agent。 This true patriot winked as he replied：
〃'It is true I hold a receipt from the government for the timber on five thousand acres at the very low rate of fifty cents an acre。 As I have not yet cut logs from more than one…fifth of the tract； I intend to work off the timber on the other four thousand acres at my leisure； and no power can stop me now I have the government receipt to show it's paid for。'〃
The sloop and the canoe had left Columbus a little before noon； and at six P。 M。 we passed Charles' Ferry； where the old St。 Augustine and Tallahassee forest road crosses the river。 At this lonely place an old man； now dead； owned a subterranean spring； which he called 〃Mediterranean passage。〃 This spring is powerful enough to run a rickety； 〃up…and…down〃 saw…mill。 The great height of the water allowed me to paddle into the mill with my canoe。
At half past seven o'clock a deserted log cabin at Barrington's Ferry offered us shelter for the night。 The whole of the next day we rowed through the same immense forests； finding no more cultivated land than during our first day's voyage。 We landed at a log cabin in a small clearing to purchase eggs of a poor woman； whose husband had shot her brother a few days before。 As the wife's brother had visited the cabin with the intention of killing the husband； the woman seemed to think the murdered man had 〃got his desarts；〃 and； as a coroner's jury had returned a verdict of 〃justifiable homicide；〃 the affair was considered settled。
Below this cabin we came to Island No。 1； where rapids trouble boatmen in the summer months。 Now we glided gently but swiftly over the deep current。 The few inhabitants we met along the banks of the Suwanee seemed to carry with them an air of repose while awake。 To rouse them from mid…day slumbers we would call loudly as we passed a cabin in the woods； and after considerable delay a man would appear at the door； rubbing his eyes as though the genial sunlight was oppressive to his vision。 It was indeed a quiet； restful region； this great wilderness of the Suwanee。
We passed Mrs。 Goodman's farm and log buildings on the left bank； just below Island No。 8； before noon； and about this time Major Purviance shot at a large wild turkey （Meleagris gallopavo）； knocking it off a bank into the water。 The gobbler got back to land； and led us a fruitless chase into the thicket of saw…palmetto。 He knew his ground better than we； for； though wounded； he made good his escape。 We stopped a few moments at Troy； which； though dignified in name； consists only of a store and some half dozen buildings。
A few miles below this place； on the left bank of the river； is an uninhabited elevation called Rolins' Bluff； from which a line running north 220 east； twenty…three miles and a half in length； will strike Live Oak。 A charter to connect Live Oak with this region of the Suwanee by means of a railroad had just passed the Florida legislature； but had been killed by the veto of the governor。 After sunset the boats were secured in safe positions in front of a deserted cabin； round which a luxuriant growth of bitter…orange trees showed what nature could do for this neglected grove。 The night air was balmy； and tremulous with insect life； while the alligators in the swamps kept up their bellowings till morning。
After breakfast we descended to the mouth of the Santa Fe River； which was on the left bank of the Suwanee。 The piny…woods people called it the Santaffy。 The wilderness below the Santa Fe is rich in associations of the Seminole Indian war。 Many relics have been found； and； among others； on the site of an old Indian town； entombed in a hollow tree； the skeletons of an Indian adult and child； decked with beads； were discovered。 Fort Fanning is on the left bank； and Old Town Hammock on the right bank of the Suwanee。
During the Seminole war； the hammock and the neighboring fastnesses became the hiding…places of the persecuted Indians； and so wild and undisturbed is this region； even at this time； that the bear； lynx； and panther take refuge from man in its jungles。
Colonel J。 L。 F。 Cottrell left his native Virginia in 1854； and commenced the cultivation of the virgin soil of Old Town Hammock。 Each state has its peculiar mode of dividing its land； and here in Florida this old plantation was in township 10； section 24； range 13。 The estate included about two thousand acres of land； of which nearly eleven hundred were under cultivation。 The slaves whom the colonel brought from Virginia were now his tenants； and he leased them portions of his arable acres。 He considered this locality as healthy as any in the Suwanee country。 The old planter's home； with its hospitable doors ever open to the stranger； was embowered in live…oaks and other trees； from the branches of which the graceful festoons of Spanish moss waved in the soft air； telling of a warm； moist atmosphere。
A large screw cotton…press and corn…cribs； with smoke…house and other plantation buildings； were conveniently grouped under the spreading branches of the protecting oaks。 The estate produced cotton； corn； sweet potatoes； cattle； hogs； and poultry。 Deer sometimes approached the enclosed fields； while the early morning call of the wild turkey came from the thickets of the hammock。 In this retired part of Florida； cheered by the society of a devoted wife and four lovely daughters； lived the kind…hearted gentleman who not only pressed on us the comforts of his well…ordered house； but also insisted upon accompanying the paper canoe from his forest home to the sea。
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 frie