feet into the air, as he himself would have pitched a | from the enemy. Andrew, however, refused to obey, child. Adam fell upon his back at the edge of the and insisted upon saving the living, before attending water, but before his antagonist could spring upon to the dead. Big Foot, in the meantime had suchim, he was again upon his feet, and stung with rage ceeded in reaching the deep water before he expired, at the the idea of being handled so easily, he attack- and his body was borne off by the waves, without ed his gigantick antagonist with a fury which for a being stripped of the ornament and pride of an Indian time compensated for inferiority of strength. It warriour." was now a fair fist fight between them, for in the hurry of the struggle neither had leisure to draw their knives. Adam's superior activity and experience as a pugilist, gave him great advantage. The Indian struck awkwardly, and finding himself rapidly dropping to leeward, he closed with his antagonist, and again hurled him to the ground. They quickly rolled into the river, and the struggle continued with unabated fury, each attempting to drown the other. The Indian being unused to such violent exertion, and having been much injured by the first shock in his stomach, was unable to exert the same powers which had given him such a decided superiority at first; and Adam, seizing him by the scalp lock, put his head under water, and held it there, until the faint struggles of the Indian induced him to believe that he was drowned, when he relaxed his hold and attempted to draw his knife. The Indian, however, to use Adam's own expression, "had only been POSSUMMING!" He instantly regained his feet, and in his turn put his adversary under."

"Not a man of the Indians had escaped. Five of Big Foot's brothers, the flower of the Wyandott nation, had accompanied him in the expedition, and all perished. It is said that the news of this calamity, threw the whole tribe into mourning. Their remarkable size, their courage, and their superiour intelligence, gave them immense influence, which, greatly to their credit, was generally exerted on the side of humanity. Their powerful interposition, had saved many prisoners from the stake, and had given a milder character to the warfare of the Indians in that part of the country. A chief of the same name was alive in that part of the country so late as 1792, but whether a brother or a son of Big Foot, is not known. Adam Poe recovered of his wounds, and lived many years after his memorable conflict; but never forgot the tremendous "hug" which the sustained in the arms of Big Foot."

THE LIVE-OAKERS.

there mixed with low bushes and sword palmettoes. The soil is of a sandy nature, mostly flat, and consequently either covered with water during the rainy season, or parched in the summer and autumn, although you meet at times with ponds of stagnant water, where the cattle, which are abundant, allay their thirst, and around which resort the various kinds of game found in these wilds.

"In the struggle, both were carried out into the current, beyond their depth and each was compelled to relax his hold and swim for his life. There was THE greater part of the forests of East Florida still one loaded rifle upon the shore, and each swam principally consists of what in that country are callhard in order to reach it, but the Indian proved the ed "Pine Barrens." In these districts, the woods most expert swimmer, and Adam seeing that he are rather thin, and the only trees that are seen in should be too late, turned and swam out into the them are tall pines of rather indifferent quality, bestream, intending to dive and thus frustrate his ene-neath which is a growth of rank grass, here and my's intention. At this instant, Andrew, having heard that his brother was alone in a struggle with two Indians, and in great danger, ran up hastily to the edge of the bank above, in order to assist him. Another white man followed him closely, and seeing Adam in the river, covered with blood, and swimming rapidly from shore, mistook him for an Indian and fired upon him, wounding him dangerously in the shoulder. Adam turned, and seeing his brother, The traveller who has pursued his course for called loudly upon him to "shoot the big Indian many miles over the barrens, is suddenly delighted upon the shore." Andrew's gun, however, was to see in the distance the appearance of a dark empty, having just been discharged. Fortunately," hummock" of live-oaks and other trees, seeming Big Foot had also seized the gun with which Adam as if they had been planted in the wilderness. As had shot the lesser Indian, so that both were upon an he approaches, the air feels cooler and more saluequality. The contest now was who should load brious, the song of numerous birds delights his ear, first. Big Foot poured in his powder first, and the herbage assumes a more luxuriant appearance, drawing his ramrod out of its sheath in too great a the flowers become larger and brighter, and a gratehurry threw it into the river, and while he ran to re- ful fragrance is diffused around. These objects cover it, Andrew gained an advantage. Still the contribute to refresh his mind, as much as the sight Indian was but a second too late, for his gun was at of the waters of some clear spring, gliding among his shoulder, when Andrew's ball entered his breast. the undergrowth, seems already to allay his thirst. The gun dropped from his hands and he fell forward Over head festoons of innumerable vines, jessamines, upon his face upon the very margin of the river. and bignonias, link each tree with those around it, Andrew, now alarmed for his brother, who was their slender stems being interlaced as if in mutual scarcely able to swim, threw down his gun and affection. No sooner, in the shade of these beautirushed into the river in order to bring him ashore-ful woods, has the traveller finished his mid-day but Adam, more intent upon securing the scalp of Big Foot as a trophy, than upon his own safety, called loudly upon his brother to leave him alone and scalp the big Indian, who was now endeavouring to roll himself into the water, from a romantic desire, peculiar to the Indian warriour, of securing his scalp

repast, than he perceives small parties of men lightly accoutred, and each bearing an axe, approaching toward his resting place. They exchange the usual civilities, and immediately commence their labours, for they too have just finished their meal.

I think I see them proceeding to their work.

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE.

85

Here two have stationed themselves on the opposite | tirely formed of live-oaks. I thought differently, sides of the trunk of a noble and venerable live-oak. and as our controversy on the subject became a litTheir keen-edged and well-tempered axes seem to tle warm, I proposed that our men should row us to make no impression on it, so small are the chips the place, where we might examine the leaves and that drop at each blow around the mossy and wide- timber, and so decide the point. We soon landed, spreading roots. There, one is ascending the stem but after inspecting the woods, not a single tree of of another, of which, in its fall, the arms have stuck the species did we find, although there were thouamong the tangled tops of the neighbouring trees. sands of large "swamp-oaks." My companion acSee how cautiously he proceeds, barefooted, and knowledged his mistake, and I continued to search with a handkerchief round his head. Now he has for birds. climbed to the height of about forty feet from the ground; he stops, and squaring himself with the trunk on which he so boldly stands, he wields with sinewy arms his trusty blade, the repeated blows of which, although the tree be as tough as it is large, will soon sever it in two. He has changed sides, and his back is turned to you. The trunk now remains connected by only a thin strip of wood. He places his feet on the part which is lodged, and shakes it with all his might. Now swings the huge log under his leaps, now it suddenly gives way, and as it strikes upon the ground its echoes are repeated through the hummock, and every wild turkey within hearing utters his gobble of recognition. The woodcutter, however, remains collected and composed; but the next moment, he throws his axe to the ground, and, assisted by the nearest grape-vine slides down and reaches the earth in an instant.

One dark evening as I was seated on the banks of the same river, considering what arrangements I should make for the night, as it began to rain in torrents, a man who happened to see me, came up and invited me to go to his cabin, which he said was not far off. I accepted his kind offer, and followed him to his humble dwelling. There I found his wife, several children, and a number of men, who, as my host told me, were, like himself, Live-Oakers. Supper was placed on a large table, and on being desired to join the party, I willingly assented, doing my best to diminish the contents of the tin pans and dishes set before the company by the active and agreeable house-wife. We then talked of the country, its climate and productions, until a late hour, when we laid ourselves down on bears' skins, and preosed till daybreak.

I longed to accompany these hardy wood-cutters to the hummock where they were engaged in preparing live-oak timber for a man-of-war. Provided with axes and guns, we left the house to the care of the wife and children, and proceeded for several miles through a pine-barren, such as I have attempted to describe. One fine wild turkey was shot, and when we arrived at the shantee put up near the hummock, we found another party of wood-cutters waiting our arrival, before eating their breakfast, already prepared by a negro man, to whom the turkey was consigned to be roasted for part of that day's dinner. Our repast was an excellent one, and vied with a Kentucky breakfast: beef, fish, potatoes, and other vegetables, were served up, with coffee in tin cups, and plenty of biscuit. Every man seemed hungry and happy, and the conversation assumed the most humorous character. The sun now rose above the trees, and all, excepting the cook, proceeded to the hummock, on which I had been gazing with great delight, as it promised rare sport. My host, I found was the chief of the party; and although he also had an axe, he made no other use of it than for stripping here and there pieces of bark from certain trees which he considered of doubtful soundness. He was not only well versed in his profession, but generally intelligent, and from him I received the following account, which I noted at the time.

Several men approach and examine the prostrate trunk. They cut at both its extremities, and sound the whole of its bark, to enable them to judge if the tree has been attacked by the white-rot. If such has unfortunately been the case, there, for a century or more, this huge log will remain until it gradually crumbles; but if not, and if it is free of injury or "wind-shakes," while there is no appearance of the sap having already ascended, and its pores are altogether sound, they proceed to take its measurement. Its shape ascertained, and the timber that is fit for use laid out by the aid of models, which, like fragments of the skeleton of a ship, show the forms and sizes required, the hewers commence their labours. Thus, reader, perhaps every known hummock in the Floridas is annually attacked, and so often does it happen that the white-rot or some other disease has deteriorated the quality of the timber, that the woods may be seen strewn with trunks that have been found worthless, so that every year these valuable oaks are becoming scarcer. The destruction of the young trees of this species caused by the fall of the great trunks is of course immense, and as there are no artificial plantations of these trees in our country, before long a good sized live-oak will be so valuable that its owner will exact an enormous price for it, even while it yet stands in the wood. In my opinion, formed on personal observation, live-oak The men who are employed in cutting the livehummocks are not quite so plentiful as they are rep- oak, after having discovered a good hummock, build resented to be, and of this, I will give you one illus-shantees of small logs, to retire to at night, and feed tration.

in by day. Their provisions consist of beef, pork, On the twenty-fifth of February, 1832, I happened potatoes, biscuit, flour, rice, and fish, together with to be far up the St. John's river, in East Florida, in excellent whiskey. They are mostly hale, strong, the company of a person employed by our govern- and active men, from the Eastern parts of the Union, ment in protecting the live-oaks of that section of and receive excellent wages, according to their difthe country, and who received a good salary for his ferent abilities. Their labours are only of a few trouble. While we were proceeding along one of months' duration. Such hummocks as are found the banks of that most singular stream, my compan- near navigable streams are first chosen, and when ion pointed out some large hummocks of dark-leaved it is absolutely necessary, the timber is sometimes trees on the opposite side, which he said were en-hauled five or six miles to the nearest water-course,

where, although it sinks, it can, with comparative | parts of France it has acquired the name of the em ease, be shipped to its destination. The best time perour, because they say it resembles the Roman for cutting the live-oak is considered to be from the emperours, who are represented with a sword in the first of December to the beginning of March, or while hand. This fish is extremely large and powerful, the sap is completely down. When the sap is flow-being from twelve to eighteen feet in length; of its ing, the tree is "bloom," and more apt to be "sha- amazing strength the following anecdote is sufficient ken." The white-rot, which occurs so frequently evidence :in the live-oak, and is perceptible only by the best judges, consists of round spots, about an inch and a half in diameter, on the outside of the bark, through which, at that spot, a hard stick may be driven several inches, and generally follows the heart up or down the trunk of the tree. So deceptive are these spots and trees to persons unacquainted with this defect, that thousands of trees are cut and afterward abandoned. The great number of trees of this sort strewn in the woods would tend to make a stranger believe that there is much more good oak in the country than there really is; and perhaps, in reality, not more than one fourth of the quantity usually reported, is to be procured.

The Live-Oakers generally revisit their distant homes in the Middle and Eastern districts, where they spend the summer, returning to the Floridas at the approach of winter. Some, however, who have gone there with their families, remain for years in succession; although they suffer much from the climate, by which their once good constitutions are often greatly impaired. This was the case with the individual abovementioned, from whom I subsequently received much friendly assistance in my pursuits.

Audubon.

NATURAL HISTORY.

THE SWORD-FISH.

THE name of the sword-fish has been given to this singular creature, from the lengthened form of its upper jaw, the extremity of which is prolonged in such a manner as to resemble a sword. In some

Van Schouten, in his voyage round the world about the beginning of the seventeenth century, states that, "a great fish or sea-monster, having a horn like an elephant's tooth, except being full and not hollow, struck the ship with such great strength, that it entered into three planks of the ship, two of green and one of oaken wood, and into a rib, where it turned upward, to their great good fortune." In the year 1725, in refitting the British ship Leopard after her return from the West Indies, the ship-wrights found in her bottom, part of the sword of one of these fishes. From the lirection in which the sword lay, the fish is supposed to have followed the ship when under sail; it had penetrated through the sheathing which was an inch thick, passed through three inches of plank, and beyond that, four inches and a half into the timber. The force requisite to effect this, (since the vessel was proceeding in a direction from the fish,) must have been excessive. The workmen declared it impossible, with a hammer of a quarter of a hundred weight to drive an iron pin, of the same form and size, to the same depth, in less than eight or nine trokes, while this had been effected by only one.

In Europe the chief resort of the sword-fish is the Mediterranean sea, where it is found in great numbers; but although not so plentiful, it is far from an uncommon visiter on the Trench and Spanish coasts: in the British seas it is seldom met with.

In America the sword-fish is by no means uncommon, on the coast of the Eastern states. The taking of the sword-fish is said to be better sport than that of the tunny. A man in the rigging of the vessel, or on a neighbouring rock, gives notice of its approach; it is then attacked with a small harpoon, attached to a long line. It is, in fact, merely whale

fishing in miniature. Sometimes the harpooner has | to wait for hours together before it comes in sight. The Sicilian fishermen, who are extremely superstitious, chant a certain ditty, (supposed to be a Greek sentence,) Cuvier, however, says it is an assemblage of words belonging to no language, which they look upon as a charm to attract the sword-fish to their boat. This is the only bait they use; and they pretend that it is most wonderfully efficacious, and obliges the fish to follow them. On the other hand, if unfortunately it should hear them pronounce a single Italian word, it dives at once, and is never heard of again. Oppian speaks of a very singular method of taking these fish, by forming a boat so as to resemble the sword-fish itself for the purpose of deceiving them.

There is at present in the British museum part of the sword of this fish, buried in a piece of wood which once formed part of a vessel; it was broken from the living fish by the violence of the shock, and had penetrated so deeply, that but for this lucky accident the ship would to a certainty have sunk.

To account for this attack on these inanimate masses, it is to be remembered that the sword-fishes naturally waging war with whales, and the larger kinds of Cetacea, may very likely mistake the hull of the vessel for the enormous body of one of these huge creatures.