We soon after entered the _cypriere_. There the surface was mostly
without underwood. The black taxodiums, standing thickly, usurped the
ground, their umbellated crowns covered with hoary epiphytes, whose
pendulous drapery shut out the sun, that would otherwise have nourished
on that rich soil a luxuriant herbaceous vegetation. But we were now
within the limits of the annual inundation; and but few plants can
thrive there.
After a while I could see we were approaching a stagnant water. There
was no perceptible descent, but the dank damp odour of the swamp, the
noise of the piping frogs, the occasional scream of some wading bird, or
the bellowing of the alligator, admonished me that some constant water--
some lake or pond--was near.
We were soon upon its margin. It was a large pond, though only a small
portion of it came under the eye; for, as far as I could see, the
cypress-trees grew up out of the water, their huge buttresses spreading
out so as almost to touch each other! Here and there the black "knees"
protruded above the surface, their fantastic shapes suggesting the idea
of horrid water-demons, and lending a supernatural character to the
scene. Thus canopied over, the water looked black as ink, and the
atmosphere felt heavy and oppressive. The picture was one from which
Dante might have drawn ideas for his "Inferno."
On arriving near this gloomy pond, my guide came to a stop. A huge tree
that had once stood near the edge had fallen, and in such a position
that its top extended far out into the water. Its branches were yet
undecayed, and the parasites still clung to them in thick tufts, giving
the whole the appearance of a mass of hay loosely thrown together. Part
of this was under water, but a still larger portion remained above the
surface, high and dry. It was at the root of this fallen tree that my
guide had halted.
He remained but a moment, waiting only till I came up.
As soon as I had reached the spot, he mounted upon the trunk; and,
beckoning me to follow him, walked along the log in the direction of its
top. I climbed up, and balancing myself as well as I could, followed
him out into the water.
On reaching the head of the tree, we entered among the thick limbs; and,
winding around these, kept still farther towards the top branches. I
expected that there we should reach our resting-place.
At length my companion came to a stop, and I now saw, to my
astonishment, a small "pirogue" resting upon the water, and hidden under
the moss! So completely was it concealed, that it was not possible to
have seen it from any point except that where we now stood.
"This, then," thought I, "is the object for which we have crawled out
upon the tree."
The sight of the pirogue led me to conjecture that we had farther to go.
The black now loosed the canoe from its moorings, and beckoned me to
get in.
I stepped into the frail craft and sat down. My companion followed,
and, laying hold of the branches, impelled the vessel outward till it
was clear of the tops of the tree. Then, seizing the paddle, under its
repeated strokes we passed silently over the gloomy surface of the
water.
For the first two or three hundred yards our progress was but slow. The
cypress knees, and huge "buttocks" of the trees, stood thickly in the
way, and it was necessary to observe some caution in working the pirogue
through among them. But I saw that my companion well understood the
_manege_ of his craft, and wielded a "paddle" with the skill of a
Chippewa. He had the reputation of being a great "'coon-hunter" and
"bayou fisherman;" and in these pursuits no doubt he had picked up his
canoe-craft.
It was the most singular voyage I had ever made. The pirogue floated in
an element that more resembled ink than water. Not a ray of sun glanced
across our path. The darkness of twilight was above and around us.
We glided along shadowy aisles, and amidst huge black trunks that rose
like columns supporting a canopy of close-woven fronds. From this
vegetable root hung the mournful _bromelia_, sometimes drooping down to
the very surface of the water, so as to sweep our faces and shoulders as
we passed under it.
We were not the only living things. Even this hideous place had its
denizens. It was the haunt and secure abode of the great _saurian_,
whose horrid form could be distinguished in the gloom, now crawling
along some prostrate trunk, now half mounted upon the protruding knees
of the cypresses, or swimming with slow and stealthy stroke through the
black liquid. Huge water-snakes could be seen, causing a tiny ripple as
they passed from tree to tree, or lying coiled upon the projecting
buttocks. The swamp-owl hovered on silent wing, and large brown bats
pursued their insect prey. Sometimes these came near, fluttering in our
very faces, so that we could perceive the mephitic odour of their
bodies, while their horny jaws gave forth a noise like the clinking of
castanets.
The novelty of the scene interested me; but I could not help being
impressed with a slight feeling of awe. Classic memories, too, stirred
within me. The fancies of the Roman poet were here realised. I was
upon the Styx, and in my rower I recognised the redoubtable Charon.
Suddenly a light broke through the gloom. A few more strokes of the
paddle, and the pirogue shot out into the bright sunlight. What a
relief!
I now beheld a space of open water,--a sort of circular lake. It was in
reality the lake, for what we had been passing over was but the
inundation; and at certain seasons this portion covered with forest
became almost dry. The open water, on the contrary, was constant, and
too deep even for the swamp-loving cypress to grow in it.
The space thus clear of timber was not of very large extent,--a surface
of half-a-mile or so. On all sides it was enclosed by the moss-draped
forest that rose around it, like a grey wall; and in the very centre
grew a clump of the same character, that in the distance appeared to be
an island.
This solitary tarn was far from being silent. On the contrary, it was a
scene of stirring life. It seemed the rendezvous for the many species
of wild winged creatures that people the great _marais_ of Louisiana.
There were the egrets, the ibises--both white and scarlet--the various
species of _Ardeidae_, the cranes, and the red flamingoes. There, too,
was the singular and rare darter, swimming with body immersed, and
snake-like head just appearing above the water; and there were the white
unwieldy forms of the tyrant pelicans standing on the watch for their
finny prey. Swimming birds speckled the surface; various species of
_Anatidae_--swans, geese, and ducks,--while the air was filled with
flights of gulls and curlews, or was cut by the strong whistling wings
of the mallards.
Other than waterfowl had chosen this secluded spot for their favourite
dwelling-place. The osprey could be seen wheeling about in the air, now
shooting down like a star upon the unfortunate fish that had approached
too near the surface, and anon yielding up his prey to the tyrant
_Haliaetus_. Such were the varied forms of feathered creatures that
presented themselves to my eye on entering this lonely lake of the
woods.
I looked with interest upon the scene. It was a true scene of nature,
and made a vivid impression upon me at the moment. Not so with my
companion, to whom it was neither novel nor interesting. It was an old
picture to his eyes, and he saw it from a different point of view. He
did not stay to look at it, but, lightly dipping his paddle, pressed the
pirogue on in the direction of the island.
A few strokes carried us across the open water, and the canoe once more
entered under the shadow of trees. But to my surprise, _there was no
island_! What I had taken for an island was but a single cypress-tree,
that grew upon a spot where the lake was shallow. Its branches
extending on every side were loaded with the hoary parasites that
drooped down to the very surface of the water, and shadowed a space of
half an acre in extent. Its trunk rested upon a base of enormous
dimensions. Huge buttresses flanked it on every side, slanting out into
the water and rising along its stem to a height of many yards, the whole
mass appearing as large as an ordinary cabin. Its sides were indented
with deep bays; and, as we approached under the screen, I could perceive
a dark cavity which showed that this singular "buttock" was hollow
within.
The bow of the pirogue was directed into one of the bays, and soon
struck against the tree. I saw several steps cut into the wood, and
leading to the cavity above. My companion pointed to these steps. The
screaming of the startled birds prevented me from hearing what he said,
but I saw that it was a sign for me to mount upward. I hastened to obey
his direction; and, climbing out of the canoe, sprawled up the sloping
ridge.
At the top was the entrance, just large enough to admit the body of a
man; and, pressing through this, I stood inside the hollow tree.
We had reached our destination--I was in the _lair of the runaway_!