Foreverglades_Valiente2019

try his luck at share cropping on Kreamg
his family by wagon to Lakeport, then
farmers at first didn't own their land. They squatted persuaded him to try his luck at share cro
where they pleased, clearing a few acres here and there
Island. Moving his family by wagon t
the lake, he farmed on Kreamer in 1916
wherever it might suit their fancy. So now you're saying by barge across the lake, he farmed on
3028 3128 50 BELLE BELLE GLADE GLADE FROM FROM SW SW AMP AMP TO TO SUGAR SUGAR BOWL they had not right to rent the land to negroes, but pardnr,
BOWL
DEMOCRAT RIVER RIVER 3129
50 29
226 BELLE GLADE FROM SWAMP TO TO SUGAR BOWL
226 226 BELLE BELLE GLADE GLADE FROM FROM SWAMP SWAMP TO TO SUGAR SUGAR BOWL BOWL
stating that big part part and of of delicious this this stream potato, was was but dredged it is out hotter out some some than five five seven years years hundred
to to firecrackers. become a part a part of Although of the the Thirteen I had Mile seen Mile Canal men Canal taste which wampee,
Disston
later later
than a vast
for all time I had decided had intended to be to smart to continue and on boil on to the to Shark Shark poison River. out. It After It now now cook­
forms
ld see them ing part part one of in of the several the Miami waters canal. until As As this the this lavender stream was was liquid typical no of longer
lake's showed, lake's dead dead I took rivers, one including cautious the bite the Democrat, and spit let's it let's out. see see In what what a
of the the
few it was it seconds was like. like. my mouth felt like a thousand burning needles,
.from Lake
and the sensation lasted until next day. Scientists say that
the Everiami
Canal depth depth of of water water being being about about eight eight feet. feet. To To say say that that our
"The "The river river at at its its mouth is is about about 100 100 yards yards wide, wide, the the
wampee juice contains microscopic balls which expel innumerable
tiny needles with great force. Great grief, I
our
little little party party was was overjoyed would but but poorly express it. it. We We
know that's so, and those needles are red hot to boot! Yet
do do not not go go one one hundred yards yards before we we hear hear exclamations
t River was strangely enough, wild hogs used to love the root, and got
from from the the members of of the the party party in in praise of of the the beautiful
expedition unbelievably fat on it. A sawgrass hog would eat a wampee
scenery which which greets the the eye eye on on every every side. side. There There is is no no
enough, and he squeal in pain, but then he'd root up another. Even
perceptible current so so far far as as we we can can discern. The The water water is
the jackdaws which used to follow us as we grubbed up
is
iver's fork.
clear clear as as crystal, the the banks banks fringed with with a a dense dense tropical
hey weren't sawgrass roots, would peck on a wampee, then gape their
growth of of trees, trees, presenting to to the the view view a solid a solid green green wall, wall,
bills toward the sky while their tongues cooled off.
impenetrable to to the the eye. eye. This This wall wall is is formed by by vines, vines,
s, "ere the which which
As the have have
party twined
penetrated around the the
the Everglades
trunks and and they
branches
seemed of of the the
astir." The also
trees, trees,
to
and
have
and have
been
have oppressed
interlaced and
by
and
the wound
uncanny themselves
silence.
around
were rowed each each "All other around other until until us they reigns they form form a death-like a a screen stillness which is is unrelieved almost suf­
sufficient
sound to to shut shut of out animal out the the light life light of of any of day. day. description. Looking The behind croak­
us us we we
for the last by any
iles to come. ing find find of that a that frog, we we the are are hoot followed of an by owl, by innumerable or the bellow alligators, of an alligator
are are would swimming be a lazily relief." lazily along along This in in caused our our wake. a "feeling From From all of all sides depres­
sides we we
who who
more than
ith a slight sion see see we them them cannot plunging avoid."
in the the water, remain under under for for a few a few
of the trees
As seconds, they rise progressed, rise after after we we have the have water passed in and places and join join became the the crowd somewhat
to hind hind deeper. us. us. We We On do do the not not 21st go go two they two miles found miles ponds before the in the which river river their begins
be­
be­
network
e approach boats to to get get could narrow, float and and we we that find find day ourselves they in made in a little a a little mile stream and only a only
ater course half. a few a few On yards the yards 24th in in the width, first the the dry sunlight ground completely was discoveredabout
the the five branches feet of square, of trees trees and and on vines, vines, the 28th which their have have first interlocked island,
shut shut out out by by
e machetes,
journey some is and and five twined acres around in extent. each each other However other until until on a a December perfect roof roof 3rd is is formeed
... ... were After After more going going numerous half half a mile, a mile, and we the we find water find we we are courses are no no deeper longer in in
the form­
on is reachextending
and a a more stream, plentiful. but but winding On that around day in they in dark, dark, made sluggish fifteen water, miles, the the
islands
trees which and roots roots on and December and branches 6th of they of the trees travelled trees forming thirty-five, a a barrier for to they to our our
a couple then of
further were progress in Shark ... ... River, As As we we which return we they we examine descended more more to closely its
exists, but mouth the the vines vines at the which Gulf grow grow of so Mexico. so luxuriantly, Here and and they find find boarded that that they they are are
apples. Our schooner a a species which of of gourd, had with come with to innumerable meet them gourds for the hanging return from to from
ur voyage, civilization. them, them, perfectly The entire round, and trip and about from about the Lake the size size Okeechobee of of a a billiard had ball. ball.
tion of the taken The The vines 27 vines days run run and all all their over over average the the trees, trees, speed, and and on except on the the for ground the form day form
white man, in a Shark mat a mat two River, two or or three had three been feet feet only deep." three miles a day.
Glades branch of of the the County Court Court House.
Glades branch of the County Court House.
Glades branch of the County Court House.
he soars for hours with nary a flap of his outstretched
he he soars soars for for hours hours with with nary nary a a flap flap of of his his outstretched
wings, and nothing escapes his observation. outstretched
wings, wings, and and nothing nothing escapes escapes his his observation. observation.
Just imagine soaring on a buzzard's wings above the
Just Just imagine imagine soaring soaring on on a a buzzard's buzzard's wings wings above above the
Everglades in the endless sky of time. Looking backward, the
Everglades Everglades in in the the endless endless sky sky of of time. time. Looking Looking backward,
you can see those naked Calusas as they build their backward,
mounds
you you can can see see those those naked naked Calusas Calusas as as they they build build their their mounds
and carve those objects of wood and bone. You watch mounds
as
and and carve carve those those objects objects of of wood wood and and bone. bone. You You watch watch as
the clanking, roaring dredge boats dig canals from Lake as
the the clanking, clanking, roaring roaring dredge dredge boats boats dig dig canals canals from from Lake Lake
Okeechobee to the coast, through the bordering woods and
Okeechobee Okeechobee to to the the coast, coast, through through the the bordering bordering woods woods and
the boundless watery sawgrass. Then come the gator hunters,
and the first venturesome settlers who built their hunt­
tar
and
the the boundless boundless watery watery sawgrass. sawgrass. Then Then come come the the gator gator huntersers,
and and the the first first venturesome venturesome settlers settlers who who built built their their tar
paper shacks and cleared tar
paper
patches for their vegetables. You
paper shacks shacks and and cleared cleared patches patches for for their their vegetables. vegetables. You You
may see some sweaty farmer battling his tractor which
may may see see some some sweaty sweaty farmer farmer battling battling his his tractor tractor which
refuses to run, or maybe it's bogged down in some which gator
refuses refuses to to run, run, or or maybe maybe it's it's bogged bogged down down in in some some gator gator
hole. Giant pigweeds, twenty feet in height shut off the
hole. hole. Giant Giant pigweeds, pigweeds, twenty twenty feet feet in in height height shut shut off off the
breeze while mosquitoes stab and sting, and swarms the
breeze of
breeze while while mosquitoes mosquitoes stab stab and and sting, sting, and and swarms swarms of
gnats buzz in his eyes, his nose and ears as the summer of
gnats gnats buzz buzz in in his his eyes, eyes, his his nose nose and and ears ears as as the the summer
sun beams down with fervent heat. You watch the summer freight
sun sun beams beams down down with with fervent fervent heat. heat. You You watch watch the the freight
boat man as he wrestles drums of gasoline, 200 freight pound
boat boat man man as as he he wrestles wrestles drums drums of of gasoline, gasoline, 200 200 pound pound
sacks sacks of potatoes or lumber for a house. Sleep is a com­
sacks of of potatoes potatoes or or lumber lumber for for a a house. house. Sleep Sleep is is a a commodity
the
modity he dreams about while trying to stay awake at commodity
he he dreams dreams about about while while trying trying to to stay stay awake awake at at the the
steering steering wheel.
steering wheel. wheel.
FROM SW SW AMP TO TO SUGAR BOWL 227
FROM FROM SW SW AMP AMP TO TO SUGAR SUGAR BOWL 227
BOWL 227
While over the lake you'll watch the crews of catfish
While While over over the the lake lake you'll you'll watch watch the the crews crews of of catfish
men as they haul their seines, chest deep in that catfish
chilly
men men as as they they haul haul their their seines, seines, chest chest deep deep in in that that chilly chilly
water, at dawn and at first dark. And the women too, you'll
water, water, at at dawn dawn and and at at first first dark. dark. And And the the women women too, too, you'll
see them fill their lamps with kerosene and contrive you'll
to
see see them them fill fill their their lamps lamps with with kerosene kerosene and and contrive contrive to
cook a meal's victuals from rations that won't to
cook cook a a meal's meal's victuals victuals from from rations rations that that won't spoil, in
won't spoil, spoil, in
those days of no ice and no refrigeration. You'll observe, in
those those days days of of no no ice ice and and no no refrigeration. You'll You'll observe,
amazed, as seventy-two voters incorporate the town observe,
when
amazed, amazed, as as seventy-two seventy-two voters voters incorporate incorporate the the town town when
they didn't intend to do so, and you'll be horrified to when
see
they they didn't didn't intend intend to to do do so, so, and and you'll you'll be be horrified horrified to to see
new town devastated see
the the new new town town devastated when a hurricane-lashed lake
devastated when when a a hurricane-lashed lake
breaks down the levee.
lake
breaks breaks down down the the levee. levee.
And then you'll observe little settlements spring up
And And then then you'll you'll observe observe little little settlements settlements spring spring up up
around the lake. Railroads and highways are built and settlements
grow into towns and cities. Floods and ground­
set­
around around the the lake. lake. Railroads Railroads and highways highways are are built built and and settlementtlements
grow grow into into towns towns and and cities. cities. Floods Floods and and groundburninburning
droughts droughts at at last last are are controlled. controlled. Vegetable Vegetable patches
groundburning
droughts at last are controlled. Vegetable patches
now are farms of many thousand acres. patches
now now are are farms farms of of many many thousand thousand acres. acres.
All this you've seen while soaring on buzzard's wings
All All this this you've you've seen seen while while soaring soaring on on buzzard's buzzard's wings wings
in the endless sky of time. Yes, and I have seen it too,
in in the the endless endless sky sky of of time. time. Yes, Yes, and and I I have have seen seen it it too,
from those days when the first canal was being dug where too,
from from those those days days when when the the first first canal canal was was being being dug dug where where
Belle Glade is, and when this country was nearabout inaccessible.
When it was inhabited only by varmints inac­
and
Belle Belle Glade Glade is, is, and and when when this this country country was was nearabout nearabout inaccessiblecessible.
When When it it was was inhabited inhabited only only by by varmints varmints and and
mosquitoes, right up till now when Belle Glade is a right
mosquitoes, mosquitoes, right right up up till till now now when when Belle Belle Glade Glade is is a a right
nice city, and these Everglades are the bread basket right
and
nice nice city, city, and and these these Everglades Everglades are are the the bread bread basket basket and
the sugar bowl of the nation. Things have changed a right and
the the sugar sugar bowl bowl of of the the nation. nation. Things Things have have changed changed a a right
smart in just one lifetime, and that's for sure. right
smart smart in in just just one one lifetime, lifetime, and and that's that's for for sure. sure.
So
So nowadays we labor only for eight hours in air-conditioned
So nowadays nowadays we we labor labor only only for for eight eight hours hours in in air-conditioned
comfort, with TV and radio for our amuseditioned
comfort, comfort, with with TV TV and and radio radio for for our our amuse­
air-conment.
Insteac1 of a six-mile-an-hour motor boat, we amusement.
Insteac1 Insteac1 of of a a six-mile-an-hour motor motor boat, boat, we we travel travel
with
travel
ment.
with the speed of wind, and each year we take a few weeks
with the the speed speed of of wind, wind, and and each each year year we we take take a a few few weeks
off for recreation.
weeks
off off for for recreation. recreation.
But
But brother, let's not forget those muck-covered pioneers
But brother, brother, let's let's not not forget forget those those muck-covered pioneers
who made these conditions possible, those bold men,
neers who who made made these these conditions conditions possible, possible, those those bold bold men,
pio­
and women too, who ventured into this unknown wilderness.
They experimented with one crop and another, wilder­
men,
and and women women too, too, who who ventured ventured into into this this unknown unknown wilderness.
with
ness. They They experimented with with one one crop crop and and another, another, with
this method and that, until they learned to farm these with
this this method method and and that, that, until until they they learned learned to to farm farm these these
Glades.
Glades. From early dawn till dark they labored, with hoes
Glades. From From early early dawn dawn till till dark dark they they labored, labored, with with hoes
and push plows and machetes, with experimental plows hoes
and push push plows plows and and machetes, machetes, with with experimental plows
and homemade tractors.
plows
and and homemade homemade tractors. tractors.
Major
When When
Williams
I first I first came
concludes
came to to this this
his
lake lake
report
these these
by gourds
stating
still still
that
were were
the plentiful
Everglades
in in the the
"are custard
nothing
apple apple
more forest,
nor less
although
than
they
a
they
vast
then then
and
were were
useless
less less marsh,
luxuriant
and
than than
such
the the
they
moon moon
will
vine, vine,
remain
a kind a kind
for
of
all
of morning
time
to
glory,
come
glory,
in
which which
my estimation." completely Good
blanketed
golly,
the
he
the tops
should
tops and
see
and the
them
the exposeposed
flanks of of the the custard apple apple woods, making a a shadowy
ex­
now!
dusk And dusk at so at mid that mid day. day. was the first trip ever made .from Lake
Okeechobee
After southward
the
through
south shore
the
for.
length
nine
of
days
the
the
Everglades,
yes, and the last one too, until the Miami near the point on the lake,
After cruising the south shore for. nine days the party party
Canal
arrived, near the southernmost point on the lake, at at the the
was surveyed some thirty years later.
largest and and longest of of all all these these rivers. This This they they ed But ed T-D, T-D, let's or take or Times-Democrat a closer look what River. Democrat After After traversing River was this this
christen­
like stream in those to to its primeval its end, end, they they days. laid laid The a a scribe course south of south this by by the expedition the compass
gives for for Shark us Shark a detailed River, account, ninety miles miles though away away curiously by by air air line. enough, line. Although he
never water water mentions had had evidently those ancient been been five mounds five feet feet over at over the the the river's land land not fork. not too too
Maybe long long the before, jungle they they growth found found that was that it so it now now dense was was that a scant a scant they five weren't five inches,
even and and noticed. under under that that was was fifteen feet, feet, more more or less, less, of soft soft mud. mud.
"On So So the now now 10th they they day are are of compelled November," to to battle he battle relates, the the "ere sharp-edged the
first sawgrass, streaks which of which dawn, they they every had had man believed in camp to to be be was only only astir." ten ten miles miles The in in
boats extent, were but but loaded which which and actually for a few persisted hundred clear clear yards to to the were the headwaters rowed
up of the of stream. Shark River. Then At the At times times oars they were they were stowed were able able away to to burn for burn the the last sawgrassgrass,
"for but poles but usually will have the the way to way be must used must be for be many hacked miles with with to machetes. come.
saw­
time
The For For river many many has days days narrowed they they were were down compelled to a stream to to push push not and more and lift lift than their their
five boats boats or six every every feet foot in foot of depth, of the the way, dark, way, often sluggish often making and only with only a few a slight few hundredred
yards yards current in in a day. a running day. On On north. November The 17th, 17th, boughs a week a week of the after after trees leav­
leav­
hun­
perceptible
lap ing ing over the the the lake, lake, water, a a tall tall the cypress vines at form at Democrat a perfect River River network was was still to still
bar visible our progress, to to the the naked and naked to eye. all eye. appearances when we approach
these barriers it seems as if the end of the water course
has been Constantly
reached,
they
but
they were
with
were
a few
plagued
strokes
by by of
innumerable
the machetes,
snakes,
axes though
and hatchets fortunately,
our way
nobody
is cleared,
was was bitten.
and our
But But
journey
they they were
is
were
by and resumed
tortured
for a
by
few
mosquitoes,
yards until the
leeches
next
and
obstruction
poisonous
is reached,
sometimes
wampee
plants "which
a sunken
produce
log,
a a the
terrible
roots burning
of trees sensation.
extending
Its Its
across appearance
the whole
is is channel,
similar to to the
or
the
the
water water
branches
lily, lily, the the
of
leaf
trees
leaf being being
which
from from
reach
six six to
the
to surface
twelve inches
of the water.
across, the
We
the root
have
root gone
running
a
to
couple
to a a depth
of
depth
miles
of of six
when
six inches,
we discover
and and resembles
that the
a
river a shallot
no
in
longer
in appearance.
exists, but
We We
has
had had lost
the the itself curiosity in the
to
dense to taste taste swamp
it. it. We We shall
of
shall
custard
do do so so no
apples.
no more!"
Our
compass Yes, Yes, is I now, I know know and blamed will be well until well they they end didn't! of That our That voyage,
wampee
our was was only a a guide. hellish We plant, plant, are now nobody penetrating would would ever ever a portion taste taste it of it the twice!
state Indian which turnip has never it's it's called been called up done up north. before It's by It's tuber any tuber white looks looks man, like like a a