Foreverglades_Valiente2019

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
wherever it might suit their fancy. So now you're saying by barge across the lake, he farmed on K
they had not right to rent the land to negroes, but pardnr,
28 28 50 BELLE GLADE FROM SW SW AMP TO TO SUGAR BOWL
DEMOCRAT RIVER 5029
try his luck at share cropping on Kreamhis
family by wagon to Lakeport, then
he lake, he farmed on Kreamer in 1916
190
190
BELLE
BELLE GLADE GLADE
FROM FROM
SW SW
AMP TO SUGAR BOWL
AMP TO SUGAR BOWL
part of of this stream was dredged out out some five years later
to to become a a part of of the the Thirteen Mile Canal which Disston
had intended to to continue on on to to Shark River. It It now forms
part of of the the Miami canal. As As this stream was typical of of the the
lake's dead rivers, including the the Democrat, let's see see what
it it was like.
"The river at at its its mouth is is about 100 100 yards wide, the the
depth of of water being about eight feet. To To say say that our our
little party was overjoyed would but but poorly express it. it. We We
do do not not go go one one hundred yards before we we hear exclamations
from the the members of of the the party in in praise of of the the beautiful
scenery which greets the the eye eye on on every side. There is is no no
perceptible current so so far far as as we we can can discern. The water is is
clear as as crystal, the the banks fringed with a a dense tropical
growth of of trees, presenting to to the the view a a solid green wall,
impenetrable to to the the eye. This wall is is formed by by vines,
which have twined around the the trunks and branches of of the the
trees, and have interlaced and wound themselves around
each other until they form a a screen which is is almost sufficient
to to shut out out the the light of of day. Looking behind us us we we
find that we we are are followed by by innumerable alligators, who
are are swimming lazily along in in our our wake. From all all sides we we
see see them plunging in in the the water, remain under for for a a few
seconds, rise after we we have passed and join the the crowd behind
us. us. We We do do not not go go two miles before the the river begins
to to get get narrow, and we we find ourselves in in a a little stream only
a a few yards in in width, the the sunlight completely shut out out by by
be­
the the branches of of trees and vines, which have interlocked
and twined around each other until a a perfect roof is is formed
... After going half a a mile, we we find we we are are no no longer in in
ed
a a stream, but but winding around in in dark, sluggish water, the the
roots and branches of of the the trees forming a a barrier to to our our
further progress ... As As we we return we we examine more closely
the the vines which grow so so luxuriantly, and find that they are are
a a species of of gourd, with innumerable gourds hanging from
them, perfectly round, and about the the size of of a a billiard ball.
The vines run all all over the the trees, and on on the the ground form
a a mat two or or three feet deep."
Bean pickers at work.
Bean pickers at work.
things
things have have
changed changed a
heap heap
since since
then. then.
All All
farm farm
laborers
laborers
now
now go go
to to
work work
in in
busses busses
which which
are are
not not
allowed allowed
to to
leave
leave
before
before seven seven
o'clock o'clock
in in
the the
morning. morning.
Most Most
migrant migrant
work­
workerers
now now
live live
in in
two two
or or
three three
story story
cement cement
block block
buildings
buildings
with
with running running
water water
in in
each each
apartment. apartment.
Labor Labor
camps camps
and
and
apartment
apartment houses houses
are are
inspected inspected
by by
county county
and and
fed fed ral
health inspectors. All migrants are allowed free medical ral
health inspectors. All migrants are allowed free medical
and
and dental dental
work, work,
and and
their their
children children
all all
go go
to to
school, school,
even
even
having
having special special
teachers, teachers,
and and
the the
little little
ones ones
have have
nursery
nursery
schools.
schools. Yes, Yes,
conditions conditions
have have
changed changed a
right right smart smart
in
in
recent
recent years.
years.
But
But now, just for the heck of it, let's venture down to
now, just for the heck of it, let's venture down to
colored
colored town in those days when we lived in bean econ­
town in those days when we lived in a bean economyomy.
Long
Long before day of this dark winter morning, the
before day of this dark winter morning, the
farmer
farmer in his high laced boots and wide brimmed hat, has
in his high laced boots and wide brimmed hat, has
BEAN PICKERS NEVER SLEEP 191
BEAN PICKERS NEVER SLEEP 191
already
already emerged emerged
from from
his his
home, home,
or or
maybe maybe
from from
his his
hotel
hotel
room
room (for (for
many many
are are
here here
only only
for for
the the
season), season),
climbed
climbed
into
into his his
pickup pickup
truck truck
and and
has has
driven driven
to to
5th 5th
Street. Street.
His
His
truck
truck driver driver
is is
probably probably
already already
waiting. waiting.
On On
each each
side side
of
of
the
the street street
and and
its its
adjoining adjoining
corners, corners,
high, high,
slat-sided slat-sided
field
field
trucks
trucks line line
the the
streets.
streets.
From
From upstairs upstairs
of of
frame frame
apartment apartment
houses, houses,
from from
every
every
street
street and and
alley, alley,
dusky dusky
figures figures
emerge emerge
and and
mi11 mi11
about about
in in
the
the
dark
dark street, street,
men men
in in
mucky mucky
work work
clothes, clothes,
some some
in in
rubber
rubber
boots,
boots, a
few few
clutching clutching a
pair pair
of of
leather leather
knee knee
pads, pads,
women
women
in
in their their
invariable invariable
costume costume
of of
an an
old old
flowered flowered
dress dress
and
and
long
long sleeved sleeved
blouse, blouse,
worn worn
over over
trousers trousers
well well
tied tied
at at
the
the
ankles
ankles to to
keep keep
out out
the the
itching itching
muck muck
dust. dust.
Their Their
bandan­
bandannaenaed
heads heads
are are
crowned crowned
by by a
man's man's
felt felt
or or a
wide wide
straw
straw
hat
hat tied tied
beneath beneath
the the
chin.
chin.
Silent
Silent at at
first, first,
the the
mob mob
soon soon
comes comes
to to
life, life,
and and
such such a
bedlam
bedlam of of
jabbering jabbering
and and
laughing laughing
you'd you'd
scarcely scarcely
ever ever
see.
see.
Men
Men wander wander
about, about,
looking looking
over over
the the
trucks. trucks.
Buxom Buxom
wench­
wenchees
gossip gossip
and and
giggle giggle
shrilly. shrilly.
Here Here a
white white
headed headed
patriarch
patriarch
watches
watches in in
silent silent
dignity, dignity,
while while
over over
yonder yonder
an an
exuberant
exuberant
young
young buck buck
in in a
striped striped
jacket, jacket,
prances, prances,
gestures gestures
and and
ges­
gesticulateticulates
from from
the the
pure pure
old old
joy joy
of of
living. living.
The The
sandwich sandwich
man
man
with
with his his
tray, tray,
and and
the the
peanut peanut
man man
with with
his his
paper paper
sacks
sacks
("PeeNUTS
("PeeNUTS !
Boiled and parched! Gittem while they're
Boiled and parched! Gittem while they're
hot!")
hot!") circulate through the gathering crowd. The noise
circulate through the gathering crowd. The noise
abates
abates only when some farmer (or contractor in later days)
only when some farmer (or contractor in later days)
beside
beside his truck, raises his voice in hoarse shout,
his truck, raises his voice in a hoarse shout,
"First
"First picking! Bountifuls Good stand! Fifty cents!"
picking! Bountifuls ! Good stand! Fifty cents!"
If
If this sounds like favorable offer, and if the pickers
this sounds like a favorable offer, and if the pickers
know
know that the beans are good, that there are no sticker
that the beans are good, that there are no sticker
weeds
weeds in the rows and the foreman is not too mean (they
in the rows and the foreman is not too mean (they
always
always seem to know, don't ask me how) few men and
seem to know, don't ask me how) a few men and
women
women grudgingly drift towards his truck. Nobody, of
grudgingly drift towards his truck. Nobody, of
course,
course, is ever in hurry to climb on.
is ever in a hurry to climb on.
Another
Another farmer offers, "Tendergreens, second picking,
farmer offers, "Tendergreens, second picking,
good
good yield! Sixty cents!"
yield! Sixty cents!"
When I I first came to to this lake these gourds still were
plentiful in in the the custard apple forest, although they then
were less luxuriant than the the moon vine, a a kind of of morning
glory, which completely blanketed the the tops and the the exposed
flanks of of the the custard apple woods, making a a shadowy
dusk at at mid day.
ex­
After cruising the the south shore for. nine days the the party
arrived, near the the southernmost point on on the the lake, at at the the
largest and longest of of all all these rivers. This they christened
T-D, or or Times-Democrat River. After traversing this
stream to to its its end, they laid a a course south by by the the compass
for for Shark River, ninety miles away by by air air line. Although
water had evidently been five feet over the the land not not too too
ed
long before, they found that it it now was a a scant five inches,
and under that was fifteen feet, more or or less, of of soft mud.
So So now they are are compelled to to battle the the sharp-edged
sawgrass, which they had believed to to be be only ten ten miles in in
extent, but but which actually persisted clear to to the the headwaters
of of Shark River. At At times they were able to to burn the the sawgrass,
but but usually the the way must be be hacked with machetes.
For many days they were compelled to to push and lift lift their
boats every foot of of the the way, often making only a a few hundred
yards in in a a day. On On November 17th, a a week after leaving
the the lake, a a tall tall cypress at at Democrat River was still
visible to to the the naked eye.
ing Constantly they were plagued by by innumerable snakes,
though fortunately, nobody was bitten. But they were
tortured by by mosquitoes, leeches and poisonous wampee
plants "which produce a a terrible burning sensation. Its Its
appearance is is similar to to the the water lily, the the leaf being from
six six to to twelve inches across, the the root running to to a a depth
of of six six inches, and resembles a a shallot in in appearance. We We
had the the curiosity to to taste it. it. We We shall do do so so no no more!"
Yes, I I know blamed well they didn't! That wampee
was a a hellish plant, nobody would ever taste it it twice!
Indian turnip it's it's called up up north. It's It's tuber looks like a a