Dick in the Everglades eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 283 pages of information about Dick in the Everglades.

Dick in the Everglades eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 283 pages of information about Dick in the Everglades.

As they paddled down Rodgers River, in the bright sunshine, Dick’s spirits rose and when they were off the mouth of the river, headed down the coast and bound for Harney’s River, two miles distant, he took in his paddle and, calling to Ned to hold steady, vaulted lightly from the canoe, without even jarring it, and landed on a sandbank in water that was but little above his waist.  Stooping under the water he picked up clams of several pounds weight each, with which the bottom was paved, until clam-roasts for days had been provided for.  Getting back into the canoe was a ticklish operation, but was accomplished without disaster, although a pailful or two of water was taken aboard.

CHAPTER XII

HUNTING IN HARNEY’S RIVER

The boys had chosen the last of the ebb tide for the trip down Rodgers River, which gave them low water for their work on the clam bar and a flood tide to help them up Harney’s River.  They made a false start at the mouth of the river by taking a channel that ran too far to the east and led them a mile or two out of their course, before they discovered their mistake and returned.  After entering the channel, the course up the river, which averaged east-northeast, was plain, there being but a single branch to mislead them, in the first six miles.  At the end of these the lower section of Harney’s unites with a branch of Shark River to form Tussock Bay.  This bay is a labyrinth of channels and keys and opens into creeks large and small, and water-courses shallow and deep, grass-choked and clear.

After exploring its mazes for miles, Dick and Ned found, near the northeast end of the bay, a tiny key marked by two tall palmettos, on which were the signs of an old Indian camp.  Here they roasted a mess of clams and spent the night.  An entire day was wasted in following creeks that led nowhere and blind trails.  That night they slept again at the Indian camp and on the following day found a small channel which, through twisting creeks and crooked waterways, led to the broad waters of the upper section of Harney’s River, which they followed until they were stopped by the Everglades.  They made their camp by a lime tree which was burdened with fruit, and went out from it each day to hunt fish or explore and to study and chart the country about them.  The waters of the streams were all flowing clear and fresh from the Everglades.  The creeks were alive with fish of many kinds, and their surfaces dotted with the heads of edible turtles.

Alligators were abundant and otters could often be seen sliding down the banks, or in families, playing together in the water.  Ned had seen a pet otter at Myers and wanted one for himself.  He had brought with him an otter trap, with smooth jaws instead of the cruel teeth which are customary, and he set it near an otter slide.  The next day as the canoe approached the point where the trap had been set the

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Dick in the Everglades from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.