ing natural ditches, and going down with a thud
in the mud on the other side, I finally struck the firm ground of the
largest Jointer Hammock, when the voice of its owner, Mr. R. F.
Williams, sounded most cheerfully in my ears as he exclaimed: "Where
_did_ you come from? How did you get across the marsh?"

The unfortunate position of my boat was explained while the family
gathered round me, after which we sat down to supper. Mr. Williams felt
anxious about the cargo of my boat. "The coons," he said, "will scent
your provisions, and tear everything to pieces in the boat. We must go
look after it immediately." To go to the canoe we were obliged to follow
a creek which swept past the side of the hammock, opposite to my
landing-place, and row two or three miles on Jointer Creek. At nine
o'clock we reached the locality where I had abandoned the paper canoe.
Everything had changed in appearance; the land was under water; not a
landmark remained except the top of the oar, which rose out of the
lake-like expanse of water, while near it gracefully floated my little
companion. We towed her to the hammock; and after the tedious labor of
divesting myself of the marsh mud, which clung to my clothes, had been
crowned with success, the comfortable bed furnished by my host gave rest
to limbs and nerves which had been severely overtaxed since sunset.

The following day opened cloudy and windy. The ocean inlet of Jekyl and
St. Andrew's sounds is three miles wide. From the mouth of Jointer
Creek, across these unprotected sounds, to High Point of Cumberland
Island, is eight miles. The route from the creek to Cumberland Island
was a risky one for so small a boat as the paper canoe while the weather
continued unpropitious. After entering the sounds there was but one spot
of upland, near the mouth of the Satilla River, that could be used for
camping purposes on the vast area of marshes.

During the month of March rainy and windy weather prevail on this coast.
I could ill afford to lose any time shut up in Jointer's Hammock by bad
weather, as the low regions of Okefenokee Swamp were to be penetrated
before the warm season could make the task a disagreeable one. After
holding a consultation with Mr. Williams, he contracted to take the
canoe and its captain across St. Andrew's Sound to High Point of
Cumberland Island that day. His little sloop was soon under way, and
though the short, breaking waves of the sound, and the furious blasts of
wind