Wind Across the Everglades

" It was the turn of the century ."

" Opening up a new American frontier: South Florida ."

" Here were the same kinds of adventurous men and women .."

" Who had once been attracted to the West ."

" Where the respectable ladies are free-and-easy dance hall girls ."

" Their hats displayed the 'Feather craze' that was sweeping the country ."

" They were entering a wonderland of wildlife ."

" But the refuge was a refuge no longer ."

" With the plumes of tropical birds in such demand ."

" Plume-hunting outlaws were slaughtering birds and plundering the Everglades ."

" From the Gulf of Mexico to the The Atlantic ."

Bring 'em down, boys.

" At the end of the line was a sleepy frontier town ."

" Miami ."

" Here the marauders brought their bloodstained cargo ."

" In open defiance of the law ."

" The choicest plumes preserved between the pages of musty books ."

" Or sometimes, even a holy bible ."

" As the birds grew scarcer their value soared ."

" The brazen plume merchants were paying 60, 80, a hundred dollars an ounce ."

Take 'em inside and count 'em.

Don't pay off until you know each one of these feathers is in perfect condition.

" Nearly everyone conformed to the fashion ."

" And few connected its gaudy demands with the plight of the vanishing birds ."

" Only a small army of volunteers calling itself The Audubon Society ."

" Was fighting to save the tropical birds from extinction ."

" They tried to recruit wardens deputized as State Marshals to patrol the Glades ."

" But recruits were hard to find ."

" For two Audubon Wardens already had been killed in the line of duty ."

Well, Miss Sally. I see you had a very nice weekend.

Lovely.

Welcome, welcome to our fair city.

I just know you're going to be mighty happy in my establishment.

Pardon me. Have you seen the principal of the high school?

No. I haven't. - What does she run here?

A kind of young ladies finishing school? - Mrs Bradford?

I hear it called about everything but never heard it called that before.

She operates out of North Miami. Out of my jurisdiction.

What are you doing to my hat?

Would you like it if this bird wore you for a decoration?

George.

Georgie, that man tore the feathers off my hat.

Who?

That young man. - Young man.

Young man. - What is this?

Come on.

What goes on here?

Get these men off me. - What you doing?

I gave her feathers back. - One minute.

When we see Indians with feathers in their hats we call them savages.

We think we're civilized.

Any more of this and I take a horsewhip to you.

Sheriff. Sheriff.

Arrest this man. - I'll handle this.

Who are you? What's your name?

The name is Murdock. I've come here to teach nature studies at the high school.

As a member of our school board let me tell you, sir.

That you'll never get any closer to the high school than you are right now.

Want me to lock him up, Mr Liggett?

Yes, Clive. Yes.

I'll hold him for the Judge in the morning.

Okay, Judge? - Indeed yes, Mr Sheriff.

An interesting young fellow.

You know.

He could be the new warden we Audubon people are hoping to find.

We got a Bird-boy.

Got money?

Luckily, we're a small, easy-going town.

And the judge commuted your sentence to a wardenship in the Audubon Society.

You can bunk with me on my boat.

But you'll be more comfortable in the room at the back of Nathanson's store.

I think I like it already.

And you'll never never have to sing the 'Empty pocket blues'.

Are they the two lovelies who roughed me up at the station?

They're two of Cottonmouth's boys. - Cottonmouth?

The leader of a band of swamp-rats.

He has his headquarters about 70 miles across the Glades in Lost Man's River.

The only man I ever heard of who carries a cottonmouth snake in his pocket.

More poisonous than rattlers.

They don't do the courtesy of announcing themselves.

Sounds like quite a fellow.

I was the head of Lost Man's River with a warrant for him.

When I got this.

By the time the guy got me out, my leg was the size of that piling.

So now I am a sidelined soldier.

Come and meet the neighbors.

As the spider said to the fly.

So the Glades say to the Audubon:

'Won't you walk into my parlor'?

Aaron, here is your new boarder. Walt Murdock.

I'm sure you'll find him very quiet and well-behaved for a jailbird.

Fortunately, my daughter does not believe in wearing feathers in her hats.

I never saw such a store.

Hello. I am Naomi. - Hello.

Miss Nathanson - Mr Murdock.

As you see, I leave you in good hands.

I'll be back in the morning to help with your equipment.

Thanks. - Aaron.

Miss Naomi. - Goodbye, Ross.

Here is.

A chart I made of the route to Chickiki rookery.

It's about 25 miles.

Don't try to go any further this trip.

Good luck.

Thank you. - All I can say is ..

I envy you.

Wait.

I brought you some coffee.

Some Cuba cigars.

And a flask of Cuban rum.

Coffee, cigars, rum?

I may never come back.

When are you coming back?

Sometime tomorrow.

I just want to get the feel of it.

To camp out one night and come back in.

I won't be looking for Cottonmouth.

Not yet.

He may be looking for you.

Throw me a line, will you?

Going hunting, stranger? - Something like that.

They call me Joe Bottles.

I peddle shine along the river and down through the keys.

Want to buy a jug? - Is it any good?

Any good? Friend, I drink this bush shine myself.

Okay. I'll try it.

What you don't drink you can rub on your arms to kill mosquitos.

You ain't been around long, stranger.

Thanks. I'd get home before dark if I was you.

You got about a little bit of everything in there.

Getting some pretty pictures?

Where did you come from?

I ask the questions around here, young fellow.

Swamp cabbage.

It keeps your belly healthy.

Have a jaw.

Thanks.

Have you got a place around here?

I've got a thousand places around here.

Every piece of high ground between here and Cape Sable.

I was born here.

After my three score and ten I'll die here.

With the disease of the swamp cabbage in my gut.

So a tree will grow out and stand on top of me.

You scared the birds. - Don't worry.

They'll come back. They're nesting here now.

I can show you even more on the other side.

Excuse me.

Are they ..

Bring 'em down, boys.

I got him, boys. Watch him fall.

Here is one here.

Here is another one.

Here's another one for Mrs Bradford.

Them Yankees like the tickle of them feathers.

And we like the tickle of their money.

Well, Audubon?

Are you going to arrest us?

You knew what I came for. Why didn't you kill me?

Too much trouble.

So you are Cottonmouth?

The same.

The birds are protected by law. I do my damnedest to enforce that law.

You got the badge.

Come on, boys.

You got the badge.

Run along, Bird-boy. You have the badge.

Get going, little fellow.

Mr Kirby.

Yes, Mr Sawdust?

Do me the honor of joining me in this next quadrille.

I thank you, Mr Sawdust.

Give her a swing.

Step up and swivel awhile.

How you doing, Matilda?

Quiet.

I hear you out there.

Who are you?

You heard about us busting out of the State Pen'?

We're the guys who broke it wide open. - Have you got names?

Yes.

Pete and my friend Windy McGee.

How do I know you ain't marshals?

Do we look like the law?

We got to Fort Myers. Then we came south to here.

Until we go to this ..

Backside of creation.

Why don't you say something?

McGee?

My friend Windy McGee.

He is deaf and dumb.

A nice fellow to live with.

Lets you do all the talking.

Come in.

Do you think you could survive in this crowd?

I'm willing to try.

We'll see.

I got a regular Sunday School class here.

Sawdust there used to handle the lions and the tigers.

Including the lion-tamer's wife.