Back in the day when men were men (and women were glad of it)
there lived five brave men with the urge to travel and an
insatiable desire for excitement at any cost. Riverboats from
Jacksonville provided supplies otherwise unobtainable by
inhabitants of east central Florida. It was on the “Queen of
the St. Johns” riverboat that these men set out for an
adventure of a lifetime. During the journey from Jacksonville to
Fort Taylor, these men of different backgrounds became friends over
a poker table.
Clan Riffster a/k/a “Swampy” was a large, strapping
fisherman who already had a reputation as an avid shrimper and
kayak fisherman. When the riverboat landed at the north end of Lake
Monroe, Riffster found his niche and set out for a career at inland
fishing. Stories of Clan Riffster’s exploits have been passed
from generation to generation and he soon became a legend in his
own time.
Frog Man a/k/a “Tosohatchee Tom” exited the
riverboat at Fort Taylor and became a trapper. When the St. Johns
water level was too shallow for the riverboats to reach the fort,
Frog Man was the only supplier of varmint and liquor to the
soldiers for miles around. He eventually settled on Mocassin Island
and built a cabin that survived until recently. The aging Frog Man
can be seen walking the banks of the St. Johns River to this very
day near the Tosohatchee WMA where he currently resides.
Blue Man a/k/a “Dapper
Dan” was a skinny light skinned fella when he set out to make
his fortune. He always dressed in long trousers and long sleeve
shirts to protect him from the Florida sun. It’s rumored he
wandered the area between present day Sanford and West Cocoa for
many years looking for gold. After discovering several Native
American Indian middens, he became interested in central Florida
geology/biology and eventually received a college degree and
settled down in the area that is now known as Orlando.
The Boonie Man a/k/a “Boonie” according to legend
was abandoned at age three by his parents in the wilderness known
today as Osceola National Forest. He was found and
‘adopted’ by a lone white wolf living nearby. The white
wolf a/k/a “Katie” raised the boonie man until age
seven when they left the forest to make a living hunting, fishing
and trapping with local Native Americans. Although small in
stature, Boonie became a legend among various Native American
tribes for his knowledge of the forest and his adventurous nature.
When he left the riverboat at Fort Taylor, Boonie wandered along
the banks of the St. Johns on foot and by kayak with Katie. They
settled for short periods at various spots along the river; most
notably, Boonie Island a/k/a “Pawpaw Mound”, Buzzard
Roost, Mulberry Mound and Boonie Camp now known as Bumby Camp. The
Boonie Man and Katie have never settled in one place and are seldom
seen in the wild.
Chief Talking Bull a/k/a “Chief” became a Cherokee
shaman and medicine man while growing up in the mountains of North
Carolina. He was ‘politely’ asked to leave the state
after he was found guilty of practicing medicine without a license.
He traveled south along the AT while writing his best selling book,
“Trail of Beers”. Afraid to exit the riverboat at Fort
Taylor for obvious reasons, the Chief jumped ship downstream and
forged his way to the Indian Fields where he lives to this day
fishing and hunting along the St. Johns with river folk. It is
rumored that he also planted the first crop of Florida
‘fumaki’, a mixture of herbs which he sells to locals
for various purposes including ceremonial events related to
contacting one’s ancestors for spiritual advice and
guidance.
The five settlers meet once each year to reminisce and share
fumaki and firewater prepared by the Chief under the bridge located
adjacent to the Lone Cabbage Fish Camp. It is here that the cache
was hidden.