Whang-hoo of an Old Owl

EXCERPT FROM THE 1875 OKEFENOKEE EXPLORATION BY THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION

“I returned to my bed of leaves and slept delightfully, until the startling whang-hoo of an old owl perched in the oak above us, warned us of the approaching day. No one can hardly realize how startling this noise is at the first blush, except the man who had camped in a swamp, and had one of the hideous creatures to whoop unexpectedly very near him. We were very thankful, however, to this fellow for his kindness, for we desired a very early start, and it is doubtful if any of us would have opened our eyes before sunrise.” – C.R.P. – The Atlanta Constitution, September 30, 1875.

​In 1875, The Atlanta Constitution published the dramatic headline: “We now announce to our readers, and the people of Georgia, that we are fitting up an expedition for a complete and thorough exploration of Okefinokee. The full details of the plan and expedition will be published soon – if they come out alive.” Over the next months, the paper released many exciting stories from the Okefenokee Swamp.