M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-08-10

ue nau Killed tue uay previous. IN
five minutes / was sound asleep. I
had hardly closed my eyes, however,
when | was awakened by The Mexican
who shook me by the shoulder, ex'
claiming
/. "Nuaca duirms en- el sueio : las
calebrasw (Never sleep on the grounr
the snakes! and he laughed hearti,
y at my frightened appearance; for or
the mention of "the snakes" | hac
risen 10 my feet at single bound.
was for the present cured of my list.
leSsness, and leading my mule back tc
the place of our temporary encamp'
ment, proceeded to unpack my Indi,
an hammock, while Don Garcel re.
turned to his culinary operations. BY
the time [ had swung my hammock
the meal was ready, and my compan,
ion summoned me to join him. did
so-we ate heartily-our mountain ride
had sharpened our appetites, and the
liguana was cooked to a crisp. We
moreover had excellent tortilIas, made
by our pretty hostess at Huanavaca,
with a jar of chile peppers, and flask
OF white Mexican wine, and we did
not leave off until we had made hearty
repast. The cigarro followed, and
then we betook ourselves 10 our sepa
rate hammocks to enjoy the MONDAY
siesIa.
| lay for some time upon my back,
scanning the gigantic trees that reared
themselves overhead-vines as thick as
the body OF a man, trellised and twis-
ted into all kinds OF fantastic and fear
iul shapes, embraced the huge bodies
OF trees, seemingly hugging them to
death-thorns three feet long, grew
around, and protruded across the path,
forming kind OF natural Chebaur de
triSe, that threatened the traveller with
lmpalement or laceration, and | could
not help thinking what plight poor
fellow would be in whose horse should
run away with him in such q wood as
this-ior these fearful prongs seemed
TO promise the most terrible of deaths
both to horse and rider. My eyes
wandered up the porphyrilic cliffs as
far as sight could reach. Here and
there dark fissures opened along tbeil
Esides, the abodes of fearful monsters,
while imminent crags bristIed with
tufts Of the stunted pine tree.
In the forest around were broad
bright leaves, some Of them thick and
pendent, like the ear of an elephant
there were flowers too as large as a
dining. plate, and here and there the
sun glanced through the foliage upon
vast clusters of Towering Iianas and
scarlet. vines flashing like a canopy oil
gold cloth, for thousand humming
birds whirred about among the leaves,
and poised them selves over their hon.
eyed cups, Other birds of brilliant
EPlumage and strange, wild notes, flash.
ed through the open avenues of the
lorestj while now and again might be
heard the chatter of the ring.tailed
monkey as he hung himself from some
pendent limb.
Placing my Guayaquil hat over my
face, to protect it from the busy flies,
| gradually fell into a ''deep, sweet
sleep" How long may have slept
| know not-probably about an hour
when the sense OF a heavy fetid breath
upon my face awoke me, and at the
same instant my hat suddenly jerked
from my face, and seemed to my half
awakened vision to be soaring, SELF
carried, upward 10 the tops OF the trees.
| was mistaken, however, for no sooner
were my eyes fairly opened than they
fell upon the hideous monster that had
stolen it. He hadjust perched himself
upon a horizontal limb, which he had
reached by means OF hanging vine,
and there holding my Guayaqnil be-
tween his shaggy arms, he sat grinning
defiance and derision. His human like
appearance at once satisfied me that he
was some species Of monkey, but |
had never before seen one OF such size
and apparent fierceness, and | confess
| was somewhat terrified at the sudden
apparition.
was out of my hammock, on my
feet, in much less time than | nave ta-
ken to say so; and my old friend the
"Yankee rifle" was as quickly poised
and leveled at the m monster | had of
ten "picked' the eye out of a squir-
rel, and the result Of my shot proved
that my aim had been true one; for
down came the shaggy monster with a
sore am, still holding my hat in his
clutches. had barely time to see
him through the smoke, struggling and
sprawling, when my ears were salu!ed
by ayell of fearful import-such as |
hope | may never hear again-and
which with the quicknesss OF electric.
ity seemed to spread through every part
OF the forest Another and almost sim.
ultaneOus yell came from my Mexican
companion, who, leaping clear of his
hammock, screamed out with terri
Ged look--
"Los Sqmboes-tos Samboss--som-
os Perdidep (The zamboes-we are
lost. needed no further Warming
| had heard enough of these dreaded