True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-06-18
From the Phila, Sunday Mercury.
A Night of Horror on the Amazon
BY JOHN OF LANCASTER.

uO hlISutJ hmdHOu SIOdI Cuud-
torial river of South America-Aows
through an immense region of country,
a great part of which is dense wilder
ness-a tangled labyrinth of vines and
creepers, sweet Towering shrubs, and gi-
gantic forest trees, the latter of which
have wilhslood the fierce tropical lorna.
dos for centuries. This hldeous wilder
ness is Inhabited by savage beasts and
enormous boas, besides myriads of rep
tiles of every imaginable species, ,rendering
it exceedingly dangerous for man to pen
citrate the solitudes of these dismal wids.
A government expedition was despatch
ed 10 the Amazon in the year 1853, under
the command of Lieutenants Herndon and
Gibbon, for the purpose of giving it a
thorough exploration They encountered
many difficulties, and had some remark
able and thrilling adventures, some OF
which have never been related. The fol.
lowing adventure, by private in Lieut..
Gibbons company, is SO coupled with
horror that the mind can scarcely form a
just conception of the misery he was
compelled to endure one night, whilst sep
Grated from his companions:
Late in the afternoon of a day in Sep.
tember, Crosby accidentally got separated
from his ompanions, and before he was
aware of his situation, had penetrated
some distance in contrary direction, in
to the dense forest that lined the banks oi
the mighty river. He found himself
alone, and every effort 10 extricate him
self from the tangled labyrinth proved
fruitess. The SoIiludes of the wilderness
was only awakened by the chirping oI
troops of monkeys sporting among the
branches, the believing of alligators, and
the Kissing of enormous serpentS thai
crossed his path. .
He soon became conscious of his alarm
ing situation, and redoubled his efforts to
regain the open ground and join his com.
rades. But he seemed to only penetrate
further, and the dread reality at once
flashed upon his mind that he was los
and probably a doomed man. The
idea of having TO remain alone during the
night in this condition, surrounded by
wild animals and hideous serpents, wa.
horrible, and drove him almost to despair
But there seemed 10 be no other alterna
tive-night was rapidly approaching
he was bewildered and lost-what coult
he do Unfortunately, he had left hi
rifle iu the boat, and the only weapon o
defence in his possession was large
bowie knife.
The shades Of a tropical night we're fas
settling around him. The sound o
thunder was distinctly heard in the dis
tance, and it was evident that storm wal
approaching. 1t soon became intensely
dark sharp flashes Of lightning sho
athwart the sky-he artillery of HEAVIER
commenced 10 play-the monkies howled
the cougar 6ercely roared in his den, thu
alligators beloved, and the Shiny ser
pents hissed fearfuly. Horror of hor
rors The terrific gale came on--the vault
ed dome ofheayen was brilliantly illumi
mated by the vivid lightning, whilst tn,
roar Of thunder, and the crashing Of hug
trees, as they were torn up by the ferc,
hurricane, was appalling in the extreme
and calculated 10 cause the stoutest hear
to quail with fear. But the hurricane
passed over him, and he escaped, only
10 encounter more terrific danger.
1t was now so dark that he could hard
lyperceive anything, and as he was slowl,
CROPPING along, not knowing what to do
a huge boa diitted out Of a tree. overhead
and quickly encircled him in its powerful
folds. He felt each contraction Of, th
serpent to grow tighter, and he knew tha
in a few seconds his body would be crush