The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-11-11
British Guiana.

HER LuxURIANT vEGETATIoN-THE VICTORIA RE.
GIA-REMARKABLE NUT-yEGETABLE WONDERS.
British GUIANA lying within the tropics, where con-
slant summer prevails contains vigorous and luxurant
vegetation. The grandeur Of natures gigantic Efforts
displayed there the sze varied FORMS and extra
ordinary rapidty Of growth Of the vegetable kingdom,
strike the stranger accustomed only to the less uxurant
aspect of colder climates, with asonshment and delight
The peculiar and dsnguishablc feature Of the coast Of
Guiana is fringe belt of mangrove and courda trees,
Immediately behind which the cultxated strip OF
land The intervening space, back TO the base of the
mountain ridges is covered with well watercd savaunas
Of great extent and dense forests. In these primitive
scenes gigantic trees raise their LOFTY to height
unknown in our northern atitudes. Clusters Of palm
trees, Of all the vegetable forms the most grand
aud beautiful, rise majestically above the
rounding vegetation, waving pinon like leaves in
the soft breezcs Nature, as II not satisfied with
the soil allotted TO her, decoraes with vegetable
parasites the trunks and limbs Of trees the stones
rocks These parasites, nterlacng the branches and
trunks Of the forest trees called Lianes "bush
ropes" which, in many cases, after surmounting to the
highest limbs descend the ground and take root again.
The forests of Guiana capable Of aording supplies
of timber unsurpassed in quality and durability for
building purposes in beauty for household furniture
fancy work. Birds of brightest puinage insects and
reptiles in nexhausble variety, people the otherwise
silent solituaes Of these vast domains. It Is literally
vegetable realm the surface OF the water Ia covered
with carpet OF plants interspersed by magnificent
flowers.
The splendid Victoria Regin tho most beautiful spec-
of the flora found in the western hemisphere, grows
in great profusion upon tho surface Of the lakes
rivers The following graphic description Of this flower
is from the work entitled "Brazi and the Brazians-
OF all the nymphacea the largest, the richest and
the most beautiful, is the marvellous plant which
has been dedicated to the Queen Of England which
bears the name Of Victoria Rega." It nhabits the
yvafc fnrun Inv
ing Of rivers Its leaves from fifteen eighteen
feet in circumference their upper part of dark glossy
green the under portion is Of crimson red furnished
with large salient veins which cellular and full Of air
and have the stem covered with elastic prickles They
are thus described
The flowers m themselves about six inches above the water
four feet petals unfold toward evening their coor a.
successive hues from tender tinge bright red
at Ike CT @ d lower wa
and repl beneath the water there 10 rpen its
Naturalsts and travellers become enthusiastic in their
admiration when they behold this plant for the first time
1t discovered by Sir Robert II. Schomburgh the
first day of January 1887 in the river Berbce British
Guiana. He named II in honor Of Queen Victoria
The cultivated regions Of British Guiana--the towns,
plantations and settemens-are all within fifty miles Of
the coast Beyond that is dense and almost i'm Pc
netrabe forest Astounding in inexhaustibe treasures Of
and valuable woods This region Is seldom visited
by Travellers by the inhabitants Of that country,
save for the purpose of obtaining the rich woods for expor
tatop
Excursions into the interior made with open boats
land. On these inland voyages the native Indians
employed 10 propc the boats and when shore clear
away with their cutiasses the underwood, vines &c.
which render the forests impossible On such occasions
IL customary for the party to shore early in the
afternoon, and geek suitable place 70 encamp for the
night where they may suspend their hammocks between
two trees and build fires 10 prevent tho unhealthy effects
Of the decayng vegetable matter, and necessary pre-
caution against the attacks tigers and other wild beasts
Among the innumerable variety Of trees, fruits and
nuts which abound in this productive region, there one
the seed OF tree, nut which is remarkable and
9TH aylalN Uxtl.
the voyageurs selecting place for their night
campment should they chance 10 discover any OF these
snake nuts upon the ground they quickly abandon the
site, return to their boat and proceed to select another
place. The natives regard the presence Of this nut
warming that its locality is inhabited by snake
the bite of which is certain and almost instantaneous
death II Is said that such snake Is found In the vicinity
OF the tree bearing this nut The Of the nut
and the snake is subject which we shall leave for the
imagnatons of others, have not been able CLEAN
any facts which explain why they thus made com
panicns.,
This remarkable nut slightly resembles bitter walnut
in external appearance yet often attans the size OF
English walnut. 1t grows with smooth husk, covering
a thin stone or shell. When dried the outside Of tho
shell is of dark brown color while the inside is whitish,
and has beautiful pearly- surface The kernel,
embryo OF the NUT grows in the form OF snake, as Il lies
coied upon the ground One end is large, resembling
the head of snake, and from this it gradually tapors in
coils TO the other extremity. It's entire length, i UNI
coed would be from six to eight inches according to
the size Of the nut When green, fresh from the rec
the kernel may be thus uncolcd, and suspended in
bottle OF spirits, In which condition appears like mini
ature snake
while the nut Is fresh the kernel is white and hs the
shell, but when it has been KEEP. for n long tune the
kernel becomes shrgnkeD, hard and of "a dark woody
appearance, resembling dried snake On first opening
the she'll the scrpenne for OF the embryo may be dis
tnctly observed, although It Is entirely covered by
thin, brownish skin, which may be easily removed,
when the perfect form OF the snake appears, with coils
more distinctly separated than in the real snake In the
embryo OF fresh nut, the coils are hcd With wooily
or downy substance. This hardcns IN drying, yet Is
easily removed. when negotiating rs root germ springs
from the small end Of the kernel Tue appearance OF the
interior OF the kernel, under microscopes is very much
Ike that 81 piece Of coarse grained maple sugar
While Sir Robert IT. Schomburgh was 10 British Guiana,
be discovered this nut in Deusrara and COVE the name
1t now bears, ophiocaJyDn para lorns, paratozcal
snake nat The snake nut tree which produces tbs singn
Lar seed, Is said 70 belong g the soap uul family 5pcct