Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-02-29
A NIGHT IN THE FOREST.

| In the year 1852. naturalist, actuated by
that spirit of adventure which has character
| lied this class, made an excursion to Cape Man
| abique, in Central America, which separates a
/ part OF Cape Amatique from that of onduras
at the Furthermore end of the Caribbean sea.
| Leaving his companions on landing, he started
alone on the line of the coast, the whole OF
! which is bordered by dense forest, walking
| for several miles through the burning sand, un-
! til he reached the dwelling of young English
man named Stevens, who had the direction of
! the gathering of cocoa nuts on the whole terri
! tory OF Manabique, for which purpose he en-
pioyed small gang of Spaniards, negroes,
Tamboos, Indians, Llandinos, &c.-the greater
| number criminals, who had escaped from the
| pursuit of justice by taking refuge in these sol
| itudes. Above 150 600 cocoa nuts are annually
| collected here. Some idea of the arduous life
| Mr.. Stevens leads may be gathered from the
fact that he has to traverse, foot, long tracts
of untrodden forests, and to paddle alone, in
small, leaky canoes. along the coast-exposed
| to the assaults of his lawless workmen-to the
attacks OF wild animals, and to the continual
bites and stings of numerous species of insects.
! Our naturalist rested here for a few hours,
and then, after begging few roasted plantains,
resumed his peregrinations. How he passed
the night in the forest, we will permit him to
relate himself.
The beach, from this point onwards, presents
a monotonous and dismal aspect-it is fiat and
sandy, and shows few signs of life. Now and
then broad pelican, flying heavily over the
! bOundlesS ocean, or resting on some wave, and
looking like a distant canoe, or a bird of prey,
! soaring high above the neighborng forests, or
few small sandpipers, trotting along the
| pools, are the only moving things which divert
the strangers attention from the mournfnl nu-
merous remains of wrecks which are strewn
along the whole of this inhospitable coast.
l travelled on for many miles, until tired and
! sorrowiul at heart, l sat down on pros
| trate palm tree. Around me lay scattered the
cut masts of some large merchantman, with
| fragments Of rope and ron-work still attached
to them, broken barrels, boards honey combed
| by the navy worm, fragments of boats, loose
| oars, and even clothes, trunks and water worn
| articles of toilet. 1t was a melancholy picture
! of desoation. Before me was spread, far and
| wide, the eXpanse OF the ocean not sail was
on it. not speck blemished its immensity.
! Behind me stood the dark and gloomy forest,
| from whose shade echoed neither the song of
| the bird or the chirp of the insect. III around
| me was vast and silent. 1t seemed if [ had
| left this merry world of ours, and had aEghted
! on some abandoned or fallen planet, l felt so
| small so weak, such an atom in creation at this
| moment. 1 was the only human inhabitant on
this coast, the only lord of this domain. L
| reigned, as it we've, over the death of nature,
and yet felt meek and had no pride about me.
For the first time during my travels l
| lonely-I wished some one were with me. |
| lon2ed to be elsewhere. Ny imagination, ex-
altel by the effects Of my long exposure to the
| tropical sun, would have its own way. |
the noble vessel, to which had belonged yon
| broken spars, drifting stormy sea; l saw it
Overtaken by the hurricane; | saw the drown
| ing mariner clnging TO it till he dropped into
eternity | heard the distant waling of the
mother for her son, who had never returned
| from sea, and the gnashing of the teeth OF the
| greedy sharks, as they tore to pieces the lacer-
| ated body. And then the weeds around me
! disappeared and were replaced by fields of
waving wheat. and the desert ocean was cover
! ed by the white sails of pleasure boats, and l
| heard the sweet music brought to me by the
| evening breeze. The scene was beautiful and
full of life, and l felt happy. How much lon
| ger l continued my revery l know not, but l
was suddenly brought to my real situation by
the distant rumbling of thunder.
| There was |, thousands of miles from home
| and friends, half savage and half civilized; my
| feet and legs were bleeding. for had worn ont
my last pair of moccasins two days before, and
| had now to walk barefooted an old red pom
| cho was swung across my shoulders the rags
| Of my tattered trousers huttered in the wind !;
| the skeleton Of Panama hat scarce hid my
! uncombcd hair; my faithful rifle lay on my
| knees. Could this be No, it was the spirit
| of naturalist.
Strange sounds now began to issue from the
| storm rising fast, and night was coming
| on. felt singularly excited. l laughed and
shouted aloud, for L was free, and sense of
| unrestrained liberty, indefnabiy pleasant,
buoyed up my hopes and energies. l looked
| around me for shelter from the storm, which
was increasing rapidly. BY a wonderful
| chance. [ discovered at distance an abandon
| ed rancho. walk of few minutes brought
me TO il. Cocoa nut gatherers had built this
| temporary shed some months previous; 1t con-
| sisted of sticks planted as A IS into the ground
| covered with half f-decayed leaves of the mana
CO palm. 1t was open at both eXtremities and
! so low that had to creep into it on my hands
and knees.
| lighted pipe, and stretched myself on the
| threshold Of my wild home, listening to the
! distant sound of the rain, which was pouring
| in cataracs over the forest. with constantly in-
| crcasing tropical violence as it neared me.
| Thousands and tens of thousands OF minute
sand flies (smulium) the true mnsquito of the
| inhabitants of Guatemala, did not allow a IN o.
ment's respite from their attacks. Swarms Of
| them assaulted me on all sides, and made me
| half frantic with their painful bites, and by
| getting constantly into my eyes, nose and
mouth. This plague alone would be sufficient
| to render the country uninhabitable to any
white skinned man.
| Darkness came on. / was soon in the midst
| of the storm, and was reluctantly forced to
creep into the rancho. The rain battered down
with inconceivable violence. Flash after flash
of the most vivid lightning rent the black sky,
peal after peal of the most terrific thunder deaf
/ ened the and drowned the loud roaring OF
| the rolling waves. one after another they
broke, in long phosphorescent streaks of lurid
light. upon the beach, The wind was blowing
a .schubasco,'' or stiff gale. was wet through
| in less than five minutes, and felt chilly and
| weary. Now, did | think with regret of the
quiet pleasures of the Comfortable firesde OF