Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-05-02

shelter us also. This ranch being too small,
however, for the accommodation of the
whole party, most of them bivouacked in
the grove of lofty Cesapinias and Carob
trees, from whose spreading branches they
slung their hammocks, the dense foliage
forming a sufficient shelter from the heavy
dews of night and the hest of the sun by
day.
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS.
Our leader, the doctsE. asld myself, were
domcled at the ranchy Having full range
of the neighboring groves, during the dav.
we had then no occasion to use our single
apartment, already partially occupied with
the culinary untensils and other wares of
the family. But on retiring to our ham
mocks at night, the scene presented was
rather ludicrous In the same room allotted
! to us slept the keeper, his wife. and their
progeney, with all the dogs and chickens of
the household hudded together in the most
familiar manner Notwithstanding, will
confess that the arrangement was not alto
gether disagrccable to me, as in close propin-
guilty slept two of the prettiest damseis |
had yet encountered in that region, with ewes
brilliant enough to render other light super
fluous. The only important hindrance to
my nightly repose was the occasional flap
ping of wings and the hourly growing of our
hosts gamecock, tied directly under my
hammock, and who served for clock and
| night watchmun to the establishment.
CUNNING CROCODILES.
While in this place, was told several
incidents in relation to the cunning and in
stinct of these saurians, one of which ap-
peared to me most remarkable in an animal
of the reptile tribe. The ferryman here
nnCSpSSnI ut ip,a a
One day he perceived that several of them
had disappeared, and not being able to ac-
count for 1t in any other way, he at once
laid the blame on the hated crocodies. al
| though these creatures seldom carry their
attacks beyond their own element. His
suspicious, he discovered in the end were
well-fpunded having witnessed the destruc-
| ton OF one OF his goats in very singular
manner. 1t appeared that a crocodile had
In some mysterious way discovered that
goats delight III jumping from place to place
but more especially from rocks and mounds.
Rocks, however, being rather scarce in the
country. their treacherous enemy undertook
to crafty their taste for this innocent pas
time and at the same time cater to his own.
Approaching the waters edge TO within a
few feet from the bank, he swelled out his
back in such manner as gave it the appear
ancc of II small island or promontory. The
stupid goats perceiving this, varied their
gambols by jumping from their secure places
on shore upon the seeming island which
they, however, never reached. for the croco-
dlle, tossing up his head at the right instant
received them into his open jaws, and swal-
lowed them without difficulty.
ENCOUNTER WITH A CROCODILE.
The icrryman related to us Il feat of gal
antry worthy of Il better cause, performed
here by Il Llancro with one of these monsters.
The man was on his way to San Jaime on
pressing errand. Being in haste to get there
the same day, he would not wait for the
canoe to he brought to him. but prepared to
swim across, assisted by his horse. He had
already secured his saddle and clothes upon
his head, as is usual on similar occasions,
when the ierryman cried out to him to be-
ware of a caiman ceJddo. then lurking near
the pass, urging upon him. at the same time,
to wait for the canoe. Scorning this advice
the Llancro replied, with characteristic pride.
Let him come: | was never vet afraid of
man or beast" Then, laying aside part of
his ponderouS equipment, he placed his
two-edged dagger between his teeth, and
plunged fearlessly into the river. He had
not proceeded far, when the monster rose
man crossed himself dcvoutly, and muttered
the holy invocation of Jesus Muia q Josie!
fearing for the life, and, above all, for the
imprudcnt traveller. In the meantime, the
swimmer continued gliding through the
water toward the approaching crocodile
Aware of the impossibility of striking his
adversary mortal blow unless he could
reach the armpit, he awaited the moment
when the reptile should attack him, to throw
his saddle at him. This lie accomplished so
successfully, that the crocodile, doubtless
Imagining it to be some sort of good eating
jumped partly out of the water to catch it,
Instantly the Llamero plunged his daggerup
TO the very hilt into the fatal spot A hoarsc
grunt and tremendous splash showed that
the blow was mortal, for the ferocious mon
ster sunk beneath the waves to rise no more
Proud of this achievement and scorning the
tardy assistance of the tcrryman, who Of
fered to pick HIM up in his canoe, ne waved
his bloody dagger in the air, excluiming, as
he did So is there no other about here 2"
and then turning, he swan leisurely back to
take his horse across.
VETERAN CROCODILE KILLER.
There is still living at Fernando, a town
at the confluence of the Apure and Portu-
guesa rivers, another individual equally bold
in attacking crocodiles, in which warfare he
uses only wooden mace or club. He is
possibly one of the greatest swimmers in that
or any other country, having repeatedly ac-
complished the run between San Fernando
and Ell Diamante-a plantation which he
owns, three miles below the town-without
once stopping ON the way. Armed with his
heavy club in one hand, and Il bottle of rum
in the other, to keep himself in good spirits,
this modern Hercules will, for the fun of it,
during spree, provoke fight with "a eia-
man ce6ado and so eliectual has been his
warfare, that he has actually succeeded in
driving them away from the pass, formerly
so infested by them that scarcely year
elapsed in which numbers of persons were
not carried off by them, helpless washer-wo-
men especially.
FRESH WATER PORPOISES.
observed, also, at La Portuguese, a great
number of fresh water porpoises or tOHinaS
as they are called there, swimming with
rapidity against the current. and bending
their backs gracefully like their congeners
of the sea. Crocodiles appeared to avoid
them, and would invariably dive out of the
way at their approach, 1t is probable that