The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-12-22
miscellaneous.
Scenes in the Jungle.

l reached IL at season when the sur.
rounding country was arrayed in tho
brightest livery of summer, and found
great pleasure in trayersing the jungles
around, climbing the rocks, aud nene.
trating into the ravines in search Of
plants aud wild berries, whose nature
aud native names were revealed to me
by my faithful Mussulman moopsle or
teacher
lie taught me likewise 10 observe
the habits Of the monkeys, whose noe
turnal orgies had startled US on our
first arrival, as we'll as to distinguish
the speeklcd gray aud white tree snake.
which is so fatal, from the spotted brnwn
aud green one, which haunts the same
bowery recess yet is harmless.
lie warned me to beware of dark and
bribery paths, where the track of the
snail was dlsccrnible-such being Il
sure indication of the vicinity of snakes.
From him | learned that some of the
deadllcst, when taken unawares, roll
themselves up spirally, head elevated,
when, suddenly uncoiling, they spring
forward on their disturber. man or
beast, with surprising velocity. Strange
things he related of tho dhwa, or re.
vengeful feeling retained BY the cobra
da capello against any individual who
has pursued, or tried to kill it and of
the old antugonistic feeling of the ape
against tho cock, the serpent, and the
apparently harmless tortoise.
A monkey, ind1ed, has a ridiculous
horror Of the tortoise and have often
tested its horror Of tho viper. by in.
closing one 10 an eariben pot. with a
ve;ed lid placed near poor JACKIE
Ever inquisitive, be instantly flies to
scrutinizc the vessel but the moment
he slowly aud cautiously raises the lid,
and the serpent's head becomes visible.
1t is ludicrous to watch the mixture Of
dread and prudence which agitates him
With quick motion he shuts down
the lid, screams aud makes the most
horrld grimacos, dances around the pot.
aud presently returns to it, touches the
lid, hut, TOO wise to lift il, makes a
sudden exit from the scene.
| set out one bri.ht morning to ram
lie about my f,vorite rocks, whore |
found ample store Of wild plants aud
flowers, whose names aud qualities |
better know uow than | did then.
was climbing up one of the slanting
ascents of the Runmundle cliff, when /
became aware that an unusual commo.
ton reignel among my friends, the
monkeys, which had by this time be.
come so ianliarizsd with my appear.
ance, that they seldom eondescended to
honor me with snarl or bough flung
toward me in sport.
was conscious that something went
wrong with them; aud as knew that
sentiments Of superstition, if not Of
humanity, preserved them from the
prosecutions Of the natives, became
curious as TO the cause Of the prevalent
excitement.
Creeping round a rock, behind which
they appeared to congregate and on
which grew u large gum arabic tree,
completely golden with the abundance
Of yellow blossoms which covered it,
aud which, like Tennyson's lime tree,
was 10 sooth
A summer home Of murmurous wings"
| at once found myself on the stage Of
a strange tragedy in simian life
ln the folds OF an enormous boa con.
strictor was being slowly euwrapped a
beautiful brown monkey, whose last
cries and struggles denoted that | came
too late, even had been prepared to
do battle with the reptile 10 the caase
Of oppressed innocence.
The monkeys, 10 evident alarm, ran
hither aud thither, moping and moving,
and chattering; but not one advanced
near the spot, where presently their poor
companion became almost quite hidden
from view in the embraces Of its de
stroyer,
Determined TO watch the progress Of
the affair, | quietly sat down, until
gradually the monkey had been nodded
as it were, into a proper condition for
swallowing; for | could hear the bones
crack as they broke beneath the pres
sure to which they were objected; aud
ere long as the serpent began to untwisi
its folds, | could admire at leisure the
'nagni6cence Of its gittering scales, that
shone like some richly variegatad me
tallic substance | shuddered as | be
held its grand and awful head.-the
prominet orbits OF the eyes--and the
eyes themselves, large aud luminou,
with fiery light, The creature was al
least twenty feet in length, and was ap
parently fanished by long fast.
Perfectly Needless Of the noise mad,
BY the monkeys, il unwouud its coil,
till the victim, now an unreeognizabls
mass, lay before IL, lubrioated aud ft 10
bo received into tho destroyar's stomach
When tho reptile had fairly com
menced its repast, and before the dacci,
body began to Gil aud swell, | retire,
from the scene of conflict, desirous o
summoniug my friend Nooroos Deem 4
assist me 10 capturing the sated giant
| knew that when gorgcd to reple
ton, there would be httIo difficulty il
making a prize Of tho serpent; and th
aiooashee entered iuto my plans quit,
willingly. Accompanied by stou
lascar, bearing strong sudscl and
sharp knife, for slaughtering aud skin
ming, We lost little time 10 reaching III
scene, where, however, fresh marvel
were being enacted, proving that th
passion Of revenge is not confined to III
human breast. Keeping aloof we r.
solved not to mar, BY any interloreac
the by no means mystifyng operation
Ia which the monkevs we're engaued