Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1873-02-28
AVantGoHrieT
THE GECKO.
AnAAventure in thc Harbor or Bombay
The Most yenomous Reptile Knt WIZ

The Most venOmous Reptile KnG WIZ
We had now been three days in the harbof
of Bombay, and in that time had made sew
ersll eA cursions to points of interest in the
vicinity. Among these we paid Il visit to a
small island about six miles from the NAH
ratta.shere, onwhich there stood The huge
figure OF an elephant Cut out of black rock
The figure. when we saw it, was much de-
cayed, and. | have since learned, has fallen
the island thus losing one Of its chief
monuments. 1t was from this image that
tile Island received its namc-Elephanta-
from the Portuguese, who, when landing in
the days of Albuquerque, were astounded at
this great Image, the product OF IIindoo
skill and finaticism. 1t happened while We
were prowling around the image that the
iboatswair babe US listen. and laid his hand
,on the lock Of his musnet. We listeEed and
initiated his movement. After the lapse of
"a militltc we ht ard shrill whistle, and look
ing whence it came, saw large green lizard
basking on rock within a few feet OF the
image. The 5oatswain saw it first, and
a"i~Na AiAo hioohSe5 ott oNiViC hO III St ~ AOH-
ka man who was with us, tried to brighten
the animal by striking it with switch he
carried. 1t was a sorry blow for him. The
creature turned, aud running over his feet,
which were bare, bit him in The calf of his
right leg. At the same instant, the boat
swains's piece was discharged, the ball strik-
ingthc spot lately occupied by the animal.
Ii.
man who was bitten no sooner felt the fangs
Of tile creature pierce his flesh, than he ut
tered cry of anguish and Immediately fell
to the ground in commissions. We at once
hurried to lis aid and did all we could to
allay his suffering, but the poison had
entered his blood, aud he died in less than
twenty-five minutes after he had been.bitten.
We were astonished at the extraordinary
virlllence of tile poison, Which even exceeded
the most venomous serpents; but our sur
prise ended when we learned that the crea-
ture whence it proceeded was the Gecko, so
well known in Egypt as a deadly reptile.
We were CONVEX sing about it over the corpse
Of the 'fonka man, when again, an onlinous
cry warned ms of Its presence. We started,
seized our firelocks, and looked about tor the
enemys Presently it was seen issuing from
the jungle and looking upon us with eyes OF
fearful malevolence. We shuddered for the
remembrance of its fatal nature was fresh in
our minds; but the boatswain called for
rally. We gave it with Il will. Eighteen
muskets on the reptile, which rolled over on
Its side, riadled with shower of bullets Its
struggles were short; after a few, gasps it
lay stark dead. We then went up and took
a look at the creature. 1t was about thirteen
inches in length, shaped like s;llamandcr;
its skin of sca-green color, dotted with
spots of deep crimson. Its head was like
that OF tortoise; the mouth straight: the
eyes large, and even in death strangely brill
liant, whence believe that it possesses the
power of charming not only animals, but
man himself Its teeth are very sharp, and
so hard they might almost make an impress
sion on steel. One OF our men did indeed
show certain marks on the point Of his cut
lass, which til, reptile had seized in its DEATH
throes, the man closing TO stab it after the
fusiade. Its legs were armed with claws,
said to be poisonous; In fact, the whole sys-
tenn of this hideous reptile is rife with venom,
and the Indians told us that wherever il
passed it left track Of death. 1t haunts ru-
ins and the stems Of old trees; lives chiefly
on ants, and is most active after rain. Ii
then utters cry like gccko, frora which it
has itsname. Its bite is fatal, unless the wound
be burnt with a red-hot iron or cut out. a
proceeding which we neglected in the case
OF the Tonka man, if indeed it, would have
cone him any good. The reptile is very
fond of salt, and our boatswan told us in
Grand Cairo, where the creature is common.
he knew of whole household being killed
from easing few grains of salt on which
the gecko had shed its venom. Even its
blood is poisonous; the Japanese using it to
tincture their arrow-heads, the mere touch
OF which produces a wound which. if uncau
terized. results in death. Such is brief de-
scripton of this terrible reptile, whose
venomous attributes have no equal among
thesVarious creatures OF the earth.
We buried the poor Tonka man near the
spot on Which he died, and setting wooden
cross over his grave, returned pensiyely to
the shlp.-From ''Sea-fa,1ng Men, an U,,pub
"shed Tale Of the Sea, by Hector A. Stuart.