Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-02-21
MEMPHIS TENN. FRIDAY EVENING. FEBRUARY 2 1878
THE GECKO.
An Adventure In the Harbor OF
lomhay : The Most venomous
Reptile known.

An Adventure In the HnrDOr OF
bombay . The Most Eenomous
From - Sea- -faring Men, /" an unpublished tale
Of the sea. by Hector A. Stuart.
We had now been three days in the
harbor Of Bombay, and in that time had
made several excursions 10 points OF
interest in the vicinity. Among these
we paid visit TO q small island about
six miles from the Mahratta shore, on
which there stood the huge figure Of an
elephant cut out Of black rock. The
figure, when we saw IL, was much de-
cayed, and, ! have since learned, has
fallen-the island thus losing one OF its
chief monuments. II was from this i'm
age that the island received its name
Elephanta-from the Portuguese, who,
when landing in the days Of Albuquer-
que, were astounded at this great image,
the product OF Hindoo skill and fanati-
cism. 1t happened while we we're prowl-
ing around the image, that the boat
swain bade us listen, and laid bis hand
on the lock Of his musket. We listened
and initiated his movements. After
the lapse Of minute we heard
a shrill whistle, and, looking whence
il came, saw large green liz
few feet of the image. The boatswain
saw it first, and raised his musket; but
before he fred Tonka man who was
with us, tried to frighten the animal by
striking it with q switch he carried. II
was sorry blow for him. hecreature
turned, and running over his feet, which
were bare, bit him in the calf Of his
right leg; at the same time the boat
swain piece was discharged, the ball
striking the spot lately occupied by the
animal, which escaped into the jungle.
The poor man who was bitten no sooner
felt the fsugs Of the creature pierce his
flesh than he uttered cry Of anguish
and Immediately fell to the ground in
commissions. We at once hurried to his
aid and did all we could to allay his suf-
fering, but the poison had entered his
blood, and he died in less than twenty
five minutes after he had been bitten.
We were astonished at the extraordinary
virulence Of the poison, which even ex-
ceeded the most venomous serpentsi but
our surprise ended when we learned that
the creature whenceit proceeded was the
gecko, so well-known in Egypt as a dead
ly reptile. We were conversing about 1t
over the corpse Of theTonka man, when
again an ominous cry warned us Of its
presence. We started, seized our fire.
locks, and looked about for the enemy.
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 a will.
Eighteen muskets openened on the rep
tile, which rolled over on its side, rid
died with shower Of bullets. Its
struggles were short; after few gasps
it lay stark dead We then went up
and took look at the creature. 1t was
about thirteen inches in length, shaped
like salamander; its skin of sea-
green coler, 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
power of charming not only animals,
but man himself. Its teeth are very
sharp, and 80 hard that they might al.
most make an impression on steel. One
of our men did indeed show certain
marks OR the point of his cutlass, which
the reptile had seized in its death
throes, the man closing to stab
it after the fusilade. Its legs were armed
with claws said to be poisonous; in fact,
the whole system of this hideous reptile
is rife with venom, and the Indians told
us that wherever it passed it left track
of death. IL haunts ruins and the stems
of old trees; lives chiefly on ants, and is
most active after rain. 1t then utters
cry like gecko, from which it has de-
rived its name. It's bite is fatal, unless
the wound is burnt with red-hot iron
or cut out, proceeding which we neg
lected in the case Of the Tonka man, if, |
indeed it would have done him any good. |
The reptile is very fond Of salt, and our
boatswain told US in, Grand Cairo,
where the creature is common, he knew |
Of whole household being killed from
eating few grains of salt on which the |
gecko had shed its venom. Even its
blood is poisonousi the Javanese using |
it to tincture their arrow-heads, the mere |
touch of which produces a wound which,
if uncauterized, results in death. Such |
is brief description Of this terrible rep
tile, whose venomous attributes have no
equal among the various 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 pensively to the ship,