The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-06-12
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upVu is UAsc huu uetiuueu VI leaves, Juu
will have a good idea Of the trunk of the
tree, which, however, was not the color
Of an anaua, but dark, dingy brown and
apparently as hard as iron. From the
apex Of this fastieated cone, at least two
feet in diameter, eight huge leaves sheer
to the ground, like doors swinging back
on their hinges. These leaves, which were
joined at the top Of the trees at regular
intervals, were eleven or twelve feet long,
and shaped very much like the leaves Of an
American agaye, or century plant. They
are two feet through in their thickest point
and three feet wide, tapering TO a sharp
point that looks like cows horn, very
convex on the outer (but not under) sur
face, and on the under mot upper sur
face slightly coneaye. This concave face
was thickly set with strong thorny hooks
ike those upon the head Of the teazle--
These leaves hanging limp and lifeless,
dead green in color, had in appearance the
strength Of oak fibre. The apex of the
cone was a. round white concaye figure,
like smaller plate set within larger one.
This was not flower, but a recepticle, and
there exuded into it clear treacely liquid
honey, sweet, and possessed Of violent in
toxieating and sOpori6c properties. From
underneath the rim $50 to speak Of the un-
dermost plate, series Of long hairy green
tendrills, stretched out in every direction
toward the horizon. These were seven or
eight feet long and tapered from four to a
half inch in diameter, yet they stretched
out stiffly as iron rods Above these (from
between the upper and under cup) six
white, almost transparent palpi reared
themselves toward the sky, twirling and
twisting with marvellous incessant mo
ton, yet constantly reaching upward
Thin as reed and frail as quills, apparent
", were yet FIVE or six feet tall, and were
so constantly and vigorously in motion,
with such a subtle, sinuous, silent throb-
bing against the air, with their suggestions
of serpents aayed, yet dancing on their
tails. Ny observations on this occasion
were suddenly interrupted by the natives,
who had been shrieking around the tree
with their shrill voices, and chanting what
Hendrick told me were preparatory hymns
to the great tree-devil With still wilder
shrieks and chants they now surrounded
one of the women and urged her with the
points of their javelins, until slowly, and
with despairing face, she climbed up the
stalk of the tree and stood on the summit
of the cone, the palpi swinging all about
her. aTsik Tsikr7 Drink Drink y
cried the men. STOPPING, she drank of the
viscid fluid in the cup, rising INSTANTLY
again, with wild frenzy in her face and
convulsivs cords in her limbs But she
did not jump down as she seemed to in
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ANiui ,Aasn'e' 'Os. ""a'' y I. insanity
s'fAns'sa u0"n AsA,u 'n'0 : sa'sas lOAn'
'ne 'euu''''s one a,',' 'u an1'ns'' nAe s'.A'
green sefpen's' WIN piu'a' ensisy anu -
iernal iap'a,'y' roSs' P.0''as'sa 'us"'s.,ss
ana wrapped he' aoou' ~ i0'a ai'et '0'u,
ever ugn'en'ns "i'n crae, ssi''ne.s anu
sA'age 'ehaci'y " ana'onas' .'''en sP
IlOQ0nU without ITS hQ2UfT---tIls STRANGE.