Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1877-06-21

II, Plolo"oo "t'"oo'o 'N ' "
the sail might frighten the BIRDS
They might be used to seeing boats,
but not with sails. So the mast was
taken down, and we piled the oars.
The day was a hot one in right
good earnest, but we were in for it,
and did not complain. We shot sew
eral beautiful birds, but the one |
most wanted we had not secured.
1t was congenerous with the bird
of Paradise. l had only seen two
They were quite large, with a body
nearly as large as the body Of our
common pigeon, and with the most
luxuriant profusion Of gaudy plum
age | ever saw. The body was Of a
bright scarlet, the wings nearly all
black, and the tail consisted of a per-
feet rainbow, both in color and shape
We made our way up the river very
slowly, sometimes rowing, sometimes
sculling, and sometimes pushing our
selves along by means of long pole
that we had for that purpose.
1t was now near noon, and the sun
poured down his heat with prodi
galitv which we could have spared
without the least inconvenience. At
length | saw the bird | wanted; there
were two Of them on the opposite side
of the river, and little further up.
| caught up my gun and examined
the printing, and having laid it across
my knees, so as to have it ready in
case the birds should tlv over us, |
took my oar and started out for the
opposite shore.
The birds were standing on a
branch which spread out from an old
tree Of the cypress species, and nearly,
if not quite, over the water.
| hred-and saw one of the gor-
seous fellows drop. | threw down
my gun, and caught an oar, and we
were soon near the spot.
The shore was low, and we could
see the wounded bird huttering, some
fifteen or twenty feet from the water
We drove our boat ashore, as quietly
as possible, and as she touched
leaped out. | had hardly touched
the soft, grassy earth, when a sharp,
terrible cry from my companion ar
rested my further progress.
Jack, | cried, in mercy's KANE,
what is the matter|
Come come to the boat = h
gasped, in a frantic burst.
But what is it, insisted, becom-
ing frightened at his deathly look.
Jump for the boat !! he cried
Don't stop to look to the right oil
left For your life, quick, jump
In an instant the thought Of some
venomous reptile flashed upon my
mind, and, without further hesitation
| started. When | reached the boat
| looked back upon the ground where
| had stood, out saw nothing.
was just on the point of asking
Jack whas he had seen, when acci.
dentally | raised my eyes to the huge
tree above me.
A cry OF horror burst from my
lips, and but for the need Of action,
should certainly have dropped with
absolute terror.
Upon the tr.e-coiled around anC
around-with his great, broad, flat
head Tapped over the very bougl
upon which the birds had sat-anC
over the spot where | had stood-hi.
cold. diamond eyes giittering like
gems ir the sunlight, was g monster
anaconda-the largest l had ever
seen-the largest had over heard O
-larser, much larger than ! believed
they ever grsw.
The tree was over three feet in di:
ameter-certainly seven feet in cir
cumference-and the monster was
coiled around it fye times, and had
eight feet to spare from the tree tc
his head. The head was right above
us now, and the forked tongue was
darting out angrlly.
AS soon as | was in, | sprang to the
stern sheets and caught the pole.
pushed the boat otf-the stere struck
sunken tree-it swept in ahore-
and we were fixed, seemingly, in the
mud.
"Push-push For your life, push
See--seel He means to strike US ;