The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-11-03
rerrIbIe FIght With Monster LIzard.

| The great country lying south of Mex
leo is rich in tropical verdure and ami
mails. Winter is never known except
in the cold winds called northers, that,
! during the so-called winter, come rush
ing down from the north, as il to tell
the natives that it is not continual sum-
mer everywhere.
| The land flows with milk and honey,
indeed; rich palms and other tropical
trees grow in rich confusion; punches
of bananas and cocoanuts await the
hand to pick them; thick underbrush
of tangled vines, wound around each
other in the growth of ages, forms
| jungle that few care to penetrate. For
miles the land is covered with this car
pet of vegetation, and the swamps and
rivers are inhabited only by strange
reptiles, birds and insects who prey
| upon one another in their struggle for
existence.
The birds are the most beautiful in
| the world, and many of the insects have
curious lights upon their backs that
shine like gas-burners in the night. His
tory tells us that when the Spaniards
first saw them, they became alarmed,
and thought they were the lights of
moving army. 2 isonous snakes lurk
under the broad leaves, and hugh lizards
creep upon the overhanging boughs of
| trees.
One of these lizard-the iguana-is n
hideous-loOking objesct. The largest
attain a length of ten or twelve feet; the
skin is very tight, and covered with
knobs or scales; under the mouth hangs
large pouch, over which the green,
diamond-like eyes appear, shaded by a
ridge of bone. Along the back, from
| the tip of the nose to the tail, is con-
| tinuous line of spurs or sharp spines;
these, with a powerful mouth, five
sharp teeth, long, cat-like claws and
enormous, strength to use them, consti-
tutes the makeup of this giant among
lizards. Disgusting as they are, the
natives use them for food.
Near the head of the river Chagres is
favorite place for them; very few
white people ever venture there, and
| the first who did was witness to ter
rible fight between a native and a
| lizard.
The man had been engaged as guide,
and, after successful days hunt, they
were returning to their camp near the
river, when the black man stopped sud-
| denly and pointed to a fallen tree. His
companion looked, and soon saw an
| guana's head peeping over the edge of a
| og that led into the river. His body
was concealed, and he was evidently
taking siesta over the cool water.
The guide laid down his gun, and,
| taking club, crept cautiously to him,
and, aiming a blow, brought the club
down on the lizard (P) No, indeed; the
creature was too quick for him; but in
its fright it missed its footing and fell
| into the water.
Without thinking, Quito-for such
| ha al
and the two together sank out of sight,
and for moment the splashing and
spray hid them from view. A moment
more and Quito's head came to the sur
| face and the tail of the iguana, thrash
| ing the water in a fierce way, and now
they were out of sight again.
It was evident Quito had no idea the
| lizard was so large, TOR when they came
up again he was engaged in a fierce
| struggle, the water being dyed with
blood, from which of them the white
! man, who was waiting for chance to
/; shoot, could not tell. At last, creeping
out on the log, and looking down into
the water, he beheld a fearful sight
The lizard, perfect monster of about
twelve feet in length, had fastened its
claws into poor Quito, and was writh-
ing and tearing him in terrible man
ner.
The plucky negro had caught him by
the tail and throat. and was trying to
hold him off. 1t seemed only a matter
of time who should drown first, when
Quito struck bottom, and, giving him
self push, he rose to the surface again,
still holding the lizard at arms-length.
AS it came to the surface it buried its
five knife-like claws in the mans face,
Sitting it in terrible manner; but even
then he held on with the tenacity of a
bulldog. The observer on the bank
crept out now as far as he could upon
the log and called to Quito to catch
the stick he held out, and he would pull
him in.
After several trials he managed to
reach it, and still holding the struggling
monster, was hauled, bleeding and cut,
ashore, where, with a terrible blow
from the gun the reptile was killed.
Quito was 80 weak from his exertions
and loss of blood that he could not
move. The creature had bitten him
several times and scarcely spot ON his
body but had received cut like that oi
knife, telling the power of the terrible
claws.
The monster was dragged TO the camp
its skin taken off, and alter Quito's re.
covery. and they had gone down to the
coast, it was stuffed, and now adornE
the collection of a well-known scien-
! tific institution.
, Words Of Encouragement
Never be cast down by trif1es. If /
l spider breaks his web twenty times