The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1883-01-19
THE MAN-EATING TREE.


! Many years ago l turned my restless steps
/ toward Central Africa and made the journey
/ from where the Senegal empties itself into
the Atlantic to the Nile, skirting the Great
/ Desert, and reaching Nubia on my way to
I the eastern coast. had with Inc three ma
tive tterdants-two of them brothers, the
third, Otona, a young savage from the ga
( boon uplands a mere lad in his teens-and
one day, leaving my mule with two men,
who were pitching my tent for the night, 1
went on with my Gun the boy accompanying
me toward a fern forest which I saw in the
near distance. AS l approached it 1 found
that the forest was cut in two by wide
glade and seeing a small herd of the CON-
mon antelope, an excellent beast in the pot
browsing their way along the shaded side L
crept after them. Though ignorant of their
real danger the herd was suspicious, and
slowly trotting before me enticed me for a
mile or more along the verge OF the fern
! growths. Turning a corner I suddenly be-
came aware Of a solitary tree growing in the
middle Of the gla5e-One tree alone. Il
struck me at once that I had never seen a
/ tree just like it before but being intent on
/ venison for my supper, I looked at it only
/ long enough to satisfy my surprise at seeing
a single plant of such rich growth flourish
ing luXurianty in a spot where only the
/ harsh fern-canes seemed to thrive, The
/ deer, meanwhile were midway between ME
/ and the tree but suddenly, instead of pass
/ ing it, swerved in their career and swept
around it at some yards distance. Was I
mad, or did the plant really try to catch the
deer? On a sudden saw, or thought saw,
the tree violently agitated, and while the
ferns all around were standing motionless in
the dead evening air, is Ooughs were sway
ed by some sudden gust toward the herd, and
swept in the force of their impulse almost to
the ground. drew my hand across my eyes,
closed them for moment, a nd looked again.
The tree was a motiouless as myself
Toward it, and now close to it, the boy
was running in excited pursuit of the fawn.
He stretched out his hands to catch it. It
bounced from his eager grasp, Again he
reached forward. and again it escaped him.
There was another rush forward, and the
next instant boy and deer were both beneath
the tree. And now there was no mistakiRg
what I saw. The tree was convulsed with
motion, leaned forward, swept its thick foli-
aged boughs to the ground, and enveloped
from my sight the pursuer and the pursued.
was within a hundred yards and the cry of
Otona from the midst of the tree came to me
in all the clearness Of its agony. There was
then enc stiled, stran9ling scream, and ex
cept for the agitation of the leaves where
they were closed upon the boy there was not
a sign of life.
1 called out, "Otona 20 No answer came,
I tried to call out again, but my utterance
was like that of some wild beast smitten at
once with sudden terror at its death wound.
1 stood there changed from all semblance OF
a human being. Not all the terrOrs of earth
together could have made me take my eye
off that awful plant, or my foot off the
ground. I must have stood thus for at least
half an hour, for the shadows had crept out
from the forest half across the glade before
the hideous paroxyism of fear left ne. My
first impulse then was to creep stealthily
away, lest the tree should perceive me, bu
my returning reason bade me approach it
The boy might have fallen into the lair of
some beast of prey.
The vegetable first discovered my presence
at about fifty yards distance, 1 then became
aware of a stealthy motion among tha thick
Bpped leaves, reminding me Of some wild
beast slowly gathering itself up from long
sleep, a vast coil of snakes in restless motion.
: Have YOU ever seen bees hanging from ?
bough-an immense cluster Of bodies, bee
elinging to bee-and by striking the bough
or apitatipg the air, caused that massed life
to begin sulkily to disinterigate, each insect
asserting its individual right to move And
do Won remember how without one bee leay-
inc the penslle cluster, the whole became
gradually instinct with sulen life and horrid
with a muItitudinous motion? Each separ-
ate leaf was agitated and hungry.
Was | bewildered by terror? Had my
senses abandoned me in my need? i know
not-but the tree seemed to me to be alive
Leaning over toward me, IL seemed to De
nnuir- M it's roots from the softsned ground
and TO be moving toward me- mountain
ous monster. with myriad lips mumbiing to-
aetber for my life, was upon me Like one
who desperately defenos himself from lniini-
nent death. made an effort for lifean hIed
nv gun at the approaching horror, 10 NY
dizzfed senses the sound seemed far OIL but
the shock Of the recoil partially recalled me
IN myself. and, starting back, l reloaded.
The shot had torn their way into the soft
bodv of the great thing. The trunk as II
rsceived the wound shuddered, and the whole
tree was struck with a sudden quiVer. a
fruit fell down, slipping from the leaves,
now rigid with swollen veins, as from cavern
foliage. Then 1 saw a large arm slowly
droop. and without sound it was severed
from the Juice fattened hole, and sank down
softlv. noiselessly through the glistening
Ieaves. fred again, and another vile frag-
ment was powerIess-dead. At each dis
ebarqe the terrible vegetable yielded life.
-, .t.nahoa n killing hars a leaf