Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-12
WHAT Is IT?

q Bird, Beast and Devil.
One of the most wonderful curiosities
ever seen in this section, says a George
| town (Ky.) special to the Cincinnati En-
/ luirer, is now in the possession of Pres.
/ L. Pullen, Esq, Of this city. A full
! description Of this marvellous ''bird or
| devil' would exhaust the vocabulary Of
the OrnithOlOgist and require a more pro-
found knowledge of natural history than
] the writer possesses. The circumstances
/ OF its capture, as related TO me, are as
/ follows:
It has been the immemorial custom for
/ the boys and hOodlums of this city to
make an annual tour Of inspection and
\ discovery to JOhnsOn's cave and the In
/ dian houses, sO-called, which form a
! group of caVerns upon high cliff over
! hanging ElkhOrn creek, some three miles
1 from the city. The first of these caves
! takes its name from the fact that Col
/ Richard VI. Johnson, Indian fighter, slayer
/ Of Tecumseh and Vice President Of the
| United States, discovered it more than
I three-quarters Of a century ago, while on
I one of his hunting expeditions. of the In
dian houses tradition has it that long be-
fore the advent Of the white man in this
| region two hostile bands Of Indians, at
| tTacted to the vicinity by the beauty and
!
| grounds, came into collision in one of the
many valleys near the caverns and a
/ deadly battle ensued, lasting throughout
| the day, and resulting in the defeat and
almost humiliation Of the weaker party.
The victorious band pursued the beaten
foe with savage vengeance to the
cliffs above, where suddenly all trace
of the fugitives disappeared, and
the party, fearing ambush, returned TO
the scene OF the battle, where they in
dulged in orgies peculiar to them for
| several days, after which they departed
to join their tribe north of the Ohio river.
| The remnant OF the defeated band. who
| had opportunity discovered the Indian
| houses remained many years in their
! secure retreat, after which they, too, left
! this region, leaving behind them many
| evidences Of their peaceful as we'll as
! warlike life in the shape of tomahawks,
! tiints, arrOw-heads, bows and arrows, and
/ other implements of rude savage exist
| ence.
! Upon the occasion Of the late tour of in
! spectiOn by the boys, they we're well
! equipped with torches and guns, and de-
/ termined on a more thorough search for
| curiOsities than any hitherto made. The
] cayerns, since their abandonment by the
/ aboriginal occupants, have become the
/ homes Of every species of bird, beast and
/ reptile known to this region. Formerly
! bears and wolves had their abode there,
/ but latteriy foxes, raccOOns, oppOsums.
weasels, minks and rabbits shared
| in common with owls, bats,
/ hawks and other obscene night birds
and reptiles the gloomy recesses of
/ the caves. The procession of
explorers had scarcely entered the largest
Of the caves when they stumbled over a
| pyramid of bones that marked the rem
nant Of former feasts INDUCED in at vari-
GUS times by the wild denzens of the
place. As they proceeded, and the glare
! Of torches lighted up the gloomy scene, a
wild scramble for hiding places took pos
/ session or the occupants. 1t was like en-
tering UNEXPECTEDLY a menagerie, where
the animals got loose and were holding a
| convention. The walls hung dark and
| frOwning on every side, while here and
| there huge masses of rocks blOckaded
| the way and rendered their advance
| extremely difficult. A small stream
\ rising no one knows where, runs length
! wise Of the cavern and is lost in some re-
mote and as yet undiscovered outlet.
| Following this stream, the boys spent
several hours in explorations, with the
! usual incidents of such a trip. The air
became extremely cold as they proceeded,
| until at last they came upon a subterra-
! neOus inner room, whose entrance was
| nearly barred by huge bOulders and de-
| bris. A few of the most adventurous soon
| OYercame the difficulties of the situation,
| and stood upright in the hitherto unex-
plOred and stupendous room.
| Their perseverance was soon rewarded
| by chorus Of sounds that might have
! appalled, stOuter hearts than theirs. They
| had gained admittance Unexpectedly to
| the sanctum sanctOrum of as mOtely a
| collection of animals, birds and reptiles
as ever greeted mortal sight. Snakes
/ There were thousands of them, while
! foxes, rabbits and different representa-
- Al.
| gether IN remote corners, eyed with dread
and apprehension the no less scared and
| awe-stricken intruders. Over all arose
| the screech, CHATTER and uprOar of thou
sands Of the feathered tribe, resenting in
/ discOrdant notes the unwelcOme advent
| of the strangers.
As the boys became accustomed to the
strange sights and sounds in the cavern
| their fears gradually gave way to the
/ desire to capture some of the objects sur
I rounding them. While engaged in this
D exciting pursuit one of their number sud-
denly came upon the strange creature
forming the subject of this sketch. and
after terrific struggle it was secured,
| brought to this city, and, as before re-
lated, became the property OF Mr.. Pullen,
/ who has a natural taste for curiOsities of
/ every kind. Under his careful nursing it
has entirely recovered from injuries sus-
tanned during its capture, and is now in
| perfect health.
The bird-if it may be so calIed-is
about the size Of the largest species of the
/ owl, and its wings, tail, thighs, legs and
1 feet very much resemble that midnight
! prowler. With the parts thus referred to
/ the resemblance to a bird ceases. The
/ head, neck, back and body are the strang-
! est compound of many animals it would
| be possible to imagine. The top of the
/ head and neck, running back over the
N.rsNw 4 w.n1 MIL -HO 4
7 substance not unlike the hirsute covering
/ Of an Ourang-Outang. Its head and face,
| however, are the most puZzling features
of this most rare specimen. Its
face is much longer than that of the
largest babOOn or monkey, and terminates
in a large. MASSIVE lower jaw, almost hui
man in appearance. Indeed, the exist
ence of line of soft, silky down running
from one point of the jaw to the other,
exactly like the shOrt-crOpped gray whis-
kers of some old men, strengthens the
impression of its human likeness. The
eyes, which are set longitudinally near
the centre of the face, are small, nerce
and savage when the creature is aroused,
at which time its whole form is thrown
into an attitude of defensive warfare
most startling to behold. Every nerve,
muscle and feather of the hideOus-
looking monster is braced for the conflict,
and woe unto the small boy or struggling
cur that comes within reach OF its beak
or wings. If, however, it is left to itself
for a few moments il undergOes a most re-
markable change, and it is soon metamOr-
phOsed into something so utterly unlike
its former self that the behOlder is amazed
by the sudden transition. Instead of the
fierce, defiant bird or beast Of prey, the
eyes close and disappear entirely, the head
drOops until it touches the floor Of its
cage, and begins pendulOus motion,
backward and forward, like the restless
motion of Gagged hyena, in which atti-
tude its neck and head closely resemble
that animal. If not aroused, it will con-
tinue this mOnotOnous motion inces-
sanity. Thus with tireless regularity,
like the fever patient in "Our Mutual
Friend"-seemingly given up to a reverie
of wretchedness and wOe-it is the
strangest object the mind Of man can con-
ceive. II is in vain for one TO gaze upon
its hideousness without being impressed
with the idea that the animal kingdom
had invaded the domain Of the feathered
tribes, and produced this mOnstrosity, and
that the horrible union thus wrought
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