Daily south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1881-18??, 1884-10-04
British Guiana Forests.

In the quiet reaches of the river be-
tween the cataracts the scenery was
extremely beautiful, but the thickness
of the forest made it impossible, except
when very near the shore, to distin-
guish the picturesque kinds of vegeta-
ton peculiar to the tropics from the
vast wall of green which hedged us in.
1t was only when taking our midday
rest, or at our camps for the night, that
was able to study the1iora around me aud
note the beauty and profuseness of its
forms. Orchids were abundant enough,
and, although saw no species of
greet rarity, yet several kinds which
were in flower at the time were very
lovely. Bromelias and tillandsas grew
in thousands, and the immense leaves
of the pothos were seen everywhere. In
one or two places noticed the rare and
beautiful climbing palm (desmoncus),
and in the open parts of the fore1t were
great numbers of caladiums, the vari-
colored leaves of which are so familiar
in our hothouses.
Animal life was in no way prominent.
although there could be no doubt that
the forest was thickly peoplel, for at
night as we sat around the campfire or
lay in our hammocks many were the
weird sounds that came from the thick
jungle near by. The nightly concert
was usually started by the bo'sun, a
large cicada, who sat in the tree-tops
and blew tremulous whistle which
could be heard to great distance. He
was followed by the hylas, or tree
toads, who gave vent to every conceiv-
able sound, from that of the saving of
wood to the clanking of many chains,
and were accompanied in their vocal
efforts by their relations in the marshes,
who kept up deep and not unmusical
bass. All night long the goatsuckers
never desisted from their melancholy
moaning, and once in awhile strange,
mournful wall came from the forest,
causing US to start and shiver as we
heard it. IL was the note of the
bird called lost soul Once or twice
the loud, deep roar of the iaguar was
heard, and it never failed to cause a
panic among the Indians, who invaria-
bly, moved their hammock-poles nearer
the water or raised the hammocks high
er in the trees to be out of the tiger S
reach should he pass our way. Out Of
all the appalling. blood-curdling sounds
that were heard in these tropical woods
none could equal the noise that came
from the throat of the relocated,
black-faced, bowling monkey (myceteS
seniculus), the "baboon" of the colony
Occasionally some of these balloons la-
vored us with little rehearsal during
the night, but it was towards morning
that the concert itself began, and then
until became accustomed to il, there
was no more sleep for me. Words art
inadequate to describe the sound which
these animals produce. 1t is something
between a howl and roar. with an oc
casional grunt thrown in, the whole be
ing delivered with about the intensity
of q fog-whstle, and the concert being
participated in by baboons for miles
around. When all these fellows are at
tending strictly to business the result il
the way of noise may be imagined.
Tracks of the tapir were several time
seen in marshy places near the rive
bank, and sometimes got a shot a
flocks of the little, red sacKawinki mon
keys, which we're very common on thi
river. Iguanas called "Waimucka' b.
the Indians, frequently tumbled from
the branches into the stream when w
padded near the shore, and on tw,
occasions some of our men brought il
peccaries, or bush-hogs, which the,
had shot with their arrows near ou
camp, and which proved most wei
come addition to our larder, notwith
standing their rankness; but visibl,
game was scarce, and a man would
} have had poor living who depended
on his gun for support. Cor. Cbicag
, Tribune.