Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-05
I'm Guiaua Forests.
Chlcago Tribnne

Correspondence Chicago Tribune.
In the quiet reaches OF the river betw een ths
cataracts the scenery was extremely beautiful
but the thickness OF the forests made II impoS
SIble, except when Very near the shore, 10 dis
tinguish the picturesque kinds OF vegetation
peculiar to the tropics from the vast wall OF
green which hedged us in. IL was only when
taking our midday rest, or at our camps i',t 49,,
night, that was able 10 study the fora aru.. u
me and note the beauty and profuseness or !ts
forms. Orchids were abundant enough, and
although | saw no species of great rarity, We.
several Kinds which were in flower Mt the time
were very lovely. Bromelas and fiIlandSias
grew in thousands and the immense leaves of
the pothos were seen everywhere. Ia one
two places / noticed the rare and beautiful
climbing palm. ana III the open parts Of the for
est We're great numbers OF caladums the vari
col"red leaves OF which are SO familiar in
lighthouses.
Animal life was In no way prominent, al
though there could be no doubt that the forest
was thickly peCpled, for at night, as we sal
around the campfire or lay in our hammocks,
many We're the weird sounds that came from
Was ' usually started Sy The bo E s'I Iar.e
cicada. who sat In the tree-tops and blew "A
tremulous whistle which could be heard 10 a
great distance. He was followed by the hylas,
or tree-toads, who gave vent to every conceiVa-
BILE sound from that of the saving wood to the
clanking of many chains, and were accom-.
panied in their vocal efforts by their reletions
IN the marshes, who kept up deep and not un.
musical bass. All night long the goatsuckers
and once in a while strange, mournf1l wall
came from the forest, causing US to start and
SILVER rs we heard ii. Ii was the note Of the
bird called lost SOUL Once twice the loud
deep road OF the Jaguar was heard, and il
never Jailed 10 cause panic among the
Indians who invariably moved their ham,
mock poles nearer the water or raised the ham
Knocks higher in the trees to be out of the tigers
reach should he pass orr way. Out OF all
the appalling, blood-curdling sounds that were
heard in these tropical woods none could
the relocated, black-faced, bowling monkey
the balloon" OF the colony. Occasionally some
OF these balloons favored us with a little rehear-
sal during the night, but IL was towards morn
ing that the concert itself began, and then, until
became accustomed to il, there was no more
sleep for me. Words are Inadequate to describe
tie sound which these animals produced. Ii is
something between howl and a roar. with an
occasional gI1lnt thrown in the whole being de-
livered with the intensity of a fog-whistie, and
the concert being participated in by balloons
attending strictly TO business the result in the
way OF a noise may be imagined.
Tracks OF the tapir were several times seen
in marshy places near the river bank and
sometimes got shot at hocks OF the little red
sackawinB monkeys, which were very com
mon on this river. Iguanas called "Waimucka"
by the Indians, frequently tulnbled from the
branches into the stream when we padded near
the shore and on two occasions some of our
men brought in peccaries, or bush-hogs, which
they mad shot with their arrows near our camp,
and which proved most welcome addition 10
our larder, Notwithstanding their rankness;
but visible game was scarce, and a man would
have had poor living who depended on his
gun for support.