The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-04-25
LAMBERTVTLIE, n j. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 1883

for distance of two miles either way, and
10 ten minutes after we saw the fire the water
for all this distance seemed dashed to foam.
Wild cattle, deer, tapirs, ant eaters, mon
keys, serpents, pcecaries and jaguars came
swimming to our side for life. The croco-
diles for a long distance up and down the
stream got the call to come to a rare feast,
and believe that full 1000 of them were
in sight from the launch. The stream here
was over half milewide with a current Of
about three miles an hour. What with their
fear of the flames behind them and the fierce
crocodiles around them, the fleeing inhab-
itants of the forest were in great terror II
did not for time occur to US that we were
in any danger, but suddenly we observed
huge serpent heading straight for the launch,
and some one shouted for all TO seek cover.
The snake came right aboard, and was fol-
lowed In a minute or two by jaguar.
Either Of the visitors could have easily
passed to the shore as we lay against the
bank in deep water, but both seemed deter
mined to remain with u.s. 1t wasn't two
minutes before tho fierce growls of the
jaguar proved that conflict was imminent,
and thirty seconds later serpent and beast
were having it hot and heavy along the hur-
ricane deck. While tho row was going on a
which We're open back to the pilot house, and
looking from a window it seemed as if we
were beset from the river side 1t was full
half hour before the panic subsidized, and by
that time every crocodile must have had a
square meal and over
We had shut ourselves up when the serpent
came aboard. A fight certainly took place
between the snake and the first iaguar, and
when the second came aboard the fight took
on new phase Whether the two beasts
were attacking the reptile together, or
whether it was triangular contest, we could
not tell, but after the panic along the river
had subsidized we carefully opened the cabin
doors and looked out. One of the jaguars Law
dead on the deck, while the other and the
serpent were gone. An examination of the
dead beast showed that he had been caught in
the folds of the snake, and that the latter was
a boa constructor. The backbone and nearly
all the ribs were broken.
Three or four days later we had q near and
plain view of a still more singular combat.
We had tied up to the bank for the night,
and were eating supper, when a wild bull
came down to the water by path only 200
feet above u.s. He was either very thirsty or
very reckless, for he gave us no attention.
Within ten feet of where he lowered his head
to drink was a large tree, and the bull had
scarcely tasted the water when an enormous
serpent flung itself downward and outward
from large limb and seized the bull. There
was great fuss instantly The snake had a
tail hold on the limb, but the bull was stout
and strong and could not be pulled off his
feet. While taken by surprise, he was not in
the least ratified, and from the way he used
hoof and horns we saw that the serpent had
undertaken q big job. Mud and leaves and
grasswere flying i'll showers, almost hiding
the bull from our view, when a monster
crocodile came out of bed of reeds few
rods above, and running along down tho
bank seized the bull by fore leg. The de-
faint roars of the victim were now changed
to bellows of terror and dismay. While the
snake attempted TO haul one way the croco-
die pulled tho other. After three or four
minutes the saurian got an advantage, and
suddenly the serpent let so his hold OF the
tree, and then such a rumpus was kicked up
that wo could see nothing of the combat.
When the air cleared little the serpent was
escaping into a thick fringe of foliage. We
fred our rifles at the bull and crocodile and
scared them of. Tho bull was weak and evil
IDENTIFY had been badly hurt
Let one travel on foot through the most
populous districts in the United States and
one would not see a single house dog or cat
whore we saw three jaguars along the ORR
noco. There was not one hour during day
light for period of three months that these
creatures were not around us, and most OF
the time one or more were in sight. When
ever we ran along close 10 the banks we saw
them erouched down on flood wood or NOV
ing through the forest, and whenever we
came to n sandy beach over which the turtles
craWled a jaguar could surely be counted on
for every half mile. In the three months
we killed upward Of 200 Of these animals
and in almost every instance saved the skin
In only one case was any of us in danger
from this cunning and ferocious beast Tho
steamer had been tied to the bank and we
had been making excursions from that spot
for three or four days, when one afternoon,
when only one of the young men was left
behind at the fire on the bank, o iaguar crept
up and sprang upon him. 1t was wonder
full spring, as we afterward discovered From
the spot where the beast crouched TO the
place whore he alighted on his victim was
just twenty six feet The young man was
kneeling down and bending over specimen
which he was examining, and tho jaguar fell
on his back and seized him by the right
shoulder. The man weighed almost 100
pounds and was muscular fellow, but tho
jaguar trotted Off with him as IL he had been
a shoulder Of mutton not lifting the body
entirely clear of the ground, but dragging it
along. Fortunately for the victim, the forest
was very dense just there, and the beast had
to take one of tho several paths leading
through it. He had not gone above 800 feet
when he met one Of tho party on his way
back to the boat Tho jaguar sprang for
limb ten feet above his head, still holding to
the man, and such was his wonderful muscu-
lar power that one Of his forepaws actually
touched the limb When he dropped back it
was to receive bullet in the head. In dying
he inflicted several severe wounds on the
young man with his claws.--New York Sun.
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