Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-06-15
New York SUM-

New York Sum-
At9 O'Clock IN the morning on
the 18th day of September, in the
year 1860, the steam.launch Natur-
alist began her ascent of the Orin-
oco river. 1t was an exploring ex-
pedition fitted out by Redfol, the
English naturalist and taxidermist,
and he had the full consent OF the
Venezuelan authorities to navigate
if possible to the headwaters OF the
stream. Our party was composed
of Mr.. Redfol, an English sports
man named Grant, a Scotch doctor
and spOrtman named Mcdonald,
two young men named Ward and
Baker, who we're assistants to the
naturalist, an engineer, a fireman,
cook, steward, two deck-hands,
and myself. was taken to act as
interpreter, having passed several
years on the coast and in the in'
terror. I was also to assist the pro-
fessor in securing and caring for
specimens and in helping to supply
the party in fresh meat.
The launch had been built IN
England and especially for this
trip. She was fiat-bottomed, screw
power, and of light draught. Her
engines were powerful, and her
CRATES arranged tor either coal or
wood. While room and comfort
had been sacrificed to secure
strength and power, our accommo'
datlons we're still ample and con-
venient. We had a large supply
of small arms and ammunition, and
two six.pounders we're mounted on
carriages so as to be used at the
gangways. All the upper cabin
windows we're provided with bull
let.proof shutters, and the wood
work was strong and heavy. There
was no doubt that we should meet
with hostile natives, and 1t was on
ly common prudence to be prepar'
ed for them.
The English brig Duke took the
launch from England to Trinidad,
where she was set up and fitted
out, aud it was from that island we
took our departure that September
morning, carrying as much coal as
we could possibly stow away. The
second day after getting into the
Orinoco we we're beyond all settle
meDts, and although the stream is
much used by native boatmen it
was only at long intervals that any
craft came In sight. There is no
river in the world, not even the
Ganges, which is more infested by
crockodiles. We saw them almost
the moment we entered the stream,
and every mile passed over the
number seemed 10 increase. They
we're so bold and numerous as to be
a serious menace to the native
craft, aud we had been asked by
Government officials to kill as
many as possible. During the af.
ternoOn of the second day three OF
us killed with our rifles at least
fifty of the monsters. Wherever
there was a sandy beach the rep
tiles could be found by the dozen,
and some of the sandbars in the
river we're hidden from sight by
the scaly bodies. The engines were
81 owed down and the launch kept
as near shore as safety would per
nit, and we were often within pis
tol shot of Our targets. Few Oftht
crOckodiles seemed alarmed at ouI
appearance and some came swim
ming of from islands and sandbars
to inspect us. / have seen the
crockodiles Of India and Africa
where they are supposed to sttalT
their largest Size, but they canno
compare with those of the Orinoco
About 8 o'clock in the afternoon o
the second day, as we swerved in
to the mouth of a creek on th
rlght-hand bank to escape som
driftwoOd coming down, every on
uttered an exelamation of astonish
ment at sight of monster saurla
lying among the weeds. He was
as all agreed, fully twenty-five fee
long, and his bulk at the middl
was that of a horse. He lay wit
his head away from US at first, bu
on being made aware of our pres
: enee he whirled about, opened hi