Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-19
WILD BEASTS.
THRILLING ADVENTURES II A SAIL
UP TEE 0RIHoCO,
where orocodiles, Jsgusrs, and Boa Con-
strictors Are Thicker Than Dogs
and Cats in Illinois.
New York Sun.l

18th day of September, in the year 1860,
the steam-launch Naturalist began her
ascent OF the Orinoco river IL was an
exploring expedition fitted out by Red
fol, the English naturalist and taxider-
mist, and he had the full consent OF the
Venezuelan authorities to navigate il
possible to the headwaters OF the
stream. Our party was composed CT Mr..
Redfol, an English sportsman named
Grant, q Scotch doctor aud sports
man named Mcdonald, two young men
named Ward and Baker, who we're as
sistants to the naturalist, an engineer, a
| fireman, a cook, q steward, two deck
hands, and myself. was taken to act
as interpreter, having passed several
years on the coast and in the interior
was also to assist the professor in Sc
curing and caring for specimens and in
helping to supply the party with fresh
meat.
The launch had been built in Eng
land especially for this trip. She
WAS flat-bottomed, screw power,
and of light draught. Her en-
gines were powerful, and her CRATES ar
ranged for either coal or wood. While
room and comfort had been sacrificed to
secure strength and power, our accom-
modations were still ample and conve-
nient. We had a large supply Of small
arms aud ammunition, and two six
Founders were mounted on carriages so
rs TO be used at the gangways. All the
upper cabin-windows were provided with
bullet-proof shutters. and the woodwork
was strong and heavy. There was no
doubt that we should meet with hostile
natives, and it was only common pru-
dence to 10 prepared for them.
The English brig Duke took the launch
from England to Trinidad, where she
was set up and fitted ont, and 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
ments, and although the stream is much
used 10y native boatmen it was only at
long intervals that any craft came in
sight. There is no river in the world.
not even the Gangcs, which is more
infested by crocodilea We saw them
almost from the moment We en-
tered the stream, aud every mile
passed over the number seemed to
increase. They were so bold and numer-
Gus as 10 be a serious menace 10 the ma
tive craft, and we had been asked by
Government officials to kill as many as
possible. During the afternoon of the
second day three of us killed with our
rifles Mt least fifty OF the monsters.
Wherever there was sandy beach the
reptiles could be found by the dozen,
and some OF the sandbars in the river
were hidden from sight by the scaly
bodies. The engines were slowed down
and the launch kept as near shore as
safety would permit, and We were often
within pistol-shot of our targets. Few
Of the crOcOdiles seemed alarmed
at our appearance, and some came
swimming oil from islands and
sandbars to inspect us. | have seen
the crocodiles Of India and Africa, where
they are supposed to attain their largest
size, but they cannot compare with those
OF the Orinoco. About o'clock in the
afternoon of the second day, as we
swerved into the mouth Of creek on
tine right-hand bank TO escape some
driftwood coming down, every one ut
tered an exclamation Of astonishment at
sight of a monster sanrlan lying among
the weeds. He was, az all agreed, fully
twenty-five feet long, and his bulk Mt
the middle was that OF horse. tie lay
with bis head away from Us at first, but
on being made aware of our presence he
whirled about, opened his jaws wide
enough to take in an oil-barrel, and took
his time about entering the water Our
establishment at his Size was 50 great
that none OF us fired shot.
After proceeding five miles further up
the stream We crossed TO the left bank,
entered the mouth of another creek, In.
tending to make our first excursion on
shore from this spot. Several crocodiles
followed in the wake of the steamer, and
some of the men declared that the big
fellow was among them. We ran into
the creek about four times our length,
and made fast 10 d tree on shore, and in
a short time night shut down over the
forest.
Here was a great highway which had
been more or less nayigated for score
of years, and along the banks of which
were many settlements, and yet the
presence Of man had not made the
slightest inroad into the wildness and
tue savageness OF nature. Scarcely had
the darkness come down when we were
besieged ON all sides. For tho mos
quito pest We were prepared. Had
We not been no man could have
lived an hour. They came down
upon us in such swarms that a man out
side OF shelter would have been eaten
alive. Every door aud window was de-
Tended by wire cloth, but the insects
settled on the glass outside and upon
every object on deck until it was hidden
from sight. The crOcodiles came down
the creek and in from the river in such
numbers that the swell kicked up kept
the launch in motion. A dozen times
over we felt their teeth taking hold of
the iron screw and slipping OFF, and it
seemed as if men in an open boat would
have stood no show whatever against the
monsters.
Night also brought ont thousand
sounds from the primeval forest around
US Frogs, birds, and beetles raised
frightful medley, and there were mo-
ments when all our conversation had to
be suspended. We were now high
enough up to be among the jaguars
and black panthers, and the screams
of these savage beasts reached our
ears before we turned in TO
sleep. Indeed, as We sat smoking
in the cabin after supper, We heard and
felt an animal of the cat tribe spring
aboard and walk back and forth over our
heads. AS we were entirely shut in
there was no danger TO be feared. The
engineer yet had plenty of steam, and
when he was communicated with he
blew such blast on the whistle as startled
our visitor out of his wits and brought
us graveyard stiffness for the next half
hour
I IL 4, I