The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-04-27
descriptive Artltlrs.
UP THE oRINoCo.
From the ny. sun.

Of September, IN the year 1850, the steam
launch Naturalist began her ascent Of the
{ Orpoco river. Ii was an exploring expedi.
ton htted out by RedfoI. the English nataF'
alist aud taxidermis,, and be had the full COZ.
sen, OF the Venezuelan authorities TO nAvi-
gate if possible to the head waters OF the
stream. Oar party vas composed Of Mr.
Redfol, an English sportsman named Grant
Scotch doctor and sportsman named Nc
( Donald, two young men named Ward and
+ Baker. who were assistants to the naturalist,
an engineer. fireman, cock, steward,
two deck hands and myself. was taken to
&C, as an interpreter, having passed several
years on the coast aud in the interior. vas
also to assist the professor iu seeurlng and
eAriux fer specimens, and in helping 10 supply
/ the party With fresh meat
The laaach bad bsea built ia England es.
pecially fer this ,rip. She was Gas bo'iomed,
scrsw poser and Of liehs draaghi Her ca
sines werc very powerful, and her CRATES ~.
ranged for either coal or wood While Foona
and comfort had beea saer1hcrd 20 seenre
sireagtA and poser, our accommodations SeFe
ssiIl ansple and couvenieat. We haa large
sanply of small arms and ammunition, and
two SIX pogndeTs we're moanied on carTlsscs
40 a. 10 he used At the gangways- All the
apper cabin wia4ows sore provided wiih bal
let proof skaters. and the woodwork wAs
ssrong aad heavy. There vas no aoabs iaas
we sheagd meet with hostile natives, and u
was Only COMMON prsdrnoe to Be prepared
for thea.
The Eaxlish brig Dake took she launch
from EuglAnd 10 Trinidad, ~hsre she was sss
up ard ksssd cal, and is wEs from thai island
ws took our departure thar SepseSnasF EGrn'
ing, carving "a aaach coal as Ee eoasd pos
xsl4y stow Ausy. Ga the second dAF alteF
getting ia,o the oriaoco sc wsrv beyoaa ali
sstslsmcnls, and although the stream i usch
used hy na,ivs boaizaeu, il wAs oniy At long
intervals thai Any craft ezme ia sighs- TaCsr
is 20 river IN the world. not even the Gauges,
which u mere Infested BY cFocodiiss- We
saw them aimoss from che moment sc catered
tbe stream. and every mils passed over The
number seemed 70 Increase They wcFe 40
bold And gameroas a. 10 be ssys0as menace
10 The native er1ft. and SC had beea asked by
government officials 10 kill As maay a. Posss'
bic. Dariar ,hc Afteruoon oi the second day
ihree of us killed wish our rifles a least hiiy
Of the monsters. Wherever there Was = sandy
besek the reptiles eoaid Be found By the
dozen. and some o. the sand bars in The r'veT
we're hidden from sight BY the sealy bodies.
The engines wefe slowed down and the launch
kept as near the shore as safety woaid permit,
aud u,c Were ofvn within pistol SHOT Of oar
targets. Fsw esihe erueodiIes sssmed alarmed
al our appearance, and some came swimming
,,tf from islands aad saad bars 70 inspect US.
/ have sseu The crpcodilss Of india and AiFiea,
uhsse they are supposed 20 attain their largest
size, bat they canaos compare with those oi
the OFinoca. Ab0ag 5 o 'eloeA On she siseF-
noon Of the second day, as we swerved into
the mouth of "a creek on the right band bank
10 escape some drillwood coming do~n, every
one uttered an exclamation of establishment
Al sight Of monster sAurian lying among the
weeds. He vas. as ali agreed, fally twenty
five feet long. and bis baik as the middle was
that Of horse. He lay with his bead away
from US nj FIRST, bul on being made aware OF
our presence be Whirled about, opened has
iaws vide enough 10 take in an oil barrel, and
took his time about entering the water. Oar
assonishmeu, at his size vas so great thai none
Of us fred a shot.
Alter proceeding FIVE miles further up the
stream we crossed TO the left bank, entered
the mouth Of another creek, intending to make
our irsi excursion on shore from this spot
Several crocodiles followed in the wake Of the
/ steamer, aud some Of the men declared that
( the big fellow was among them. Weran into
I the creek about four times our length aud
/ made fast TO a tree on shore, and IN short
1 time night shut down over the forest.
Here was great highway which had been
more or less naviga,ed for \ score OF years,
/ and along the banks of which were many set
Elements, and yet the presence OF man had
not made the slightest inroad into the wilder
ness and the savageness of nature. Scarcely
I had the darkness come down when we were
besieged on all sides For the mosquito pest
we were prepared. Had We not been no man
could have lived an hour. They came down
mon rs in such swarms that q man outside oi
shelter would have been eaten alive. Every
door and window was defended 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 II
motion. a dozen times over We felt theli
teeth taking hold of the iron screw and slip
ming off. and it seemed as if men in an oper
boat would have stood no show whatever
against the monsters.
Night also brought out a thousand sounds
from the primeyal forest arCand us. Frogs
birds and beetles raised a frigl.tfnl medley
and there we're moments when ali converse
ton had TO be suspended. We were now higl
enough to be among the jaguars and blacl
panthers, and the screams OF these savag
beasts reached our ears before we turned II
to sleep. Indeed, as we sat smoking in th
cabin after supper, we heard and felt an am
NAL of the cat tribe spring aboard and wall
hack and forth over our heads. As we wer
entirely shut in there was no danger to b
feared. The engineer yet had plenty 0
+, steam. and when he was communicated wit
he blew such blast on the whistle as startle'
. our visitor out of his wits and brought u
graveyard stiffness for the next half hour.