Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-06-12
THE AR Dor D,ABOLL
Discovery Of u Third Specimen of the
CarntvOrOus Devils Tree.

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study OF botany during my s%ojourn in
this country, the fora of which pre-
sents n of the richest fields for the
in the world, and have wan
dered some distance from town on sew
eral occasions in my search for
specimens. On one of these eXpedi-
tons l noticed a dark object on one OF
the outlying spurs of the Sierra Madre
mountains, which object excited my
curiosity so much that I examined it
carefully through my field-glass. This
revealed that the object was a tree or
shrub of such an unusual appearance
that l resolved to visit the spot. I
rode to the mountain, the sides of
which sloped sufficiently for me to
make my way on horseback to within
a few rods of the summit. But here I
was stopped by an abrupt rise so steep
that despaired of reaching it even on
foot. went around it several times
seeking for some way to climb up,
but the jagged, beetling rocks afforded
not the slightest foothold. On the
top of this knob stands the tree l had
seen. From the spot on which l now
stood l could see that it somewhat re-
sembled in form the weeping willow,
but the long, dropping whip-like limbs
were Of a dark and apparently Shiny
appearance, and seemed possessed of q
horrible lifelike power of coiling and
uncoiling. Occasionally the whole
tree would seem a writing, squirm-
ing mass. My desire to investigate
this strange vegetable product in
creased on each of the many. expedi-
lions made to the spot, and at last l
saw a sight one day which made me
believe l had certainly discovered an
unheard-of thing. n bird, which I
had watched circling about for some
time, finally settled on the top of the
tree, when the branches began to
awaken, as it We're, and to curl up
ward. They twisted and twisted like
snakes about the bird, which began to
cream, and drew it down in their
fearful embrace until l lost sight Of it.
HorrOr-stricken, | seized the nearest
rock in an attempt to climb the knob. I
had so often tried in vain to do this that
| was not surprised when I fell back. but
the rock Was lOOsened and fell also. It
narrowly missed me, but I sprung up
unhurt, and saw that the fallen rock
had left u considerable cavity. I put
my face to it and looked in. Some
thing like a cavern, the floor of which
had an upward tendency, met my
sight, and | felt a current Of fresh air
blowing on me, with a dry, earthly
smell. Evidently there was another
opening somewhere. undoubtedly at
the summit. Using my trowel. which
| always carried on my b%otanizing ex-
petitions, I enlarged the hole, and
then pushed my way up through the
passage. When l had nearly reached
the top l looked out cautiously to see
if l should emerge within reach of
that diabolical tree. But I found it
nowhere near the aperture, so I sprung
out. l was just in time to see the fat
tened carcass of the bird fall to the
ground, which was covered with bones
and feathers. I approached as close
~ as | dared and examined the
tree. It was low in size, not
more than twenty feet high, but
covering a great area. Its trunk was
of prodigious thickness. knotted and
scaly. From the top of this trunk, a
few feet from the ground, it's Shiny
branches curved upward and down
ward, nearly touching the ground with
their tapering tips. Its appearance
was that of gigantic %tarantula await
ing its prey. On my v%enturing to
lightly touch one Of the limbs, it closed
upon my hand with such force that
when l tore it loose the skin came
with it. l descended then, and clos
ing the passage returned home. l
went back next day carrying half a
dozen chickens with which to feed the
tree. The moment I tossed it the
fowls, a violent agitation shook it's
branches, which swayed to and fro
with a sinuous, snaky motion. After
devouring the fowls, these branches,
fully gorged, dropped to their former
position, and the tree, giving no signs
of animation, I dared to approach it
and take the limbs in nv hand.
They were covered with suckers, re-
sembling the tentaclesof an octopus.
The blood of the fowls had been alb
sorbea by these suckers, leaving Grim
son stains on the dark surface. There
was no foliage, of course, of any kind.
Without speaking of my discovery to
any one about, | wrote al account of it
to the world-famous botanist, Prof.
Wordenhaupt of the University of
Heidelberg. His reply states that my
tree is the arbor diaboli, only two
specimens Of which have ever been
known-one on the peak of the Hima-
layas and the other on the island of
Sumatra. Mine is the third. Prof.
W~ordenhaupt says that the arbor
diaboli and the plant known as the
Venus flv-trap are the only known
specimens, growing on the land, of
those forms of life which partake of
the nature of both animal and vepe-