Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-12-19


stack alone rising through it. Wide shut
ters of white iron closed in the sides, so
that the entire deck could be converted
into q single, long room, at will.
BY night this suficed admirably to keep
out both wild beasts-when tho little
craft was moored to the bank-and hos
tile natives. Nothing coull get aboard,
save, perhaps, at the small, hiuge1 win
dows. one or two of which were generally
left open for ventilation.
This odd deck-house worked so we'll
that the yoyagers did not often feel it
necessary to do guard duty 10y night.
being assured that the noise of an attack
outside their iron shield would rouse
them in time to repel the assailants.
The engine was constructed to barn
wood instead of coal. The party and
crew consisted Of Mr.. Marin and q fell
low-explorer, Mr. O.. p. Luth, an Amefi-
can engineer, hired in Buenos Ayres,
whose name was Sacket, cook called
Lugar, and two gauchos Of the, cowboy
stamp, natives OF Rosar in the Argen-
tine country. These latter were wood
cutters, firemen, and men of oil work to
the party.
The launch left Asuncion on the Sec
ond day of December, which, in the
southern hemisphere, corresponds to
June with US. On the day before Christ
mas, after various experiences, the party
reached the foot of what Mr.. Marin terms
the Third Rapids of the Pilcom yo,
which, however, the water being slack,
the little craft was able to surmount, by
the aid of q line and an improvised wind
lass, for few hundred feet of the most
rapid current.
The day before Christmas was thus en-
ployed; and late that evening they ed
up in the shadow OF some lofty manau-
ma nut trees, to the bank above tho
rapids, all being much fatigued from the
hard labor.
The night was warm and therJ was
bright moon, the silvery radiance from
which fell through the foliage Of the
branches Of the giant tree which pro-
jected out over the water. No Indians
had shown themselves during the day,
and after hearty meal the tired explor-
ers turned in, their arms. as usual, being
set ready for instant use both fore and
aft
"We soon fell sound asleep" Mr.. Marin
relates, into that overpo " ering slumber
which comes from heavy toll, and will
hold person in its embrace for ten hours
without waking. But not long after mid
night was reused by an indefinite k nd
of noise which at first thought was made
by the wind causing branch to scraps
tho top OF our iron cover.
Il was about doing of again when a
considerable bump. as of something fall
ing on the shield overhead, set me broad
awake.
My companions did not wakan, how
ever. / thought that it might be some
small wild animal that had either fallen
OF leaped out of the bran hes which over
hung the boat, aud so lay still, listening,
for some moments. thinking, too, what
an odd Christmas Eve it was and how
different from anything hid ever pre-
viously experienced.
Shortly after, he lrd curious inter
mittent rustic and stir OF the trees, which
l knew could not be due to the wind; yet
it sounded as though one or more lar, e
branches were swaying heavily. That n
puma was in the treetopS over us, was my
first surmise; and rising quietly from my
bunk, took up my gun and then pecped
cautiously out at the window light which
was swung half back. to admit air. But
could distinguish nothing, and suppos-
ing that it was probably a sloth or a Wild
cat, lay down ag in.
had scarcely taken a clining pos
ture, however. when there was a heavy
splash in the water, on the opposite side
little craft tipped perceptibly 10 tn t side,
as if very heavy man had epped sud
denly aboard.
Immediately, too, heard a grating,
scraping noise, which began on the side
of the boat near the guards, and passed
over the iIon sheeting of the cover as If
big hawser was being hauled athwart
us The sound walked Mr.. Lulh, who
started suddenly from sleep into sitting
position.
Owing TO the moonlight it was not
very dark. He pauSed a moment, then
saw me sitting mp. and whispered, 'Wh It's
going on outsider
Don't know 1 said. 'Sautl Claus,
perhaps; hard Shedding in this countryr
"The scraping, grinding sound moved
forward
It's Indians, l believe muttered
Luth, trying 10 get big line on us, and
haul us ashore!
Improbable as this idea was, there wa s
| yet something in the strange, grating
noise that strongly suggested It. heard
Sackett, or some of the others who had
their hunks farther forward, rouse up, as
if to listen. Then the sound moved aft
again.
-Luth reached for his gun and then
stepped to the window, but instantly
tonishment or alarm, and 1 saw what l
took for an Indians head and neck ap-
pear in the moonlit aperture, as if trying
| to look in.
Il heard Luth's gun-cocks click, and
whispered, Don't shoot for thought,
| possibly this Indian is only peeping about
| for mere curiosity.
Don't shootp sneered Luth. then
shoot, yourself. and be quickl Why,
Marin, don't you see that It's tremend-
GUS serpent?'
Before his words were articulated, the
creatures be ad was thrust in at the little
window, darkening il. With that we
both raised our pieces and fred, and
then by mutual impulse ran around the
engine to the forward end OF the boat.
Sackett was trying TO light his lantern;
while the two gauchos, crying out,
"Culebrai culebra grandep (snakei big
snakeD threw down one of the shutters,
and jumped into the water, waded ashore
followed by Lugar, the cook.
Indeed, we were not a little incline ed
to do the same thing, for from the rack ct
aft II was evident that the reptile was
aboard us, and tumbling about amid our
hunks, and whether our shots had dis :
abled it, We could only surmise, IL was
thrashing around, and its tail banged
against the engine repeatedly.
AT length Sackett got his lantern
burning, and putting that on the end of a
pike-pole, we thrust the light back to-
ward the engine, 10 discern, il possible,
where the snake lay. and get another
shot at it.
For some moments we peered about.