Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-04-25
THE FATHER OF SNAKES.
Thrilling Adventure on the Soil
moons River, in Brazil.
Story Of the Capture of Sailor BY Terri
bio Anaconda as Related by q Member
of the Naval Service of the Late
Emperor.

1.-THE late Empire, now Republic, of
Brazil has within her borders more nu-
merousand larger reptiles, said DR.. R. d.
Henderson, late of the Brazilian naval
service, when talking to the writer
few days ago, ''than are contained with
in the boundaries of any other nation,
and in making this broad statement
will not accept even that reputed para
disc of serpents, Upper India, where it
is common thing for the python to Sc
lect heavy OK or buffalo as a choice
morsel for a meal. In the numerous
islands dotting the delta of the lower
Amazon there are whole colonies of rep
tiles, which are now and then only dis
turbed by the incursions of man, the ma
tives of those parts having supersti-
tious dread of invading the thickly-
wooded morasses, where evil spirits as
we'll as serpents are supposed by the
ignorant people to make their haunts.
at was in the spring of 1887 that the
Brazilian corvette Pho del Norte was de-
tailed for special exploration service on
the upper waters of the great river. /
was at that time on board of her in the
capacity Of surgeon, having, like many
English naval officers, joined the Brazil
ian service on account of the higher re-
muneration and more speedy prospects
Of advancement which it afforded. My
sole stipulation had been, when joined
the Pho del Norte, that my faithful SER
want and assistant, Tom Barry, who
figures very prominently in this story,
should be allowed to accompany me. As
naval officers acting in professional ca
pacities are allowed one servant, this
was easily arranged.
\, I'VE had been about year on the
corvette when she was detailed for river
exploration service. Besides her regu-
lar complement, Brazilian naturalist
of some repute called Vermejho was to
accompany the expedition, our object
being to penetrate into and explore the
almost unknown country lying beyond
the falls of the MADEIRA, but to the
northward. These falls, almost as great
a natural curiosity in their way as Mag
ara, are in latitude 932 south, longitude
63 about, west from Greenwich The
surrounding country and that along the
course of the tributary of the Amazon
known as the Solimoens river is of the
widest and most forbidding aspect, and
wild beasts and reptiles of all kinds find
home in the recesses of the primeval
forests, or plunge in the waters of that
region. In the daytime, when the sun
Ia shining, and the gay-plumaged trop-
ical birds fit from tree to tree, or skim
the surface of the river, the aspect of
nature is cheerful enough; but it is at
night the traveller most feels his insig-
nifcance and loneliness when seated by
his campfire with perhaps but a few
companions, the vastness of the forest
becomes so oppressive, and the sense OF
ones distance from civilization almost
overwhelming.
After eleven days steaming, the cor,
--yette arrived at Tipoagua, where the
water shoaling rapidly, our party ex.
changed our comfortable quarters in
$ that vessel for the less ample accommo
dations of a steam launch, in which
smaller vessel, of course, the real work
of tho expedition was to be accom-
plished. For the next three days, as we
moved slowly up the stream with dimin
'ished speed, nothing of sufficient inter
est to G.rate occGrr9l, - -
~ cssef d the oxpeti tsSs. ientenan
Jnan Perez. busted themselves with OBJ
;ects of intereS to them both, the flori
and faunyof the region, but l, not being
nattalist could only Asmoke ant
smoke hnd smoke, which did incessant
Nv, slipping only to sleep and eat ant
"skR to smoke again.
"A the fourth day after leaving tn,
corette we entered the north branch o
The Solimoens river, and here We lef
oehind all traces of man, even the few
hative huts on the banks of the grea
river which we had heretofore met from
Ue TO time at long intervals nov
Y us. We rarely landed excep
WOOD for the furnace of tn
n TO gather some strange look
root which Vermejho an,
declared to be of vas
though | must comics
the same to me. |
Tht that we wen
length of time
Nent into camp
ening we shout