The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-08-20

that .prOl1fic stretch OF country which
lies ABOVE the junction of and between
the Tocantins and Rio del Tigrc river.
A wonderful land, indeed. whose amaz.
ing richness OF tropical vegetation,
gorgeous bloom of endless flowers,
myriad birds Of brilliant plnmage and
incredible wealth of sea RELY less bril-.
liant insects, on every side delight the
eye; but whose groves and swamps.
dark forests and deep-gra scd plains
teen. alas. with noxious. vcnomous
life. ;Sld in the green-scummcd waters
of whose stagnant lagoons deadly ma
laria forever turks.
We had lain down beneath the
shade of clump of vine-clad cypress
and gnm-trees to sleep away the hot
noontide hours. and discovered. only on
awaking. that Tom Grant. never
firing entomologist, had disappeared.
but mad it not been for Blakc's warn
ing words. none of us would have felt
the least misgiving as to his safety.
Now, however. all were anxious to
start out at once on the search: and
extending ourselves into a line. with
an interval of about fifty y1rds be-
tween each two men, we set OFF up
stream, knowing that our comradc
must have taken that route, as the
rivers junction lay immediately be-
low Us
Every now and then as we pushed
laboriously along through the almost
impene.rable woods. one or another
of us. discharged a signal shot, in hope
of hearing an answering halloo: but the
only effect of our fire was to scare
from their hiding places or to drive to
deeper cover hundreds of screaming
parrots. chattering monkeys and the
thousand and one flying and creeping
denizens of the forest wilds.
No human voice responded to our
summons. and yet we felt assured of
being on the right trail for three sew
eral times we had found half-burnt
matches. and once had picked up a
fragment of drawing paper which we
knew to be Toms We had spent fully
two hours in going. perhaps. as many
miles, and not having lately come
across further signs of our friend
Charlie Blake gave it as his opinion
that, if still alive, he had lost himself
and was probably wandering in circle
somewhere in the labyrinthine depth 5,
where the sun, his only guide. could not
penetrate.
And, boys he concluded. IF we
do not find him before nightfall
we shall never again see him in this
world
1t was now past four o'clock, and al
ready the gloom about Us was sensibly
deepening. and prowling beasts of
prey began occasionally to cross our
path. Joe Burke kn ,cked over a stink
ing wolf, and Frank Austin brought
down wildcat from the top of lofty
gum; but neither of these shots brought
hail or shout from our absent friend
We were still advancing in toler-
ably straight line. always keeping
within speaking distance of each other,
when suddenly we broke out of the
dark forest into a large. treeless savan-
ma. where the sun shone gloriously and
the rank grass was breast high. Inn
mediately on reaching this, Hugh KIM
ball called out:
Il say, boys. something has passed
along here not long ago. Look at this
narrow path where the grass has been
parted"
We all hurried to the spot, and Blake
at once said:
Were on Toms track, sure enough!
You see the trail is widest at top,
whereas if made by wild beast crawl
ing along. it would be widest at the
bottom"
We now fired three shots in rapid
succession, and, after waiting a mo-
ment, We're about to shoot again, when
Austin held up his hand with o
''Whisht" and each one strained his
ears to listen. Yes; there was no mis-
taking it: far away from toward the
declining sun came faint halloo, once,
twice, thrice repeated, and five lusty
throats sent up cheer after cheer as we
realized the joyful fact that our COM
rade was indeed found.
Dashing along, now wading, tearing,
scrambling through the long. wiry
| stems as best we could, we made our
way for a half-mile, seeing nothing as
yet. but ever more distinctly hearing
the same "Halloo. Halloo. Halloo." al
ways promptly answered by our own
encouraging shouts. At las. we caught
sight of broad sombrero and the
shoulders of man above the tall herb
age, backing slowly toward us.
Hush, boys, hush!' cautioned Charlie
Blake, there's something unusual
here and, being now within easy
speaking distance, he softly hailed
Grant. and asked: What is up, TOM
The young fellow never turned hi
head, but while his right arm seemed
to be gently moving up and down, ane
strange, flashing, dazzling CLEANS o
binding light played fitfully beyone
him. answered in curiously RESTRAINED
voice:
Boys, there's laundering hi,
jaguar following me up, not twenty
feet away. I've been standing him of
Tor the last half-hour by flashing tn,
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