The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-11-14
THE STRANGLER VINE.

N0&ASo sASo&Os OO yOA VO0S yO0 WOOAA
guess a mighty long time before you
would come near 1t, 30 I'll spare you the
trouble and tell you the story"
he held up his brown right hand as
ae spoke. Across the back Of it were
two hvid nnea One Of these lines
passed inside hts hand and wound around
his little finger. This finger was twisted
and broken and bent backward. Right
up to the finger nail extended the fiery,
threaduke line.
The second line was deeper red,
wider than the other, and from 1t other
mamentlike lines branched, covering the
wrist with 9 network Of scarlet tenddls.
The main line could be seen to wind
Jnce around the wrist and then was lost
up the speakers sleeve.
well" he resumed, ''you remember
the excitement that followed the discov-
cries Of silver IN Yucatan in 1877. The
Indians had been bringing down small
quantities Of horn silver for some time
and selling it at Merida. Finally, one Of
the half breed merchants Of that town
got an Indian drunk and induced him to
tell where they obtained the silver. They
say 1t was one Of the mines from which
the Aztecs, or whatever race it was that
built the cities, the ruins Of which cover
50 many miles in that country, used to
get the silver for their temples. At all
events, the merchant. came back with
two burros laden with almost pure sill
yer. He said that there was silver
enough In sight at the mine to load
feet Of steamers. He told in a general
way where the treasure mountain was,
and started out with pack train for
more. One Of his mules strayed back
nearly month later, but that was all
that was ever heard Of him.
81 was one Of the swarm Of prospectors
that started out to find the old mine. It
ilad taken the merchant two weeks to
flake his first trip, 80 we could calculate
bout what distance he had travelled.
i had for companion a Balize Indian
Iunter, who knew something Of the in
:erior country. We Travelled ten days
Though the widest country that any
.ne ever heard Of. Mountains, whose
snowy tops were thousands Of feet above
the clouds, and whose sides were COW
red with jungles 50 thick that for days
,ogether we simply had to hew our way
through It. At last we reached val
~, the other side Of which was bounded
~ aseparate chain Of mountains. These,
rom where we stood, seemed perfectly
7nassailable, but my companion said be
lad been on top Of them
"'From the summit, he said, you can
see the Chihuandassi.'
II had heard Of the Chihuandassi The
name means Table OF Dead Men, and
the Indians say 1t is covered with plants
that have the power Of motion.
"'Have you ever been on the Chihuan-
dassT asked.
"fNo man has ever gone there and re-
turned to tell it, he answered
1--WE crossed the valley, passing
through the ruins of great city built Of
almost transparent quartz, aud finally
struck the trail be spoke Of. and two
days later stood on the top On the
other side was narrow gulch, and be-
yund 1t sheer wall many hundreds Of
feet high Still the top of this was low
T than we were, and we could look
down upon the Table Of Dead Men. The
mesa on the other side of the gulch
seemed perfectly level, and as far as we
could judge was surrounded on all sides
BY Just such precipice as we saw. The
country Is all sandstone, and the swift
little rivers have nearly all worn deep
Channels for themselves. In many local
fties you can walk hundred miles, be
able to throw stone into the river and
yet you may die Of thirst. 80 high and
e1eCt are those fearful walls The Chi
huandasd was covered with some Low
vegetation and there were few trees II
the distance
"That is the flower THAT travels, saAt
my companion
"He noticed my look Of amused In
credulity. and resumed rather angrny.
"'You don't believe IT. have sees
hmova Look therey
81 looked, the table was agitated, ana
looked hke the waves OF the sea- tn
whole green surface seemed to approach
the edge nearest Us. My hair rose for
moment, then burst out laughing. I
b only the wind tossing the snakeweed,
Isaid
".But there is no wind here
HE spoke truly. The air where "
stood was perfectly stin. Yet, ex
plained, 1t might be breeze engendere'
by tho nature Of the country, that di'
not extend to our side
"'No, no. he insisted. The Indian
who have lived here for years mov
better. These flowers are devils N
one who goes over comes back fror
there
1.-TWO Indians who loved one woma
went up on the Chihuandasd to battle
Human eyes never again saw them alive
We are told that they fell victims to th
flower that creeps.
~ had first class pair Of glasses wit
me and directed them to the plateau
Half covered with the vines and Greer
ers 4 could see something white. The,