St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-06-01

viii d Ciy vi UtSpdiG. lie Udu T66Q
or blowgun in his hand, and he made
frantic motions to us to save him. We
were consulting what to do when the
crocodile made rush, drove him off the
pile and followed after to catch him in
the water. AS we saw nothing of the
man after that, we felt positive of his
horrible fate, though we had no SYM
pathy to waste.
Perhaps 10 instance of the destruc-
tive power of six FOUNDER can be re-
corded TO match the one | am about to
relate. We were about forty miles
above the sea and had come to anchor
about pistol shot from the shore, which
was here entirely clear of bushes, when
we were suddenly greeted by a flight of
arrows and darts from grove over
our port quarter. We knew
from the number of missiles
that there must be at least fifty
natives behind there. They had
not waited to see who we were or what
we wanted, but had sent out challenge
to battle before our anchor was fairly
buried in the mud. AS our mission was
one of peace, we sheltered ourselves
and made no reply for some time. This
simply emboldened the fellows, who
doubles comprised some war party
passing up or down, and they shot so
many arrows and darts into the steamer
that her port side literally bristled with
them.
1t was at length decided to teach them
a lesson, and the captain ordered the
SlXpounders on that side cast loose and
loaded with shell. This was done under
cover of screen provided for the pur-
pose. and when all was ready the gun
was aimed at the center of the grove
and fired. One loud, long wall followed
the explosion, and then we heard no
more of the natives. An hour later,
when we landed TO secure some wild
fruit, we found fourteen dead and dying
natives, all the work of that one shell,
which had exploded in the midst of the
crowd. In this case, too, the news
seemed to be spread with great rapidity,
for we were not annoyed again for
months.
The Jaguar
of the Amazon is also called q cougar, a
puma and panther, and he seems to
be one and the same beast, no matter
what the name. He is 1.-the, fierce and
vigilant, and an enemy to be dreaded
by even the best armed man. We often
saw pumaS on the shores or crOuched in
trees, and now and then floating past US
on drifting logs, and their far-reaching
if we lay within mile of Jungle The
only man we had killed in the two years
met his fate at the hands of a jaguar
and under singular circumstances.
We had wooded on the right-hand
shore, and then paid out our rope cable,
by which we were fast to a tree, to be
safe from a cavern during the night.
The anchor watch for the night consist
ed of only one man relieved at intervals
of four hours.
The man who went on at midnight
had been on duty ouly half an hour
when cave-in took place. A strip of
the bank, which was four feet above
water when we turned i'll, dropped into
the river, and with it the tree to which
we were fast. The tree fell directly
over the bows Of the boat, but only its
top coming aboard, and that without do
ing much damage. We heard the mans
shouts OF alarm, but before anyone had
turned out it was all over with him. A
jaguar had been hidden IN the tree-top,
and as the tree fell he came aboard with
1T, and at once Sprang upon the watch
man. He had the man by the throat,
and was sucking his blood as we turned
out and finished him.
We dreaded the snakes more than all
the rest, as they were to be met with on
the water as well as OH the shore. Go
where you would you could not run
amiss of them, and every species
seemed more inclined to fight than run.
On one occasion we came to a beauti-
full stretch of shore, and the naturalist
and botanist were landed from my boat.
We lay for them at the bank, under the
shade of great tree, and as soon as the
boat was secure the men stretched
themselves out on the thwarts to sleep.
l had brought along fish line and 4
double-bareled shotgun. Not caring to
accompany the gentlemen in their walk
ashore e, / proceeded to cast in my hook
and await results. Ten III inutes had
passed, and we were all very quiet,
VIII Ell felt a sudden thump, followed by
A Veil and a Struggle.
: On limb ten feet over our heads a
boa constructor had been lying. He Sc
lected the man lying on the forward
thwart for his victim, and made dart
for him. That serpent had never seen
yawl boat before, and he made a very
natural mistake. In trying to swing a
coil around the sailor he included the
thwart in his grip. 1t was moment of
excitement. You can judge of the
power he possessed when | tell you that
he almost lifted boat and all clear of the
water, and the only reason he didn't
pull us up to the limb was because the
thwart gave way under the strain and
flew up as if sent from a springboard.
The sailor didn't get caught, but he felt
the folds of the serpent, heard hiss in
his ear, and rolled overheard into the
water. The others leaped ashore, and l
was left alone in the stern Of the boat
with the snake almost above me.
When the serpent discovered that he
had piece of board in his coils instead
of 1--we sailor he let it drop and began
looking about for another victim. The
sailors called TO me to hurry ashore,
but l knew that he would drop on me if |
made a movement TO do so. | cooked
my gun and held it ready to fire, while
the men ashore, who could see him bet
tel than L could, kept me informed of
the SerpentS movements. He craWled
from branch to branch, seemingly con-
fused, but at length he came back to the
former spot and made ready for dart
a me. l got sight Of his head as he
waved it to and fro, and by a lucky shot
blew it to pieces with the heavy charge.
Most of his body at once fell to the
earth, but his tail had such a grip on the
limb that four OF us could not pull il
loose. He measured twenty-three feet
long, and evidently had the muscular
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