The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-07-18
EXPLORING THE AMAZON.
ADVENTURES IN THE TROPICS
OF SOUTH AMERICA.
~ Natives Ignore tho Peaceful Intent
OF the Explorers--A Midnight Elk
porience with y blood
thirsty Jaguar.


been selected to furnish more daily
adventures. Tho Forward was pro-
peller, carried two six pound cannons
as her armament, and when loaded
drew only five feet OF water.
We had q steam launch and two
yawls for exploration where the
steamer could not 60. and there were
six Of US out in the launch one day
making soundings in a great bend,
when a monster crocodile rose to the
surface close beside US, lunged for
ward, and had his head and one leg
over the gunwale before any one saw
him. The engineer had a Ratchet
within reach, and with this he gave
the reptile such blow as made him
draw of and sink out of sight. The
launch had scarcely righted herself,
however, when full dozen more Of
the saurlans rose to the attack. We
should have been captized and every
man devoured alive had we not been
in one of the yawls. As 1t was, we
drove ahead at full speed and outran
them, though some OF them persued
us for half mile, and we were nearly
swamped with the water splashed into
the boat
A few days later. one afternoon as
the steamer came to anchor in a chan
mel, the anchor must have dropped
among bed OF sleeping crocodiles.
They rose all about US. Kissing and
splashing, and this excitement brought
up others, until sixty-six enormous big
follows were TO be counted at one.time.
They attacked the steamer with the
utmost fury. and, while their efforts
were harmless, their struggles rocked
her as II she was ut sea in gale. A
fuse shell was prepared in keg, to-
gether with three pounds Of lose pow
der, and at proper time the keg was
thrown overheard. It had drifted a
hundred feet astern before they saw II
and made rush. They had pulled ii
about five feet under water when the
explosion came, and a full dozen OF
the saurians must have been killed by
it. 1t was nearly month after that
before another one came about the
steamer, and it looked to us as II
couriers had been sent up and down
with the news that we were an enemy
to be avoided.
Perhaps no instance OF the destruc-
tive power OF a six-pounder can be
recorded 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 q
| flight Of arrows and darts from grove
over our port quarter We knew from
the numbsr OF missiles that there must
| be at least fifty natives punched there.
They had not waited to see who we
were or what we wanted, but had SEN
out q challenge to battle before oul
anchor was fairly buried in the mud.
As our mission was one OF peace
we sheltered ourselves and made nc
reply for some time. This simply EN-
boldened the fellows, who doubles.
comprised some war party passing w
or down, and they shot so many ar.
rows and darts into tho steamer thai
her port side literally bristled with
them. 1t was at length decided tc
teach them lesson, and the captain
ordered tho six-pounder on that side
cast loose and loaded with shell. This
was done under cover OF screen pro.
vided for the purpose, and when al
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 latW. when we landed Il
secure some wild fruit, we found four
teen dead and dying natives in the
grove--all the work OF that one shell,
which had exploded in the midst o
the crowd. In this case, too, the new,
seemed to spread with great rapidity
for we were not annoyed again fol
months.
The jaguar OF the Amazon Is alst
called n cougar, a puma, and pan
Their and he seems to be one and tn,
same beast, no matter what the name
He is 1.-the. fierce and vigilant, and al
enemy to be dreaded by even the best
armed man. We often saw pumas OF
the shores or crouched in trees. ant
now and then floating past on driftin.
logs, and their far-reaching cries wer,
always to be heard at night, IL we la,
within mile OF jungle. The onl.
man we had killed in the two years me
his fate at the. hands OF jaguar and un
der singular circumstances. We ha,
wooded on the right-hand shore ar,
then paid out our rope cable. by which
we were fast to a tree, to be safe from
cave-in during the night. The an
Choir watch for the night consisted O
only one man, relieved at intervals O
four hours.
The man who went on at midnigh
had been on duty only half an hou
when cave-in took place. A strip Q
the bank, which was four feet abov
water when we turned in. dropped int
the river and WITT 1t the tree to whic
we were fast. Tbs tree fell directl
over the bows OF the boat, but only II
! top coming aboard. and that wahou
doing any great damage. We hear
the mans shouts OF alarm. but befor
any one had turnsd out 1t was all owe
with him. A jagsar had been hidde
In the tree top, and as the tree fell
came aboard with 1t and at once spran
upon the Waterman. He had the mo