Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-07-27
MlRTELS on NATURE.
REMARKABLE OURIOSTIES IN THE LAND OF
ARABIAN NIGHTS.
animal and Vegetable Frsaks-SaakaS S0nes and
Izsecs That Perform Wonderful Eeas-A
List Of Uuaccoun.a5ls Wonders.

Knights tales, many of which have tneIr
scenes laid there In those amazing
narratives it is called Serendl0, ana us
pearls and rubies, strange fauna ana
other natural maryels have afforded
unlimited material for the imaginatlonS
OF Oriental r0mancers 10 work upon
ANIMAL AND VEGETABLES CUEIoSTrIEs.
Particularly in the animal and veget-
able world CeylOn is filed with curiosl-
ties. Among the most remarkable %
The inhabitants OF the forests are rats
that make their nests on the branches
OF trees. Frequently they visit the
dwellings OF the native people, where
they are eagerly pursued and devoured
by kline OF snake known as the rat
snake" specimens Of which are COM
monty domest.cated for the purpose
Of destroying the rodents.
SO rapid are these Ophidians IN their
movements that a rat, has small chance
OF escaping. There are rats OF another
Kind on the island which nest among
the tree roots. Like the Jennings OF
Norway, they migrate Ia vast numbers
on the occurrence OF a scarcity OF 1000.
They attack the coffee plants aad the
Malabar coolies are so fond Of their flesh
rs 10 prefer 20 labor in those districts
where the coffee plantation are Invaded
by the animals. For eating the rats are
fried In cOacOanut oil.
Crocodiles literally swarm In the
lakes and in sluggish streams. one OF
the two common species attains length
Of eighteen feet, and does not hesitate
TO assail human beings when oppressed
by hunger During the wars between
the natives and the Portuguese, who at
tempted centuries ago 20 conquer and
Christiauiza the island, the latter some
times disposed of their prisoners by
throwing them % the CrOCOdiles. The
only formidable representatives OF the
cat tribe are IeOpardS, which are hunt
ed for the sake OF their extremely beau
tiful skins. These animals are strongly
attracted by the peculiar odOr which
accompanies smallpox.
The reluctance OF the Singhalese 70
submit themselves or their children 10
vaccination exposes the country TO
frightful deyastations by this complaint
and in the villages of the interior 10 Is
usual on such occasions % build hats In
the Jungle TO serve as temporary hOspi-
tails. Toward these the leop&rds are
certain 10 be allured, and the medical
officers are obliged &c resort 10 special
precautions in consequence.
CEYLoN SNAKE STONES.
The so-caued "snake st0ues" OF Cey-
Ion are celebrated for the efficacy which
they are supposed 10 have i'm curing the
bites OF veuomous serpents. Secrecy
is maintained as 20 the method
of their manufacture, which is
lucrative business carried
on by monks, who supply the merchants
OF India with them. Very high prices
are demanded for them They are en-
ployed i'm the familiar manner by being
-paced ora tha wOuud, their absorbent
material sucking up Tue blood and incl
dentally the venom, as is claimed.
There Is plenty of authentic evidence OF
remarkable cures performed by such
snake stones, though science is as yet
reluctant 20 place any belief in them.
SirB q. ID. Tenant, 10 whose work on
CeYlOn tue writer IS indebted, tells OF
an occasion when De was riding along q
jungle path on the island, and he saw
one or TWO natives who were approach
ing suddenly dart off from the road and
return Immediately with q cobra, the
most deadly OF al, sarpents, graSped by
the head and taiL The man tried 10
place the snake ia q covered basket, but
handled % so ineXpert'y that 10 seized
him by the finger and retained it's hold
for a few seconds. Blood flowed and
Intense pain appeared 90 follow.
AS quickly as possible the other ma
N fe Eaf n| af nd
froT DO two snake stones, each the size
highly polished, though extremely
light. These he applied one 10 each
wound inflicted by the teeth of the cob
Ia. They attached themselves closely,
the blood that o0zad from the bite be-
ing rapidly imbiOed by the porous sub
stance. After three or four minutes
they dropped OF, and the suffering Of
the man seemed 90 have subsidized. He
twisted his fingers until the joints
cracked and went on his way without
concern. It has been aScertained with
certainty that these snake stones are
usually nothing more than pieces OF
burned bone.
The Mexican recipe for making a
snake stone is 10 take a fragment Of
deer's horn of any convenient size and
shape, cover 10 with grass, iRciOSe both
I'm thin piece OF sheet copper and
place the parcel In q charcoal fire until
the bone is well Charred. When cold
remove the calciued horn from it's
envelope, when 10 will ba found 10 be
solid black fbrous substance. 10 will
then be ready for immediate use.
DIGGING FOR FISHES.
Tn some parts of Cey,on the natives
are accustomed 20 dig in the mud dur
ing the hot season for fishes, which are
found buried Ga the soft clay az a depth
of two feet or more. 10 is thgs that
these curious animals hide themselves
during a period OF t0rpidity. More
than one species indigenous 10 the is
land have this remarkable habit, which
accounts for the appearance OF full
grown fishes IN ponds which have short.
ly before been euJir.y dried up. This
phenomenon was Tor a long time re-
garded as an insNplicabie mystery.
The creatures, as they 6ud their ac-
custOmed element disappearing by eyap-
Grafton during the dry time OF the year,
bury themselves liz the mud, sinking 20
8 depth at which they find sufficient
moisture TO preserve life for months,
while the bed of the pond above them
may become hardened crust, dried and
cracked by the heat of the sun. As
soon as the water comes again they
emerge, and people take advantage OF
the opportunity, while they are still
fourCerlng about ia the shadows, 70
effect their capture 10 large numbers.
CovtC, is u wraaf Dlaca for buus