Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-11-12
A DANGEROUS PLANT.
II Ducks the Blood of Whatever Comes in
Contact with n.

ralist Of tn city, who has recently re-
turned from Central America, wherr he
had spent NJ arly two years in the study
of the flora and fauna of the country,
relates the 'nding of singular growth
in one Of tie swamps about the great
lakes of Nicaragua.
He was engaged in hunting for botan-
ical and chronological specimens in this
swamp, which is known as San Sebas-
tian's, when he heard his dog cry out as
If in agony from n distance. Running IN
the spot from which the animals cries
came. Mr. Iunstan found him envelopcd
in perfect network Of what seemed to
be a fine, roy clike tissue of roots or fibers
the nature of which was unknown to
him.
The plant or vine seemed composed en-
tirely of bare. interlacing stems, resem,
bling more than anything else the
branches of the weeping willow denuded
of all foliage, but of dark, nearly black
hue, and covered with a thick, viscid
gum that exuded from the pores. Draw
ing his knife, Mr.. Dunstan endeavored
to cut the animal free. but ii was only
with the greatest difficulty that he sue
ceeded in scyerinG the fleshy. muscular
fiber. To his horror and amazement the
naturalist then saw that the dogs body
was covered with blood. while his hair
less skin appeared to have been actually
sucked or puckered in spots, and the ami
mai staggered as II from weakness and
| exhaustion.
In cutting the vine the twigs curled
like living, sinuous fingers about Nr.
| Dunstan's hand, and It required no slig ut
force to free the member from its cling
ing grasp, which left the flesh red and
blstered. The gum exuding from the
vine was of n grayish dark tinge, re-
markably adhesive and of a disagreeahle
animal odor, very powerful and nauseat-
ing To inhale.
The native servants who accompanied
Mr.. Dunstan manifested the greatest
horror of the vine, which they call la
sagenas de diable. the DEVILS seine or
snare, and were full of stories OF its death
dealing powers.
One af these stories was of an English
man residir; in Managua, who, while
hunting In tie swamp a few years ago,
lay down beneath tree where a large
and powerful specimen OF this singu II
plant was growing. and, inadverteni ~
falling asleep, awoke to find himself en-
yeloped in its web, and in spite of every
effort made to extricate him, perished in
its deadly embrace.
Another sorry was of an escaped con-
Wet who had hidden in the swamp,
whose bones had been found in the folds
of the sagenas only short time before
Mr.. Dunstan's visit. These stories, re-
markable as they seem, are firmly he.
lieved in by the people, but the only
three specimens which Mr. Dunstan was
able To find were all small ones, though
the meshes of the largest would prob
ably, If extended in straight line
measure nearly, il not quite, 100 feet.
lIe was able to discover very little about
the nature OF the plant, owing to the diff
iiculty of handling it. for its grasp CIR
only be torn away with loss Of skin ard
even of flesh. but. SO near as Mr.. Dunstar
could ascert in, its power of suction il
contained i n number of infinitesimal
mouths or little suckers, which, ordina
rily closed. open for the reception oi
food.
The gum exuded seems to serve ths
two fold purpose of increasing its ten
acity and overcoming a victim by i.
sickening odor. The plant is found only
in low, wet places. and usually beneatl
large tree, and while dormant seem.
only network Of dry. dead vines c,v
erlng the black earth for several fs L
but coming into contact with anything
will instantly begin to twist and twin,
upward in horrible. life like manner
breaking out with the gum like substance
spoken of before, and ,nwrap the objec
| with a celery almost incredible.
II the substance is animal the blood 1
drawn Oft and the carcass or refuse thor
dropped a lump of raw meat beinI
thrown 1t, II the short time of five min
utes the blood will be thoroughly drunl
up and the mass thrown aside. Its vo
racisy is almost beyond belief, 1t devo"r
ing at one time over ten pounds of ment
though it may be deprived of all food ~
weeks with 1t any apparent loss OF vi
tality. Mr.. Dunstan attempted to brinl
away a root Of the sagenas. but IL dies
during his return voyage, growing 81
foul with n strong odor Of real amir 4
corruption rat he was Obliged to get u,
Of it-New Orleans Cor. Atlanta Consti
tuition.