Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-10-26

scene by rising bank of clouds But declare that I saw rising from the pit a visible vapor, a column of visible fog or smoke or gas that was luminous Spellbound, I. gazed at the spectral column. Near the ground it had the appearance of phosphorescent flame, and gradually became fainter as it ascended. Your imagination will have to picture the unearthly phenom- onon. Pili pushed at my arm and in silence we left the spot, and we did not loiter by the wayside.
 "As was looking for simple plant and not blood-curdling manifestations, was inclined to break camp and leave. But by morning my nerves were in bet ter order, and went back to the scene
 of the evening adventure. could find
 no clew to the mystery, and the matter gradually went out of mind as I pros ecuted my labors
 But I had occasion, after time, to visit spot near where I had seen the
 canyon about which Pili was so appa- rently ignorant. One evening I made known my intention to Pili to return
 to the place and to explore the gorge. "When?" said Pili
 "In the morning." replied.
 Without word the old native arose from his mat on the floor and departed. He was gone all night. He returned
 by sunrise, bearing on his shoulders
 bundle. When we reached the canon
 he stopped and upacked his load. I saw a stone idol, curious in shape; he placed it on the ground and then took
 a small pig from his bundle. Making fire, he sprinkled something in the flames, muttered strange sounds and
 made symbols in the air with his fingers.
 The animal offering was placed before the idol After he completed his strange
 rites he said that I might never come back, but he had done what he could to
 preserve my life. He would wait until
 the going down of the sun, and then, if
 did not come back, he would vail for me as did his fathers long, long ago
 when son fell in battle. Then he sat down covered up his head, and was silent
 All this made me feel uncomfortable. The natives of the Hawaiian islands
 are supposed to be Christianized, but in
 time of danger or trouble many often
 turn to the discarded gods of their fathers I knew Pili believed that
 great danger awaited any one who
 ascended the ravine. But went.
 had gone about mile, when over the tops of tree ferns I saw waving mass
 of sea-green foliage undulating in the
 wind The object looked like huge
 bunch of thick-leaved seaweed, and the
 peculiar motion of the same arrested
 my attention. I was over three hun dred feet away from the curious object, | and hurried to obtain closer view. A
 wall of fern-covered lava about ten feet
 high stopped my course. Climbing up l so that just could see over the edge, I
 saw an object such as the eyes of civil- ized man never before beheld. Imagine | a bunch of seaweed about twelve feet
 high; the edge of each piece lined with
 fine streamers which radiated in all
 directions and trembled like fine wire
 spirals; the whole object moving like | the fringes of sea anemone.
 I was wearing heavy felt hat with
 wide brim, and pushed it back from
 my forehead to get better view. As
 moved my arm the strange object
 ceased quivering, and every vibrating
 antenna or streamer pointed directly at
 me. Just then my foot slipped from a iutting rock on which was standing
 and I fell, but not before something cleaved the air with horrible hissing
 noise and struck on my hat crown. I
 felt the force of blow as I fell, and
 knew no more for time. I regained
 consciousness after short time, and
 lay in a partial stupor. The wall above
 me was stripped of it's verdure, and I
 saw a long, sinewy, snake-li1e object
 writhing, twisting and curling on the
 rocks. It had missed it's prey, and a low anurv hmm filled the air Homo
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