The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-10-21
THE WHITE DEATH"

ne ranch OF senior LtA1 WdS on u CnATfu-
ing slope. overlooking the broad, smooth
waters Of one Of the tributaries Of the Pa
rama, on whose opposite shore the rank
grass grew ten and twelve feet high.
The house itself had tropical charac-
ter; it was Spanish American, with cool.
shady veranda. u long, low front, painted |
walls and latticed windows, a spacious /
court and a Hat root, provided with n para |
pet, which gave the whole structure the |
appearance Of fort Many acres Of Guilt |
waited land showed long lines Of sugar cane
and tall trees laden with bananas, in sur |
prising contrast to the dark. impenetrable |
mass Of wild husband which in the dis |
lance surrounded the settlement.
Sonora DiaA WAS one OF the tropical beau |
ties Of whom Murillo dreamed.
II am going to test your gallantry," she
said, coming out on the veranda where l
sat, by asking you to help ME to water my
flowers, for with my lame hand it is not
easy for me to lift the heavy watering pot"
Il am at your service, but allow mean
wrong'-to remind you that you prom
ised to tell me the story Of how your hand
was famed"
Certainly. As soon IS the flowers are
watered We will have coffee on the verand,
and you will hear all about it,"
Accordingly WAS shortly afterwarl sip
ping coffee with the little Lolita, my host
only daughter, and my pet, beside me- while
her mother rolled . cigarette. lighted IL
and began as follows:
When we first came here, years ago, il
was q very different looking place. The
wild husband reached to the edge Of the
water. and was such u dark wilderness OF
thorns, brambles, palms, wild fg trees and
other tropical vegetation that | did no,
dare venture into its depths But my hus
band and his workmen went manfully to
work, felled trees, uprooted stumps, made
hedges and bitches all day long, except in
the severest heat. and often saw them
come home 50 wearied that they would fall
asleep where they stood. and first think OF
| food three or four hours later when they
| awoke.
| After awhile they got u portion OF the
| ground under subsection, but after the
acres were cleared and we began to plant
we had throng OF foes to combat The
worst were the ants, which being watched
for on account Of their depredations on
plantations have a way OF making under
ground passages till they undermine the
whole surface OF field, and it falls in like
the crust Of a cake.
just north Of us is a great gap in the
ground, full OF bushes and wild grass, with
|
awhole settlement sank in consequence OF
the ants undermining the foundations. From
this comes the saying We have in Para
quay that our worst enemies are the Indian
braves and the Indian ants.
Luckily, the only Indians in our vicinity
were friendly ones, who exchanged all
kinds Of provisions, especially dried meats,
for knives and brandy. We poisoned the
ants, dug up their nests, flooded their pas
sageways with boiling water. and So in a
great measure, were free from them. al
though even now they sometimes come
from the woods to attack the plantation.
But after them came another plague
snakes For a long time thought it was
hopeless to contend against them. My
husband used to call them the tax collect
ors. and they did come just a. regularly
No day passed without our finding one or
more in the house. And once-oh, heaven,
what a fright had!
When Lolita WAS n baby. my husband
and his men went of one morning 10 work
as usual, and the child lay asleep on mat
at the end OF the room. Suddenly SAW on
the door the skin Of u mouse, from W hich
the whole body had been cked, as from an
orange. knew at once that a snake must
be near, for they feed on mice and eat them
In this fashion, but, carefully IA looked
about me, | could zee no snake. till all ut
once it occurred to me that it might be un-
der the baby's mat. | snatched the child
up and placed her in safety. Then lifted
softly part Of the mat, and there il WA.
the long. Shiny. green and gold reptile
coiled up and fast asleep. All. how
jumped! | ran out into the courtyard Ia
call for help. Luckily our man, Jose was
there, and he killed the reptile But IA we
Ill,
themselves in the forest | began To hop.
our cares were ended. but they were onl ,
just begun Wild beasts now first appeare,
on the scene.
One morning while we were at breakfast
one OF our her,ismen brought the news
that our cattle, which Craze in the tai
grass on the other side Of the river. had
been attacked by n ja1uar that had kill ell
one OF the bulls The man who told u.
this bad escaped with his life, yet he voud
have scarcely done so IL be hail not rnislet
the beast. or had there not been tat OK
there.
A week passed without a new alarm and
we had come to think less about it, wher
suddenly three or four indians rushed ir
to tell US how a great jag1,ar had broker
into their camp and killed q woman and
one Of their dogs.
Judged that it was the same animal that
had attacked our bull. for the Indians de,
scribed it as a creature Of singular color
far lighter than any they hal seen abou,
there, 80 that they named it The Whit.
Death"
We all thought IL high time to do some
thing, and my husband called his people to
gether 10 go out and hunt the animal
! remember that morning distinctly
They went away cheerfully enough. eact
man with his gun and hunting knife. anc
Moro. our bloodhound. was with them NJ
husband turned around just a. be entere,
the wood and kissed his hand to me; ther
be and his companions vanished In the for
est
When I found myself with Lolita alone
in the house and thought Of what nigh,
happen II they met that terrible wild ami
NAL, such anxiety seized me talthough
never thought | could be In dan9er), that
I could not be contented till | had lock ed
every door In the house: and then I seated
myself in the great sitting room, took 10
lita on my lap and tried to tell her story
Suddenly heard a scratching along the
roof, and then dull thud. as II something
heavy had fallen.
Anxious and nervous rs ! was, I startes.
up With . cry. although I had no preaenti
nent what it was
The next moment heard Jus. over no q
sound which could not mistake long
parSionate roar-H cry that I hal often
heard from the woods Mt night. and never
, without feeling ~ II my heart stool still,
The thought rushed through my mind
"Oh. heaven, the jaguar."
IT,