Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-01-20
TAILS OF TEN TRAVELLERS.
TcoNcLuDED FROM FIRST PAGE.

bride of an hour will fondle and crocodile |
aer priceless wedding ring.
Thus, pirouetting and futtering, hating
and starting, wheeling and circling, this
white old owl of the city schools, this
bird of bright plumsge of the carboneros
huts, and this Indian hawk OF the jungies
and the forests, made their way to camp.
And Juanita had never been called
Gonna" before. Perhaps it was this one
magical word that proved the professors
open sesame to deeper secrets than even
JuAnitas most wondrous woodcraft wiles!
From this moment there was no reserve
between the naturalist of the echools and
the naturalist of the woods. The profess
sor was Matagas' guest, and none could
question his coming and going. Juanita
was Matagas' daughter. She went and
came at will, more feared than loved even
by Matagss himeelf for her strange nature.
craft and secret power over reptile, bird
and beast.
"Two crazy children together!" Matsgas
would say with grave smile to old Toma-
"a, as the professor aud Jusnita set out
and the forests; bus Tomass, like SO many
other women past the glorious heyday
morn of life, and now transformed to q
bird of i'll omen, would merely snifde and
groau, and ruefully shake her prophetic
head.
The professor, as pack mule pannfer
laden for carrying their spoils, and Juani-
to, armed with short mschete and dex-
trously-wrought guiebrahaca club, slender
as an arrow and with knobbed head, the
whole as heavy and strong as iron, were
continually in transports; scholasticism
for the one standing joyfully sgape before
simple uature-wit; while Juanita, child of
nature that she was, had never until now
quaffed that sweetest of intoxicants, the
ecstacy of revelation to one who hangers
and who knows.
In the mighty forests she disclosed to
her companion the narvels of the virgin
woods, and taught him volumes never
found in books: Of tho guiebrahsca,
toughest of all woods, hard "a horn, last
ing as iron, deadly as flint in bandit bat
tie; of the lordly slmiqui, statelier and
more crimson in fibre than the noble red
wood of the west; of cedars tremendous
in sizs and height, past all record of the
books; of the caobss, almost touching the
clouds and twelve times her reach from
finger tips to inger-tips in circumference;
of the mantt queros with its March drifts
of blossoms, like millions of snowy Ca
mellias, whose browsing odor left the
wood choppers erm listless at his eide; of
the silvery gueso, the "bone wood" of the
dal-wood whose fragrance fills countless
lingerie closets in all the zone of homes;
OF the palma do msnaca whoss broad
leaves form tho roofs of the carboneros'
huts for seven years without renewal; OF
the majestic laurel and royal palm; and Of
the cocoa, mystic and lone, with the tropic
brt ezss ever chanting and soughing among
Its sky -pis rcing, pinnate leaves.
Continuing in her endless surprises she
would fling her maobsse in the trunk of &
beautiful tree, the carne de doncells
D. xtrously Withdrawing the blade, itt
edges and point would drip as with blood
when she would gleefully shout,
"Mira-la sangre de la Doncella!" (See
| the blood of the VirginD while the pro
lessor, long since at the end of verbal I'D
ulation, could only gasp and gesticulat
his praises and delight.
If in their far p!lgrimings they Lacked
for food, it always came at Juanita'a bid
ding.
Motioning the don aside. she would glid
noiselessly into the forest depths. Shortl.
her companion would hear q soft 'Che-ip
q .deel Che Up, a-dee!-Chs-ip! che ip che
ip!"
RustlingN and chattering would alwsy
follow. In an instant more the CLOWN
faced girl would bound back to the do
with a fat, squirrel-like huita dsnglin
from her appraised hand.
So, too, her seductive Turing of the viii
pigeons was astounding to Don Eduard
With her two hands she first made lout
sharp clappings, gradually softening the'
to perfect imitation Of the wing fappir
of homing wild fowl. This would be TO
lowed by her vocal call SO like that of
wild pigeon that one eesmed really mes
ling there above their heads. To the
would come low, half doubling answe
from tie Interesting branches of the tree
Again the tremulous voice-csil of the 81
and the scurryiDg and rustling of the d
luded birds. when Juanita with out-reac
ing head and lightful eyes would wa
straight to the covert and return with Il
. charmed pigeons posing and trembliI
upon her head, shoulder or hand.
Again, If they were athirst, che won
. | lead the professor like helpless child
the mighty stems of the para cimarou
or wild grape, which like weird Moori
fret-work, was interviewer between ear
and overhanging branches beneath a SEQ
of stately trees.
;Here Is Aaron's rod" che would laug
ingly exclaim, as she fondled the blade
\ VAo uoSb0pOs WAL SASo yoA ~ A14I q
With one stroke the huge, knotty tru,
would be severed, and from the mouth
tho hanging tube they would drink the
fill of the whey, refreshing sap.
10 this idylic way passed the days a,
weeks Of summer. Every sunlit ho
brought the professor some new and pr
cious specimen, not only from deep Voc
and mountain Businesses, but from the v,
Icy edges below, where war had blast
wales of peace, and unkempt parnsross
granadillss and countless tropical shru
and flowers still grew in rank profasi
beside the ruins of ancient plantati
homes; for here host of singing Dir
which loved the haunts of men still car
with plaintive, mournful songs.
at departure His donkey had fatten
upon the camp -side fare. His pannie
} were over flo wiag with specimens Eve
one had pressed him to remain, save T
masa and Joe. But each time he look,
in the face of the girl who had been b
sweet and loving companion In every We
ing hour of this strangest experience
his life, his heart failed him entirely. 81
magic had seemed to psss from her We
self into and become q part of every epe
linen he had secured. 1t had wrought fu
ther still. 1t had fret taught this shri
' elled specimen himself that eubtler viva
| charm of perfect human companionshi
To Juanita it had opened a heaven wor
of aspiration, intsnR1bls, ndefuable, b
vaster and more ineffable In its glory tn,
the dome above her which held the elo
ing stars. She stood at the threshold
such world, longing, hungering, panti1
s for entrance; and the don's going was
the closing backward upon her of sor
Eblis door for ever.
But at last tho partings had all be-
SAID "Feljx visgel-felix visge! dos
a compsne!" had besn cheerily shouted
the departing naturalist; and at the ed
of the camp the don, the donkey and t
bursting psnniers were receiving the Ii
, embraces and blessings of the gis1
= framed, sunnyhesrted outlaw, Matagas.
4 Suddenly Juanita, machete at her ei
, and guiebrahaca stick In hand, stood The
1 beside them.
r "The don shall not return by Cienf.
= gos;" said the girl quietly. IT will sht
him our secret path over the mountains
: Guines."
"Good" answered Matagas hearth
! "He will not reveal it."
|. And 60 the outlaw and the natural
9 parted. Juanita turned the donkey's he
in the opposite direction; led 1t and
}. burdens silently through the camp; he
tated moment as the forest was entere
y and then, swiftly returning to Matagas q
= Tomasa, who had contentedly resum
their labors, kissed both impulsively wi
the parting words, EDO not fear if it
e late when I rsturn!" when che spra
again to the donkey's head, and with /