The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1895-08-23

reglon and the river bed where the
prorous metal abounds In fabulous
quantities are easily accessible. the
mosquitoes are so thick and terrible
there that all attempts to rifle the
sends Of their gold have so far failed.
Ellsca Reclus. the celebrated French
geogapher. was the first to explore
the plain about the volador's mouth.
Il seemed like an earthly paradise at
nrst. and the singing insects were no
more numerous than one might have
expected. But as the rainy season
cane on and the air grew hot and
humid tho mosquitoes appeared In in
credible swarms. NJ. Reclus had
thought Of establishing an agricultural
colony In the fertile lowlands, but
found the plague OF Insects so unbear-
able that he was forced to beat a re-
treat and abandon the project.
He was the dlscoyercr OF this won
derful stream. whose waters sweep
over sands that are literally golden.
lie told the news to the French Vice
Consul at Rio Hacha. and this official
obtained the concession Of this Edo
RADIO. The dangers he was to encounter
ne know perfectly well. He took with
him when he set out an ingcnlously
constructed gauze tent OF large d.
menslons For two days he tried to
live under Ia shelter and watch the
operations OF his workmen, who tollod
IN the stflng heat, clothed In thick
garments. and protected by heavy
boots. gloye8 and wells. At the end Of
the cecond day. however both employ
or and employees with one accord gave
mp the struggle and rercatod.
The next to try TO wiring fortune
/ from these nurlforou8 sands was an
Italian. who obtained permission from
the Vlce-Conaul referred to above. The
Italian laughed at the idea OF mosQul-
toes driving anyone away from n place
where gold could be picked up almost
By the handful. lie started out with
a party OF six who shared with him his
belief. ana 40 they took along no fpe-
clal protection against the Insects.
They endured for less than half an
hour the awful torture and then fed
They found their way back TO Rio
Hlache with difficulty. for the eyes OF
ave were no badly gwollen that they
were blind. The sixth was a sight to
behold. md he had to pick out the
pathway with tho aid OF one eye which
the mosquitoes had not entirely closed
Yet there are human beings who car
venture with lmpunity into this hcl
whose guardian demons are mosqul
toes, and these are some OF the savage
natives OF the mountains from who's
rocky sleeps the river comes tumblini
down. These aayagcs who are mosqui
TO proof are rendered 80 by theil
bodies being covered with the SCALE
OF that awful disease leprosy, StrangI
TO Aay, the mosquitoes will not toucl
them. But neither gold nor the gaud
OF civilization will tempt them TO labor
aud there is no human power, appar
emily, which will DRAG them from thei
rude caves on the mountain side an'
make them labor for the white men.
IL Is an old ana true saying that on
might as well try TO get along withou
nirs In the arctic regions as wlthou
mosquito nets In the tropics. Mosquito
nets seem to have been OF little avail
however. In the instances related. TIL
insects are said to have been both nm
usually large and unusually vonomou'
and they came In such myrlads tina
they had the appearance OF mis-
hanging over the waters OF the river
The Intense pain and action OF tn
poison on the system speedily driy
the strongest mad.
one OF the fayorlte torturea amen
the natives OF the region about the val
ley OF the Volndor Is to strip their vic
tim and bind him naked TO a stake. !
moment his body will be literall
covered with mosquitoes and In haI
hours time It will be enormousl
swclled. The torture Is lndeacrlbabl'