Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-07-16
INSECTS GUARD GOLD
A PLACER oloGiNGs moNoPoLizeO BY
MOSQUITOES.
A Plague That Drives the Workers Away
From tho Rich Sand Of a South Ameri-
can River-Natives Who Can Stand the
Tortures Are Too Lazy tn Work.

From tho Rich Sand Of a South Ameri-
can River-Natives Who Can stand the
Torturcs Are Too Lazy To Work.
Gold in plenty may be found III the
sands Of the Volador river, q stream OF
moderate volume that comes tumbiing
from the snow line from the Sierra dc
ST. Martha, in South America, but
though the lowland region and the river
bed where the precious metal abounds
in fabulous quantities are c.Isily accessl-
BILE the mosquitoes are SO thick and ter
rible there that all attempts to rifle the
sands of their gold have so far failed
Elisee Reclus, the celebrated French
geographer, was the first to explore the
plain about the Volador's mouth II
seemed like an earthly paradise at first,
and the stinging insects were no more
numerous than one might have expect
ed But rs the rainy season came Oh ana
the air grew hot and humid the mos
quitoes appeared in incredible swarms.
NJ. Reclus had thought Of establishing
an agricultural colony in the fertile
lowlands. but found the plague OF in
sects So unbcarable that he was forced
10 beat n retreat and abandon his project
He was the dlsccyercr Of this wonder
full stream. whose waters sweep over
sands that are literally g,Slen. He told
the news 10 the French vice consul at
Rio Hacha. and this official obtained
the concession Il this Eldorado. Tho
dangers le WAS 10 encounter he know
perfectly we'll He took with him when
he set ont M ingcniously constructed
gauze tent of large dimensions. For two
day. lie tried TO live under It's Sh'''cr
and watch TIE operations of h.s "ofA-
men. who toilcd i'll the sitting heat,
clothcd in thick garments and protected
by heavy boots, gloves and wells. At tho
end Of the second day, however, both
| employer and employees with one accord
gave up the struggle and rctrcated.
The next 10 try 10 wiring fortune from
these aurlforuus sands was IN Italian,
who obtained permission from the vice
consul referred 10 above. The Italian
laughed at the idea Of mosquitoes driv-
| ing any one away from "A place where
gold could bo picked up almost by the
handful He started out with party of
six. who shared with him his belief, and
so they took along no special protection
aga nst the insects. They endured Tor
less than half an hour the awful torture
and then fed. They found their way
bacl; 90 Rio Hacha with difficulty, for
the eyes Of five were so badly swollen
that they were blind. The siXth's face
was sight 90 behold. and he had TO
pick out the pathway with the aid OF
one eye. which the mosquitoes had not
entirely closed.
Yet there are human beings who can
venture with impunity into this hell
whose guardian demons are mosquitoes,
AMI thC-c C-c yor9c Il the savage natives
Of the mountains from whose rocky
ste rs the river comes tumbling down.
Tn So savagcs, who are mosquito proof,
arr rendered - 10y their bodies being
COY red with the scales Of that awful
disease, leprosy. Strange 10 say, the
mosquitoes will not touch them Bat;
neither gold nor the gauds Of civilizh-
tion will tempt them - labor, and there
is no human power apparently which
will drag them on from their rude caves
on the mountain side and make them
labor for the white rlcn.
Ii is an old and true saying that one
might ~ we'll try 10 get along without
furs in the arctic regions rs without
mosquito nets in the tropics. Mosquito
nets seem 70 have been Of little avail,
however. in the instances related. The
insects are said u have been both un-
usually large and unusually yenomous'
and they came in .uch myriads that they
hal tie appearance Of mist hanging
over the waters OF thcrivcr. The intense
pain and action Of the poison on the sys-
tenn spccl.'. d-ivC the s;r uCCst mad.
One Of the favorite tortures among
the natives Ct the region about the val
lev Of the Volador Is to strip their VIC
tim and bind him naked to a stake In
a moment his body viii be literally COW
cred with mosluitocS, and III hall
hours time it will be- enormously swell
ed. The torture is indescribable. New
York World.