, 1896-10-17
HIS NERVE WAS THERE,
This Sort Of Csntiped Was Harmless, but
He Didn't Know It

3d. VI W. Vut
He Didn't Know It
The Hawaiian Islands are almost ~
we'll off as Ireland. st. Patrick drove
all the venomous insects and reptiles
out Of the Green Isle, but the Hawaiians
claim that the reptiles and insects left
on MI. Dole's domain are in no sense Of
the word poisonous.
People who have particular dealings
with venomous insects imported from
the islands make the same claim. A To-
cal fruit importer said:
VERY frequently we receive consign-
ments Of bananas and pineapples pack
ed in dried grass and leaves. Iu taking
the fruit from the boxes it is not uncom-
mon to find . big centiped crawling
along the stalk between the bananas,
doing his best to get used to the Cali
fornia climate.
Zone afternoon I was opening a box
of bananas and pushed my hand through
the straw to get at the stalk. l felt
around for a few seconds and thought l
could feel something moving around on
the back Of my hand. l had often heard
Of the presence Of centipeds in fruit
shipments, 80 I carefully withdrew my
hand, SO as to make US little coumotinn
as possible. Imagine my surprise aud
alarm to see a five inch ccntiped slow
~ crawling up my arm. l was about to
strike it when q fruit packer standing
near by warned me to make no attempt
to get rid Of it. but t. Il. it crawl of at
its leisure. l had forgotten the fact
that they were not poisonous. and l know
I got as white as q sheet, believing every
moment that it would sink its claws
into me md send its powerful poison
through my blood.
II looked at it With fear and trem-
bling, but did not dare to move a mus
Gle 1t lifted its head and seemed per-
fectly satisfied to remain where it was.
I could hardly restrain myself from
making q quick motion and shaking 1t
of, but my companion warned me again
and again to keep quiet All I could
feel was a TICKLING sensation. The tic
king increased, and ! was almost ready
to faint with suppressed excitement
Finally the centiped looked up at my
sleeve and slowly made for it, moving
all the legs in unison. The sensation
by this time was u~nbearable, and l fear
ed I would be unable to remain calm
until the thing got entirely of.
my flesh seemed to shrink away %
the horrible creature proceeded, but in
. few more seconds, every one Of which
seemed an hour. it had settled itself com.
fortably on the fabric Of my clothing,
and with q motion quicker than I was
ever known to make before I routed 1t
with q stick and sat down. perspiring
from head to foot 1t was the most
thrilling experience 1 ever figured in.
and 1t made me sick the rest of the day.
my companion began to laugh as
though he would die of merriment. but
I Jaw nothing particularly humorous in
the situation.
"'You are crazy he said, to get
frightened owe a little thing like that.
Do you know that Hawaiian Island Gen.
tipeds are not poisonous? I told you to
keep quiet just to see how long your
nerve would last. II the thing had sunk
every claw it had into your f1eah. it
would have only caused a little swell
ing and nothing more. I have had sev-
eral Of them strike me. and I apply q
little ammonia or salt water and cure
1t up in half an hour. San Fran
DISCO Call