The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1896-11-12
GUARDED BY INSECTS.
Golden Sands That Are Inaoces-
sible Because Of Mosquitoes
A River In South America In Which Lies
Much Precious Ore, but Miners Cam
not Withstand the Poison
Gus Insects.

Gold in plenty may be found in the
sands OF the Volador river. stream OF
moderate volume that falls from the
snow line of the Sierra de Santa Marta
in South America, but though the low
land region and the river bed where
the precious metal abounds in fabu-
lous quantities are easily accessible,
the mosquitoes are so thick and ter
rible there that all attempts to ride
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.
He had thought of establishing an
agricultural colony in the fertile low
lands, but found the plague of insects
50 unbcarable that he was forced to
beat retreat and abandon his prof.
ect
He was the discoverer Of this won
derful stream, whose waters sweep
over sands which are literally golden.
He 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 en-
counter he knew perfectly we'll. He
took with him when he set out an in
geniously constructed gauze tent of
large dimensions.
For two days he tried to live under
its shelter and watch the operations
OF his workmen, who toiled in the
sitting heat, clothed in thick gar
ments, and protected by heavy boots,
gloves and veils- At the end of the
second day. however, both employer
and employees gave up the struggle
and retreated.
The next to try to wiring fortune
from these auriferous sands was an
italian, who obtained permission from
the vice consul The Italian laughed
ct the idea of mosquitoes driving any
one away from q place where gold
could be picked up almost by the hand
ful He started ont with a party OF
six, who shared with him his belief,
and 20 they took along no special pro
lection against the insects. They en-
du, ed for less than half an hour the
awful torture, and then left. They
found their way back to Rio Hacha
with difficulty, for the eyes of five were
SO badly swollen that they were blind
Yet there are human beings who can
venture with impunity into this gold
mine whose guardian demons are mos
quitoes, and these are some of the saw
age natives of the mountains from
whose rocky sleeps the river falls
These savages, who are mosquito
proof, are rendered so by their bodies
being covered with the scales of lep-
rosy. Strange to say, the mosquitoes
will not touch them. But neither gold
nor the fascination Of civilization will
tempt them to labor.
I 1t is an old and true saying that one
might a. well try to get along without
furs In the Arctic regions as without
mosquito nets in the tropics. Mos
quito nets seem to have been of little
avail, however, in the instances re-
lated The insects are said to have
been most unusually venomous and
they come in such myraids that they
have the appearance of mist hanging
over the waters of the river. The in.
tense pain and action of the poison on
the system speedily drive the strongest
mad. Weekly.