The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-15
STRANGlEO BY A TREE.
Horrible Snake-Like Coils of q Strange
Tree In Madagascar.

Tree In Madagascar.
| Far in the interior of Madagascar
dwells the remnant of the tribe of the
| Mkodes, a diminutive race of primitive
people. These aboriginals never exceed
four feet eight inches in height, always
go perfectly naked and have no other
religion than the worship of the ser
pent tree. Near where the Mllodos live
in caverns the serpent tree, hidden in
whatappears to be an impenetrable for
est, awaits its victims. When these su-
1 perstitious little folk wish to Danish
some evil or court some favor they as.
semble here, dancing and singing
around their verdant object of worship.
| The trunk of this tree resembles a
pineapple in shape, is about eight feet
! high, black and as hard as iron. From
the top to the cone eight leaves hang TO
| the ground. These are about IL feet
long, three feet wide, very thick and
end in sharp points. Stout thorns cover
white, round, and from afar looks like
small dinner plate turned down on a
| larger one.
This larger plate" contains a clear,
viscous liquid, known TO possess exceed
ingly intoxicating and soporific proper
hairy shoots, about eight feet long and
sharp-pointed. Above these, from be-
tween the two plates" six white
plume-like tendrils rise vertically about
six feet. They are in constant motion.
shooting and twirling around with be-
wildering rapidity. The faint kissing
noise thereby produced strengthens the
illusion that these tendrils are snakes
performing hideous dance.
Wilder and wilder grows the dance Of
the natives around the tree; wilder
and wilder shouts the chant. Finally
the savages, with rush, surround one
of the females, and at the point of
their wicked javelins force her to
mount to the top of The tree. There she
sits, terror-stricken. The mob yells:
Drink! Drink" In desperation the
unfortunate victim at last scoops up
some of the fatal liquid with the hol-
low of her hand, drinks it and jumps
to her feet, shouting and gesticulatins
wildly among the vicious snaky ten
drills.
One of the tendrils coils around her
neck-others wind around her arms
and legs. The woman gives vent TO hor-
rible shriel1s and more demoniacai
laughter. While her struggles already
grow fainter and fainter the horizontal
hairy shoots suddenly rise one by one,
like great green snakes, and twine
themselves with relentless force around
her. 1t is vivid Interpretation of Lao
coon's fate, without the beauty of that
hero's death.
Thewoman struggles no longer. Now,
almost incredible, the eight monster
leaves raise from their tips to the
ground; they rise higher and higher.
until they inclose the victim as in case
of iron; they press closer and closer.
until-oh, horror! the serpent trees
store of lethe, mingled with the blood
of the human sacrifice, oozes through
the interstices.
With yell Of mad delight the saw
ages rush to the tree and lap up every
drop of the horrid fluid. The god IL
appeased. After hideous orgies the par
Elephants sink down one by one in con-
Fulsions and delirium to long insensi-
bility, while the grim black tree contin-
ues to hold its victim in tight embrace.
N Y. World