New-York tribune., 1896-01-12
THE COMUDI.
AN ADVENTURE IN GUIANA.


When We came back again he was laden win
snoiIs for his cherished botanical and geological
collection. and J had gained some eApV'''
that were distinctly new 10 me.
Tho extent of Garth's holiday and mine dld
not admit of far roaming. We had to be content
with hiring a large bateau. with four lus'y ne
groes to paddle it, and going just as lar up '"e
Fsseouibo River as our tether Of time would let
rs Thai was not very far. for we spent a larse
part Of our allotted time in exploring every prom
jsing looking creek that We passed. ana Wherever
IL was practicable we left the bateau ana diVeu
into the forest with our guns.
one evening al slndown We camped on 'hE
savannah on the side of the very pretues' creek
we had yet padded up-a creek which seemed
to present at every bend a different variety oi
tropical scenery and the bes, sample of that va
ricty.
We hung our hammocks up in clump OF grace
full bamboos. Iii fire. and presently had supper
Garth. who had got touch of fever on him. de-
clined supper dosed himself with quinine and re-
tired to his hammock where ne lay tossing and
growing Garth's noble rage for collecting the
carcasses of beasts, birds and plants was tenn
pered by a tendency TO take fever whenever 1t
was there 10 be taken.
Around the dying fire the negro boatmen
laughed and chatted boisterousy among them
selves. |. having no one 10 talk to and nothing
to do followed Garth's example and got into my
hammock Presently fell fast asleep.
When awoke the bright tropical moon was
riding high in the heavens. Under its rays the
little savannah looked exactly like an English
park that had mysterously found its way into
the midst Of a South American forest ielt ZOO
wide-awake to go TO sleep again.
S1innad ont If my hammock and strOlled down
T. the waters edge.
on the opposite side of tn creek the trees and
bushes formed a towering. seemingly impene-
trable mass of foliage. festooned with gay Dig
nonias and flaming orange noranteas. and with
Towering orchids OF all kinds that in the daytime
made an embroidery of glowing colors on the
background of living green. The moonlight had
stolen the glow from the flowers and foliage II
Is true and they now looked somewhat anaemlc
in its pale rays. But they had assumed, as an
offset an air OF delicate spirituality. The whole
scene with it's subdued white light its undecided
tints its graces Of dimly revealed form. made me
feel that was in real fairyland where the life Of
nature and the fairies is attuned to faint minor
key.
felt tingling with life and energy and unrest
I, suddenly became tc me a all-important thing
10 be off by myself a.id see what lay behind the
next bend of the creek.
In another minute was IN tns pdtedu anu
paddling cOntentedly UP stream. Those lett III
our little camp slept steadily on.
The next bend Of the creek. and the next and
the next. and a good many more were passed, ana
stir had not stated my curiosity as to what lay
behind the point had last reached Presently
the creek brOadened out into small lagoon on
one side of the lagoon d low stretch OF ground
covered with long cleaning grass. chiefly razor
grass. Tall. graceful Itah palms were dotted over
this ground which stunted wallaba trees and
moco-mocos and prickly soweri palms sufiiciently
proclaimed to be swamp
| was lazily skirting the swamp when the ba-
teau ran on nasty snag. and after vainly eX-
hausting all lesser efforts to get ii off, had at
last TO take my weight out of the boat Standlng
above my knees in water on all insecure roofing
Of fbrous roots | tugged and pushed at the
bateau until finally. with one herculean SHOVE l
got ii off the snag-
But | had overdone the thing. My herculean
Shove had sent the bateau spinning right out into
the lagoon, and was noundeTing on my face In
the water. hugsing the snag tightly with both
arms | scrambled to my feet and ruefully real
lied the situation.
could see that the bateau had already got into
deep water and drifting with the current
back into the creek. could not go after 1t, FOR:
apart from the question Of alligators. my evil
destiny had so arranged things that had never
learned to swim. / breathed fervent wish that
the boat might not drift rGst our camping-piace
unobserved. and then had 10 turn my attention
to myself. for was gradually sinking deeper in
the water.
lost no time in scrambling on to the swamp
I. seemed To me that water than anything
else went to the composition OF this swamp
There was no stable footing anywhere except
about the roots Of the trees. and tried 10 I'M
prove my position by climbing one OF a little
group Of wallabas that grew near the edge OF the
swamp. There found a surprisingly comfortable
scat with q back. too-formed by the FORK or
two uueerly twisted branches. My tree ana us
neighbors evidently lived unhappily on this spot
for they were stunted and gnarled and had a
melancholy nsufficiency of foliage
NV surroundings like my situation, were GER
tainly rather depressing. but can hardly say
felt depressed. Ny temperament is sanguine-to
an irrational degree. friends tell me-and didn't
doubt that things would turn out as wanted
them TO- I was possessed of a comfortable
though ill-grounded conviction that some one
would be opportunely awake In our camp as the
batcau was drifting past, would secure the boat
discover my absence. and. understanding gen
orally what had happened paddle off at once to
my rescue.
antly warm, and. though knew that fever mi
crobes were swarming up in their greedy millions
from the swamp. 1t gave me no concern 1ever
microbes had always treated me hitherto as
privileged person grew drowsy and ended by
falling asleep
maam from the bush on the opposite side OF the
lagoon | sat up and remembered where was.
The moon was still shining brightly. but there
were no signs Of my rescuers. Was II possible
that the boat had drifted past the camp unob-
served?
was really about to consider the serious bear
ings of this question when something stirred on
the tree nearest to me. tIrned my head to see
what bird this something was. Then | had
no thoughts for anything else
There, facing me. with its huge body loosely
coiIed round the neighboring wallaba, was
huge water-boa or Comudi snake.
The foliage Of the tree was too scanty to OBJ
scure the moonlight and Instantly recognized
what the creature was. for. only few days
before, Garth and l had had an unsuccessful
shot at q Comud summing itself on log on the
river bank
had heard great deal about Comudi snakes.
more than II was agreeable To recollect just then.
Ny neighbor with gentle. undulatory mo-
tion of his head. looked at me. looked at him
am absolutely certain that he must have de-
rived more pleasure from that interchange OF
looks than did. A cold perspration broke out
upon me- , . -
Here at least was situation in which IL was
for me TO believe that things would
turn. out as I wished could not fight. nor could
] run away on that swamp. was weapon
alaxaA A1lali ih1f he