The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-02-01
sTRANoLEo BY A TREE.
Horrible snake-Like Coils of n Strung
Tree In Madagascar.

Horribie Snake-Like Coils OF q Strange
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 Mkodos live
in caverns the serpent tree, hidden in
whatappears to be a n impenetrable for
est, awaits its victims. When these SUI
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 ~ feet
long, three feet wide, very thick and
end IN sharp points. St~out.thorns cover
the inner side. The top of the cone Is
white, round, and from afar looks like
a small dinner plate turned down on a
larger one. !
This larger plate" contains a clear,
viscous liquid, known to possess exceed
ingly intoxicating and soporifc proper
ties. Just below it extend six green and
hairy shoots, about eight feet long and
sharp-pointed. Above these, from be-
tween the two plates" six whitc
plume-like tendrils rise vertically about
six feet. They are in constant motion.
shooting and twirling around with be-
xrfllars.r w,~sltk- 4TLa f.s-k Lf~.f-~
noise thereby produced strengthens the
illusion hat these tendrils are snakes
performing a hideous dance.
Wilder and wilder grows the dance of
the natives around the tree; wilder
and wilder shouts the chant. Finally
the savages. with q rush, surround one
of the females, and at the point of
their wicked javeIins force her to
mount to the top of the tree. There she
sits, terror-stricken. The mob yells: |
"DrinkI 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 gesticulating
wildly among the vicious snaky ten
drills.
One OF the benurliS COILS around Qer |
neck-others wind around her arms
and legs. The womsn gives vent to hor-
rible shrieks and more demoniacal
laughter. While her struggles already
grow fainter and fainter the horizontal
hairy shoots suddenly rise one by one,
like great green snakes, and Irvine
themselves with relentless force around
her. It is a vivid Interpretation of Lao
coon's fate, without the beauty of that
death.
The woman struggiesnolonger. Now.
incredible, the eight monster
raise from their tips to the
they rise higher and higher.
they inclose the victim as In a 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 a yell of mad delight the saw
ages rush to the tree and lap up every
drop of the horrid fluid. The god II
appeased. After hideous orgies the par
Elephants sink down one by one in con-
y~ulsions and delirium t % long insensi-
oility. while the grim black tree contin-
les to hold its victim in tight embrace.
N " World