The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-29
TREE THAT sTRANGLEs.
Horrible Snake-LiI<e Coils of a
Strange Tree in Madagascar.


Strange Tree in Madagascar.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer
Far in the interior of the Madagascar
dwells the remnant of the tribe of the
D1kodes, a diminutive race of primitive
people These aborigina.s never exceed
four feet eight inches In hight, always
go perfectly naked and have no other
religion than the worship of the serpent
tree Near where the Mkodes live in
caverns the ferpent tree, hidden in what
appears to be impenetrable forest awaits
its victims. When these superstitious lit
tie folk wish TO Danish some evil or court
some favor they assemble here, dancing
and singing around their verdant object
of worship.
The trunk of this tree resembles a pine
apple in shape, is about eight feet high,
black and as hard as iron. From the top
10 the cone eight leaves hang to the
ground. These are about twelve feet
long, three feet wide, very thick and end
in sharp points. Stout horns cover the
inner side. The top of the cone is white
round and from afar looks like a small
dinner plate turned down on larger one.
This larger plate" contains a clear
viscous liquid, known TO possess exceed
insly intoxicating and soporltic properties
Just below it extend six green and hairy
shoots, about eight feet long and sharp
pointed. Above these, from between the
two plates" six white, plume-like tendrils
rise vertically about six feet. They are in
constant motion, shooting and twisting
around with bewildering rapidity. The
faint kissing noise thereby produced
strengthens the Illusion that these tendrils
are snakes performing hdeous dance
Wilder and wilder grows the dance of
the natives around the tree; wilder and
wilder sounds the chant Finally the saw
ages, with rush, surround one of the fe-
males, and at the point of their wicked
javehns force her to mount to the top
of the tree. There she sits terror-stricken.
The mob yells Drink DRINK In des-
peration the unfortunate victim a fast
scoops up some of the fatal liquid with
the hollow of her hands drinks it and
jumps to her feet, shouting and gesticu-
ating wildly among the vicious snaky
tendrils.
One of the tendrils coils around her neck
others wind around her arms and legs.
The women give vent to horrible 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. II is a vivid Interpretation of
| Laocoon's fate, without the beauty of that
hero's death.
The woman struggles no longer. Now,
almost incredible, the eight monster leaves
raise their tips from the ground they rise
higher and higher, until 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 its interstices.
With yell of mad delight the savages
rush to the tree and lop up every drop of
| the horrid fluid. The god is appeased.
After hideous orgies the participants sink
down one by one in commissions and de-
lirium TO long iusensibility, while the grim
| black tree continues to hold its victim
| in tight embrace.