The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-02-17

and sainta who may, il fortune favors, be
thwarted or bribed, do everything mat
affects him. Such is the tenor OF his
thought when floods convert the pampas
into an inland sea, when poisonous winds
sweep out from rotting forests 10 carry
pestilence far and wide.
Similar conceptions color everything
which is striking, and not understood
The night lamia ShTieks IN darkness
amidst tempestuous winds; lack-o-
lanthorn" is the accused soul OF Lope de
ACuirre; belated in the forests he has HIM
self heard the hootngs Of that hairy de-
mon who devours those missing men for
whose return there is no hope. The good
people" Joyous, beautiful, benevolent TAR
les. do not dwell here; but in their place
are spooks and ghosts, bodeful birds, en-
chanted monkeys, magic serpents, pos
seSSed crOcodiles, and deVil-tlgers.
Like all other men in the same state
OF DEVELOPMENT, nothing impreSseS him
but what is unexpected or ineXplicable,
and for this he can find no Interpretation
except in supernatural Intervention. Inc
beauty and benignity Of nature 5 constants
touches such people not al all; but let one
OF them fall into the water and lie devouTed
instantly by school OF caribe fish, or be
struck dead by iaguar, and nothing VIII
explain it save the indifference OF man $
patron saint, or the malevolence oil some
devil.
I
| is not much larger than Il perch; but It's
| shark like teeth will cut through copper or
! iron wire and when caught IN net these
ferocious little creatures tear at everything
within reach so long as they retain life.
| Venezuelan waters abound in noXiOus
! forms. Its rivers-the Guarico Cabullare,
! Portuguese and Apure-swarm with caribe
! that Will quickly strip a mans flesh OF his
/ bones, and for this are called mondongue-
ros or tripeeaters; with sting-rays whose
! stab equals that OF a poisoned dagger, and
payaras which cut like a sword.
| Here turks the man eating cdiman or
| crocodile sur named cebado because this
word signifies everything that is bold,
treacherous and fcrocious. Zach charco
| fpool) holds electric cells able TO drown a
horse by paralyzing it with their shock,
and in those splendid streams opening
into the Orinoco swims "A water anaconda
culebra dc agua-ianged like wolf. The
boa constructor proper lives on land, and
is universally known as traga-venado,
deer swallower. Only two respectable
authorities have recorded Their personal
| observation of such an act, and natural
lists deny that il ever occurs. However
that may be, this is not the place to dis
cuss its possibility; moreover, II a larre
boa could not gorge deer, there is TO doubt
whatever about his ability to Kill them Or
men either.
Natives in these attitudes fear anacon-
das but further south forest Indians
hunt boas for their flesh and fat. We had
a little skirmish with one that befell as
follows:
1t was during that hush OF noon when, in
the hot season there is far less stir among
tropical forests than at midnight. Every
one belonging To our little party was rest
ing glad Ia be shaded from the yerica
rays Of that ncNcT-cloudod sun" under
whose pitilesS blaze, as Humboldt writes,
| The lowering sky sheds dim, almost
straw-colorod light, the horizon draws sud
denly near, and as Suifocating east wird
blows, visible nature seems to contract
and with il the wanderers heart"
All at once everything changed. Mac
avs shreked, parrots flew screaming from
their leafy coycrts, small ouadrupeGs
scunied about, ard troops OF monkeys
fitted through the bouphs, swearing vigor-
ously; while Francisco lifted up a Quaver-
ing voice, and lesought US To take notice
that we were bcset by tigers.
Ii looked so, certainly; or at least ir
india nothing less than an appearance o
the jungle king could have produced such
n connection. FurtEern ore, upon stepping
: out into the 81 de hciore our camp
attention was Immediately arrested b,
( something which when seen from the froni
, OF a howdah shows, nearly for certain
that the royal robbcr is there Oyel
+ against us the dark, marshy grass moved
= with that slow. sinGouS motion which q
tiger imparts. But il could not be This. fol
the growth was hardly tall enough TO cove
his form when afoot, and otherwise M
such sign can appear.
5 The mystery, however, was soon made
clear since on going forward a boa threw
itself into coil, scattering the heritage like
a small whirlwind. His threatening cres
rose high above surrounding objects. tho
long white fangs cleaned within his gap
ing mouth, and there surely was very