The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-08-25

that he could almost seize US, when
lindsay, running all risks, fred his gun
direct at the brute.
The effect produced by the detonation
was prodigious, for, as it were by enchant-
| ment, it dispelled all our apprehensions.
| The awful silence was broken in the most
| striking manner; the cayman was fright
| ened, and sank abruptly to the bottom OF
| the lake; hundreds of echoes resounded
| from all sides, like the discharges of a
| rifle corps, and these wero repeated to tho
tops of the mountains, while clouds OF
| cormorants, starting from all the trees
around, uttered their screaming and
piercing cries, in which they were joined
| by the Indians who shouted with 10y on
| seeing from the bank the fight of the
hostile beast, of which they are always 50
| much afraid
| All then became tranquil and we pro-
ceeded at our leisure. From time 70 time
cayman made his appearance: but the
explosions caused by our firing soon drove
the monsters down into the deepest parts
of the lake, more frightened than hurt, for
even when we struck them our balls re-
bounded from their scales without pierre
| ing them
We went close to the large trees, tho
branches of which were spreading over
| the water. They were thickIy covered
| with nests filled with eggs, and so great a
| quantity of young birds that we not only
| captured as many as we wished, but
| could have filled several boats with them.
| The cormorants, alarmed by the explo-
| sions we made, whiried over us continue
1 ally, like an immense cloud during the
time We troubled their gloomy abode and
| seemed TO disturb their solitary reign:
but they did not wish to go far from their
| nests, in which their young broods were
| crying out for parental care.
After we had rowed round the lake We
came to the spot from which we started,
having ended our expedition happily
without any accident, and even without
having incurred all the dangers that our
Indians, who were awaiting our return in
order TO take our boats once more across
the mountain, had wished to make. US
believe.
| SCIENTIFIC PLEASURES.
Resolved not to finish the excursion
without producing some beneficial re-
suits for the sake OF scientific knowledge.
we measured the circumference of the
lake, which We found to be about two
miles and half. We were able to take
soundings in the deepest parts towards
the middle, where we found the depth
about 300 feet; while at some few fathoms
from the banks we found it was invariably
$50 feet. And here the remark az be
made that In no part of the great Lake OF
Bay has the depth been found to exceed
10 feet; from which it may be concluded :,
as we have previously stated, that the Lake
OF Socolme is formed within the crater Of
an extinct volcano, it's waters having per-
colate6 or filtered through from the outer
Lake OF Bay.
From SocOlme took my guests to Los
Banos, at the foot of a mountain, several
Thousand feet high, from which several
springs of boiling water flow into the lake
and, mixing with its waters, produce
fevery temperature to be desired in q
natural bath. There also, on the hill, We
were sure to meet with good and plentiful
sport. Wild pigeons and beautiful doves
perched upon majestic trees, "mistrustful
OF their DOOM, allowed our sportsmen to
approach very near, and they never re-
turned from "the baths without having
"bagged' plenty of them.
Upon our appointed days of relaxation
from labor, We would go into the neigh
boring woods, and wage war on the
: monkeys, our harvest's greatest enemies.
: AS soon as a little dog, purposely brought
up 70 tnls MODE OF warfare, warned US by
ms oarkingS that marauders were in
slgnt we repaired to the spot, and then
the nring was opened. Fright seized hold
, on the miscellaneous tribe, every member
OF which hid itself in it's tree, and became
as invisible as it possibly could. But the
little dog would not leave his post, while
we would turn round the tree, and never
falIed discovering the hidden inmate,
we then commence the attack. not ceas-
ing until pug was laid PROSTATE. After
having made several victims sent them
10 De hung up on forks around the sugar.
cane fields as scarecrows to those that
mad escaped. ], however, always sent the
largest one to Father Miguel, our excel
rent curate, who was very fond of a mono
key ragout.