The Republican journal., 1898-02-10

ern, in and out of which the restless tides
ebb and flow with sound like thunder
the first thing to be done was to build a
fire near the entrance and make prepare
tons for Crying out'' the product of the
chase. This is said to be the best gucharo
hunting ground in all Central America.
Certainly the number of birds was beyond
computing. The Indians rushed into the
cavern with noise and shouting, brandish-
ing flaming torches. The old birds, fright
ened by the sudden intrusion and blinded
by the light of the torches, hurried into
the open air, uttering piteous cries of dis
tress and bewilderment, Tapping their
wings in our faces and settling in clouds
upon every nearby object-even our own
shoulders and the backs of our donkeys.
Then the slaughter of the innocents in
side the cave began. Only the young birds
are wanted, and in half an hour bushels
of them had been torn from their nests.
Meanwhile clay pots and iron kettles had
been heating over the fires; the poor little
things were dumped in, dead OF alive, and
in short time reduced to oil.
Though only spectators to what would
have happened just the same without our
presence, we felt as if accessory to mil
lion murders-as King Herod must have
felt on that awful morning when there
was mourning for the dead in every house
in Jerusalem. After five minutes boiling
nothing was left but the tiny bones; and
then the oil was strained through cloth
into jars, and was ready for use without
further refining No publication is need
ed, for in its natural state gucharo oil is
purity itself, colorless, odorless and of re-
markable transparency. 1t is used not
only for lighting and cooking purposes,
but is considered far superior to olive Oil
for salads. Most North Americans have
prejudice against animal fat for the latter
be used. one would think that the grease
of infant birds would be preferable to that
of pigs and cattle.
| can testify to the excellence of gucha-
no oil as an illumination. Given ''jar-
rito' Qittle jar) of the fat, with twisted
rag in it, and you have a students
lamp without shade or globe or chin.
ney, which emits neither smoke nor smell,
but burns with a steady white flame.
Notwithstanding the hot climate, the
careless habits of the people and the alb
sence of ice or cellars, the oil never be-
comes rancid, but remains sweet from
year to year.
While watching the boiling down pro.
cess, the attentive Jefe Potitico turned up
some stones for us to sit upon; and in do
ing so, disclosed under one of them a
beautiful bright red serpent, nearly yard
long. 1t was ''corrillo,' or coral snake,
so named on account of its color, startling
to look at, but perfectly harmless. Coiled
up tightly and regarding us with sleepy
eyes, it lay motionless while we admired
its shining scarlet skin, divided by rings
Of glossy black; but not long, for the first
Indian who espied it, whacked off its
head with one blow of his machete and
carried it delightedly to his companions
to cook for dinner. Corullo flesh is
delicacy as highly priced by the Costa
Rican indians as terrapin and crabs in
Virginia But though determined to do
as the Romans when in Rome ON all pos
sible occasions, we declined with thanks
when a well fried but still squirming
moroccan was offered us.
Speaking of snakes for food reminds me
that Costa Ricans are not alone in adding
the wrigglers to their menu. Before the
conquest those serpents peculiar to the
North American continent which the
Spaniards described as having a Coast
ings in their tails found favorite
place, along with humming birds and
grasshoppers, in the sumptuous feasts of
the Aztecs. To this day they are relished
in many parts of Mexico and Central
America, as well as by some of our own
Indian tribes. The taste for reptiles,
though out of date in civilized communi-
ties, is of very ancient and honorable
origin. The celebrated Greek Doctor,
Diosorides, prescribed viper flesh, you
remember, as a tonic for delicate ladies.
Snake meat was one of the ingredients of
the celebrated ''theriaca,'' the great
panacea Of our early ancestors, which at
one time was among the chief branches
of Venitian commerce.
Several species of vipers and lizards,
besides various bugs, beetles, worms and
insects, are used for food or medicine by
the Indians of Central America. Wherever
scorpions are found-and that is every
where below the Rio Grande, which forms
part of the boundary line between the
United States and Mexico-the Indians
eat them, after pulling out the sting,
crunching their scaly backs with greatest
gusto. species of fat yellowish worm,
called paxi, the larvae of the water-f y-is
considered a toothsome delicacy, and is
prepared for the table in several WAYS. The
insect fly, and its eggs resemble fine fish
roe.
L. ~.