The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-17

the island of Trinidad, told me of a SINH
lar adventure he had with these SAM
ants He and his family were In their
house when they carne and the Wnoie
family had to clear out and let the aHsa
work their will. For three or four hours
the inmates had to camp out. When they
went back they found that their invaders
had done little harm and much good, Tor
they had not left a rat, mouse, snake
spider cockroach, or other creature living
behind them. These ants are of dark
chocolate brown of large size, with great
powerfully jagged heads. They march In
immense armies through the forest, and
when one has to cross their line of march
he must pick up his feet quickly. else they
will get upon his legs and make him pay
dearly for sluggishness. If you walk a
few miles in the forest you are almost
sure to come across them. have never
yet in the islands gone hunting for few
days without meeting two three, or more
armies of them.
.'There is another species of ant equally
common, but more annoying, though much
smaller in size. 1t is reddish in color
about an eighth of an inch in length. and
is called the fire ant, on account of the
burning sensation left by its sting.
''From snakes in Cuba there may be
amusing surprises, but no danger, for not
one of the many species IS venomous. AS
even an innocent snake may make trouble
and cause confusion, 1t Is well to know be-
forehand some of the occurrences that
may be looked for. Among the firewood
in punches of bananas, among tents and
camp baggage left unused for few days,
snakes will surely bet met with; and
some of the Cuban snakes are large and
swift and, some Of them fight fiercely II
cornered. In the palm-thatched roots OF
country houses, too. the snakes will pur-
sue the rats at night in manner start
r c1
in a hut covered with such a palm-thatch-
ed roof. My hammock was swung from
the posts which supported 1t. All through
the night we left lamp burning to keep
off the vampires. For an hour or more
after retiring we talked, but when the
conversation died away, as one by one
we fell asleep, the rats began to caper
among the rafters.
"This Is nothing unusual in West In
dian country houses and was certainly
nothing to be alarmed at. But as I was
doing off thenoise increased and the loud
saueaking of one rat caused me to sit up
to see what was the matter. AS I moved
the rotten palm leaves cracked above my
cad and down came fair-sized boa within
a rat in his coils. 1t was simply a ball of
snake with the rat in the middle, and as
the couple fell on the table the noise
awoke every one. We had a frst-rate
view of the whole operation of swallow
above the table and gave the snake light
to dine and us light to see him. When
he had finished he began to ascend the
post toward the roof to get another rat.
"a few days afterward we were out in
the woods in a place where there was no
hut. We put up a shelter of palm leaves
and had everything arranged as comfor-
tably as possible. The mosquitoes were
troublesome. however, and all the more
SO as it was threatening to rain. We had
quite quantity of great dried logs, some
of them half rotten, drawn under our roof
and we had great fire going upon which
our meat was roasting. The coffee, al
ready made, was poured out and we sat
in a circle near the fire, each man with
drinking cup in hand. Some sat or re-
clined on the ground, while one was COM
fortably enthroned on a great hollow log,
one end of which lay over another log in
the fire, burning slowly. Before we were
half through eating the support gave way
and the log seat fell into the fire, sending
big sparks in every direction. The smoke
began to pour through it's hollow interior
and almost at the same instant out Gid
ed a long land yellow seven-foot snake so
suddenly that every one of us tumbled
backward to get out Of his way. After
this we were more careful about hollow
logs and preferred smaller wood which
offered less opportunity for snakes sleep
Ing quarters"