Mohave County miner., 1899-10-07
Some Natural Wonders in Mexico.


ed recently an interesting article on
the discoveries of two government
scientists from Washington, who re-
turned not long ago from an extended
trip through Mexico in queat of scien-
tilic knowledge. The scientist were
Drs. Hough and Ross. DR.. Hough is
well known throughout this section,
as he spends couple of months every
year in this vicinity studying Indian
archaeology says the Holbrook Argus.
Among some of the wonders discov-
cred was the rattle snake plant, a tree
armed with myriad of keen pointed
fangs each supplied with poison from
a special gland attached to the root of
il. The tree attains height of about
thirty feet, and nobody who touches it
can escape injury. DR.. Hough himself
had the misfortune to encounter one
of these bushes with very unpleasant
results. While elm bing mountain
in desolate region in search of new
botanical specimens, he came in con
tact with it before he was aware of its
presence, and received two or three
slight wounds from spines, which for
tuuately entered through his clothing,
so that very little of the poison was
actually introduced into his system.
1t was sutficie..t to paralyze him 20
some extent 80 that he narrowly es-
capped falling off The cliff he had just
ascended. Large sweilirgs formed at
the points of injury causing much pain
and later on f. led ulcer. He was
lucky to e.ca! e with life, inasmuch as
fatal results frequently follow chance
contact with this venomous bush.
Among many other curious vegeta-
BILE products they described was the
witch chasing cacti," claimed among
the Mexicans to have the power to
drive away witches and robbers, while
Others of the same species are accred
tied with warding off diseases. Most
sacred of all is the "old man cactus"
whicn is covered with long white hair
and presents a venerable appearance.
with unclean hands, claiming hes
good Christian and keeps a sharp eye
on all people around him.
The Indians of the west coast gather
the fruits of species of cactus, trim
off the yellow spines on one side, so
that they may be grasped, and use
them for hair brushes. Hedges of the
great cereus-the giant par excellence
of the cactus family-are used for
fencing fields. This remarkable plant
often reaches sixty feet in height, and
sends upa multitude of naked branches
"One of the most interesting and
characteristic features of the Mexican
markets." says DIR. Hough, sis what |
might call the primitive drug store
the typical old Indian woman, with
little stock of plants, bones, shells,
ald even teeth of animals, which she
a. we'll as an apothecary, and she pre-
scribes for the patience to whom she
offers her remedies. In her we can
recognize the direct descendant of the
aboriginal medicine woman of ancient
times, aud, like her prototype, she is
something of witch. throwing in a
few charms aud spells with the articles
that make up her simple Pharmacopla.
dare say that some of her drugs are
intended for bad purposes.
lone of the oldest things | saw in
Mexico was an occasional tree that had
not leaf of its own on it, a parasitic
plant having substituted its own fol-
iage This parasite grasps the tree
upon which it feeds and makes itself
literally part of the latter, sucking
its blood--or sap if you will-until it
is dead. Another curiosity is kind
of vine which hangs for support on
other plants by means of queer looking
hooks. These hook, are mo5t useful
to it inasmuch as by their aid it liter,
ally swings itself from tree to tree
aided by the wind. 1t is covered with
numerous pods Of great size, affordine
a strange sight"
Without question, one of the most
interesting characters TO whom the
attention of the world is directed to
day is President Kruger of Transvaal
who is about to enter war with Great
Britain; war in many respects simi
lar IN thp war of indpnendence wappC