The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-11

-wc nrasneetors. Isst returned from
" n long and fruitiess search for gold
among the rugged mountains OF
Central America, are tho discover
- ers OF what ~ pronounced by nat
uralists who have seen the remarkably
fine specimens brought here by the and
ers. 10 be the strangest and rarest flower In
the known world II grows IN crevass"s
on the sldes 81 Mount Aqua. aud around
the seared edges az the crater OF the tow
ering volcano 81 Fuego. Guatemala. ana
has been named the Rose OF He'll be-
cause of the Decnd ~ the Gustemslan
Indians. which attaches 20 the place OF
it's nativity. II is really beautiful flow
ar. despite its rough appearance, and the
half dozen specimens exhibited have at
tracted wide attention and interest among
scientists and educational institutions,
several n which have cndeavored TO pur-
chase the valuable ourioaities. The Uni-
verslty az Southern California is about TO
acquire the choicest ones President stu
yer az the Los Angeles council. II owner
az one cf the best Of the roses"
The newly discovered blossom. II such
"a may be called. l. a puzzle 20 all who
have examined Il, and r. odd and wonder
fui tn many WAYS. y II composed ~ four
petals r0ncavs N shape, and arranged
nr8ch like tho petals ~ half blown rose.
The outside ~ the petals or divisions ~
the flower ia covered with thick bark. like
an ordinary tree inside Of these divisions
the hard sprfsce II Indicated with lines
that follow each other IN the most deli
cate trMeerv tike she veins Ia the petals
- some flowers The stems. which Il usu-
ally abont foot long. IL % SOLID wood,
aot assslruiiar from ihe ash or iron wood
of fhs forests ~ the United Ftates except
that she fbsr - more porous and me
wned much lighter, though equally
strong y Is covered with a heavy bark
and u cracked tn several place.. aa
though by heat The flower and the 3trrf
ere dssE brown IN ceior and as dry as
Under " grows tree ~ immense
si1e and great strength which. covered
with flowers and viewed from 4 distance
looks ncs unlike bush laden with COM
mon rcsea Though there IL lack az bright
cnlors. AID there 81 no fragrance
No'hing IKE fhe rose ~ heir ss known
20 exist anywhere else on earth ara Ga
discovery ~ Gray and Twers, the two rres
pectors w&s brought ahou; ~ chance and
thair desire 10 scale the high volcanic
mountains. The ignorant natives who In
habit the sangies ~ the base n ihs ranges
regard che sower .ith ave ard supersti-
tinn ana have beeu taught through count
less generations That 10 touch u Intention
silly @oald bring an everlasting curse ur0n
the luckless one who thus 'ernetAd the
tenas supposed 70 dwell within The great
mountains whence II springs. The indians
regard tho crater ~ steamfna Fuego a.
the doorway ~ he'll and this wonderful
flower sTows near It's mouth: hence a
strange legend which holds that 1t Il the
oniy flower or ornament produced where
egi spirits revel in furious fire. The SUI
persjition which attributes the origin OF
the flower to the demons % hades IL hard
50 trace. but the Indians have known the
prodigy ~ nature for a long time. II APP
pears. and have always associated IL with
the nery vengeance OF the subterranean