Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-08-31

ponchos were useless In the thick un..
| derbrush. We encountered also muu
holes that almost held our animals
| fast. OFTEN, too, roots OF trees crossed
and recrossed forming a net work an-
making II almost impossible to pass
II was miracle that our mules mace
| the trip without a broken limb. l
learned In San Jose that surveying
party passing over these roads Few
years ago lost three mules with broken
legs or broken necks.
At 3 o'clock we reached a river the
Paquila, which we easily forded, and
little further on came TO the camp
OF a native surveying party. There
were five men In all, four OF wholn
we're down with fever, We parted
with some OF our beans as they were
out OF food, and they gave US some
cocoanuts. From here we crossed
level. wooded plain for two hours, a
most beautiful country and then
reach the Rio Naranjo, vicious
stream. about the size Of Bear river at
flood time This we had to cross. our
Indian tested the depth, IL was too
deep 20 ford We must build a raft
But luckily across the river the indian
found one recently made by the sur
yeying party. Il was not easy for him
20 bring II across 10 us; but when
loaded II was harder to manage, Three
times he tried 10 take II over, and
three times he came within an ace Of
losing our things raft and all IN the
rapids below We were forced TO rueh
in 10 his assistance, Seeing the I'M
possibility Of his getting us over, ana
as night was coming on rapidly i
stripped and, taking the raft up along
the bank TO a projecting point OF rock,
gave II push and plunged in behind.
While the Indian padded with all HIS
strength. | swan and pushed with all
Of mine, and IN this way we reached
the opposite shore, but not until we
had gone far down. We had several
raft loads necesstatlng my swimming
the river five times, but by dark all
was over and In safety. -
Again we were confronted with the
necessity Of sleeping in wet blankets
or Of making a fire TO dry them AS
there was no dry kindling wood around,
we were forced 10 the extremity OF US
ing our pine tent poles, poles brought
from Utah. for kindlings. In short
time they were in spinters and so9n
after a fire was burning over which
we not only cooked our supper but
dried a change OF linen and blanket
to sleep In. Little did we think as we
packed our tents and poles In Provo
that on the Naranjo river in Costa
Rica these poles would cook our supper
Yesterday our roads were better, be-
ing mostly over level plain and along
the banks Of the Savegre river larger
stream than the NaranJo, but one on
which a boat or canoe aids the tray-
elers, as there Is Il ranch here. We
passed over during the day twenty
small hills or cuestas, as the natives
call them. forming yerltable wash
board. The deep forest continued,
broken only by the river and streams
until we reached the ford where there
Is clearing and a small ranch house,
and here. as the feed is good We decided
to take a days rest, much needed both
by ourselves and our animals
VAMPIRE BATS.
The savegre river Is larger than the
Naranjo, but runs more quietly, and
though deeper IL less dangerous. Both
Of these are easily forded In the dry.
season. Later In the wet season they
are almost impossible
The ranch, also called the Savegre,
has stock bananas, and sugar cane,
and manufactures very good syrup,
which is sold principally In Punta Are
mas. The stock business, so the owner
told us. does not pay. as there Is a bat,
probably q specie OF the vampire, which
kills the calves by sucking their blood.
and often greatly Injuries the older
stock, So destructive has this animal
become that the stock business Is only
Of secondary Importance. But we have
met this bat from the northern borders
Of Mexico down and often our animals
have come In with o long stain of
blood down their back. At first we
thought they had snagged themselves
while rolling or while rubbing or
scratching against tree. But later we
learned that an animal had bitten them.
The bat must have the power OF dead
ening the nerves. for often the bite
is where the switch OF the tail, or a
brush of the head would knock II off.
Sugar cane grows well here, and two
crops can be harvested each year. Ca
Gao and rubber also grow we'll and pro-
uuNt nhe uudllNs M lntTt are lOou-
sands Of acres Of good land now unoccu-
pied, no doubt in the near future the
attention Of capitalists will be called
to this country and much OF the forest
through which we have passed will give
way to the ak or machete.
II will be noticed that we have
crossed the coast range Of mountains
in southerly direction, bearing lit
tie to the east from San Jose, and that
we are now nearer the ocean. In fact
are within half hours walk OF the
shore. The roar OF the breakers can be
plainly heard from our camp. We now
"a a great extent, follow along the sea
shore TO the mouth OF the Rio Grande.
at a point called. Punta Mala.
BENZ. CUFF, JR.
Rio savegre, Costa Rica. July is, 1901.