Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-10-20

streams sits in the middle of the
"pirague''-with his gun
across his knees and shoots as the
natives point out the snakes in the
spreading branches. AS many as 20
of thes large, poisonous snakes have
been shot in distance of two or
three miles up the river. There
seems to be no creature of which the
blacks have more fear than they have
of these venOmOus snakes, and thew
will pole away out into the current
rather than go beneath the thick eark
life may Turk.
Some of the snakes make a sound
like the cluck of hen. One night
the mining man related, after he had
put out the light, he heard this
peculiar noise, which sounded loud
enough to be in his room. He dared
not step on the floor, but, reaching for
a lantern, struck light and cautious
ly made his way about the room.
Finding nothing, he went outside, gun
in hand. The houses are set four feet
from the ground to permit of free
circulation Of air and thus prevent
fever and when he stopped and cast
the light of the lantern under the
house there was a coiled snake larger
round than a mans arm and fully ten
feet long. He shot the snake and
found easy explanation for the near
ness of the sound since the mahogany
floors mahogany is just as common
in Panama as redwood is in Cali
formal are made with wide cracks.
And the snakeskin, which measured
IA inches in width, now decorates a
wall in a home way down east
But insects and snakes are not the
only trials Of Panama life. Where it
rains 10 months in the year the mud
naturally causes some inconvenience.
The mud on the roads averages four
feet in depth, and you must not be
surprised when the poor mule you are
riding rolls over into this sticky stuff,
carrying you with him. You simply
get up, shake yourself a bit, dig the
mud from your mules eys and go on
your way-rejoicing.
So inconvenient is the mud to
travellers that distances covered in
four hours in summer consume two
days in winter. But mines must go
on and business must be transacted
regardless of rain and mud.
This superiority of mud makes the
subject of dress in Panama regions
a very important matter to the white
man (nOt to the native). The most
serviceable and comfortable costume
consits of khaki trousers and a loose
shirt of some thin material. But you
must have good supply of these, as
it is often necessary to make two and
three changes a day-especially if
you have been rolled in the mud with
your mule a couple of times.
Bathing is also an important item
where mud and heath prevail. But
her again one is handicapped, for the
streams are full Of alligators and
other things that will "eat you up
You must have a pool arranged near
your house, and even then when you
take ap lunge you also take a chance
of being swallowed up" An alliga-
tor 10 feet long was once discovered
in a pool where our friend, the mining
man, was in the habit of bathing.
There were falls above and below this
swimming hole, and usually the only
precaution to observe was to look
before you leap" He discovered this
f11I ~
some negroes, applied dynamite to
the pool. One of the natives then
dived in and brought up the alligator,
which was not mutilated at ALL but
simply stunned to death.
Alligator is considerd by the natives
as very choice Wand. Sometimes
the white settlers, when on their
mining expeditions into the interior,
are compelled, through lack of pro-
visions, to make a meal Of monkey
stew and alligator steak. 1t is claim
ed that these are not unpalatable,
thought the fmiliar dishes are far
more cceptable-which is probably
natter of prejudice.
The most peculiar feature OF
Panama is the strange spell about the
place. Though it rains 10 months in
the year and poisonous insect turks
under every stone, and naked,
ignorant blacks are almost your only
companions, yet there is an attraction
about this land Of the cocoanut tree"
A strong power draws you back to its
incongruous combinations of the