Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-07-11
PRIZE OF A DOTANIST
Prehistoric Plant Found In Mex
leo by a Chicago Man.
ADVENTURES IN HIS QUEST.
daushter!"

Professor c. J. Chamberlain Survived
Three Earthquakes and = Pursuit by
a "Tiger," but Cseoversd the Dioon.
a Plant Of the Geological Perioa
Thrilling stories were told by Pre-
eSsor Charles j Chamberlain OF the
University of Chicago. who returned
the other day to Chicago FROM beta
niZlng expedition in Mexico with re-
Membranes nf three earthquakes be
oassed through unharmed and an eS
cape from tiger" which pursued niu.
for an hour along desoiate mountain
trail The Chicago botaniSi has also re-
turned with the prize be went To sees
on behalf of the Botanical Society o.
America, the dioOn. species OF the.
sago palm, which will furnish the little
sprays of green that are worn in honor
Of Palm Sunday
Professor Chamberlain rejoices far
more over his triumph in bringing hack
the dioon than on his success in surviv
ing the earthquake and the tiger. says
a Chicago correspondent of the Kansas
City Star. The dioon is descended from
the geological period and not until re-
Gently has Ii been known that any
specimens of that rare and ancient
plant were still in existence. But the
university has been eagerly discussing
stories which have leaked out about the
professors adventures.
Three earthquakes are about enough
for one trip" declared Professor Cham
berlain. with a laugh. as he turned
from showing a specimen of the diuon
a nut as big as mans head, to bis col.
league. Professor Land. II ran afou
Of one at Puebla. another on the rail
road between Puebla and Jalapa ana
the third at Militia.
The quake which passed over
while riding on the train was scarcely
noticeable to the passengers. although
it did much damage to the surrounding
country. The shock at Militia was much
more disquieting. 1t came in the night
and woke me out Of sound sleep. The
first thing l felt when | woke up was
the bed rocking and twisting under me
That didn't feel very pleasant, and 1t
was not at all helpful in the comfort.
ing line to hear the brass candlestick
on the table at the head of the bed
dancing and gathering around as If It
were bewitched.
But the worst experience of all was
ut Puebla. The first knew was that
the floor began to tilt and undulate
guess / was too green to realize that
the proper thing to do when you get
caught in an earthquake is to get out of
doors and away from the danger of
topping walls. because stayed right
where | was and grabbed the edge of
the door to keep from being swayed
over.
las the floor waved and the walls
rocked the dishes and ornaments and
pictures with which the store was
filed were thrown to the floor, daShing
all around me. 1t certainly kept me
pretty busy for awhile lodging the
pieces and keeping on my feet That
was the quake which did so much dam
age to Jalapa. 1t threw down one
house which was being built in Puebla
and killed three men. who were buried
under the falling walls.
"a little while after the earthquake
at PuebIa was riding near Tuxtepec
one night when l heard noise made
by an animal a little behind me. but a
trifie to the right pulled out my
knife. and my guide and halted and
faced the beast. 1t was black dark
ness, and we couldn't see six feet In
any direction. The guide said 1t was
tiger and that we had better look out.
but when we stopped the tiger did like
wise. The chapparal was so dense that
we couldn't chase the tiger. and 1t
wouldn't do any good 70 stay in our
tracks all night so we went on. Then
we could hear the tiger stalking after
US.
During the next hour we halted a
dozen times when the beast got too
close to US, and every time we stopped
the tiger skunk back. 1t wasn't until we
got right up to the village that the tiger
ceased his pursuit"
Tho Dut of tho di0ou fnrOnoI1ncad