Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-16
The "Buena Estrella"

You scouudrelt" cried. and
knocked him down on the spot He
sworc as ne got up again. Other pas
seugers who had heard the noise in
;eryened. Gonzales. who was not
popular with anybody, received "a
singing lecture from the captain. who
banished him TO an unoccupied state
room far aft. In the afternoon I met
the chief steward, an American with
whom I had become very friendly.
Look out for yourself" he warned
me. "the doctor is planning some re-
vcnre. wish the captain had left
him and his damned merchandise at
Cauao"
What merchandise p" I asked.
Those disgusting reptiles he has
down IN the hold"
Then he told me three Of the large
crates contained snakes which Con
ztIes fed every day. He said he used
them in making some kind Of serum,
and had given the captain his word
that they were not poisonous, but
afterward IL had been found they
were some Of the most dangerous ad
ders and ylpeTs in the country.
Gonzales remained in his cabin un-
al we reached Calderas, where he
went ashore and we saw him no more.
I've next morning / was awakened
by piercing cries Of anguish which.
however ceased abruptly and a wom-
ans voice exclaimed;
"Santissima Nirgial Santa madre
de DlOsl"
Then there was a sound Of patter-
ing feet. Of doors being slammed and
"a general excitement l looked at
my watch il was 8 o'clock. NV room
mate "A planter from Bolivia, was not
In his berth. What was happening E?
The boat was going steadily enough,
as | could tell by the regular churn-
Ing Of the propeliers. / dressed my
self quickly went out into the hall
and Knocked at the door Of the state
room occupied by Conception Solar
and her mother They were up al
ready and fully dressed
A Terrible Sight.
At turn OF the corridor we found
a dead body lying on the floor. It's
face was almost black and the fea-
lures COlvulscd and swollen. | rec
ognized the Bolivian planter
We shouted for help, but no one
came. We went into the dining sa-
loon, which was deserted and no
body answered the bells
Let as look into the kitchen" ]
said.
Conception ran ahead az light as
bird. We had no fOreboding Of the
danger which threatened us.
Suddenly she cried out:
Look, there is a snakei" And we
saw long black and yellow body
gliding along the floor A little dis
lance away We found the chief stew.
ard lying on the floor He was not
dead yet, but was moaning feebly.
Conception stopped down over him.
but suddenly jumped back with a cry
OF horror. A big yellow and black
snake bounded at her and wound its
coils around her body, and its awful
head was kissing only a few inches
from her face. Quick as lightning il
struck her and heard its fangs bury
ing themselves in the flesh Of her
throat Then II turned toward me- as
] stood petrified with horror. Con-
Ccption fen In a heap next to the body
of the chief steward. or course. !
ought 20 have rushed at the reptile
and killed It, but a mad fear took pos
session of me, like IA mailman | rush
ed through the corridor, which was
fun of snakes, and up the stairs. The
door above was closed and / had to
bang n with my fists some time be
fore IL was opened. In spite Of the
heat everybody was on deck The
whole vessel was full OF snakes The
captain, first officer and half a dozen
passengers were dead This horror
lasted for "A hours and when we
reached Valparaiso we were half dead
with hunger and thirst like verita-
bic shipwrecked people, for nobody
had dared go below
! myself lay crushed and fun Of
despair in a chair next to woman
who had lost her reason from fear
and. sorrow. and who necessarily beg
ged me TO give her back her daugh-
ter