Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-17
LEFT TO SARE JUNGLE EXPLORER is FINALLY REDUCED TO HIS PE FOR
Scientist Faces Threatening Situation While Naeless Terror

foot got caught in some roots and to
a creeper that hung like a huge rope
from the trees above. With an ap-
palling crash I pulled the whole for
est down on top Of me-a mass Of
rotten timber.
From under the debris I crawled
The wasps had given up the chase,
but ants were running all over me
and 1t was some time before 1 could
rid myself OF them and collect my
distracted senses sufficiently to proceed.
What between ants, thorns, wasps
and innumerable other unknown
things which bit and scratched. I
was being quickly driven into a state
Of frenzy.
The hour was now getting late;
my course lay uphill and 1t was evil
dent that I. could not hope to reach
the river without spending at least
one night in the forest.
At the first open spot I collected
a few large leaves by way of a mat
tress to rest on, and with several
fronds from nearby palms cut with
my penknife. I constructed a fair
shelter to keep off the rain.
During the day I had crossed a
stream. and in so doing had lost my
small automatic with its six rounds
left to face all the terrors Of q jungle
night with no means of protection
whatsoever except a small pocket
knife.
Exhausted and aching in every
limb 1 lay down and tried to rest.
but the maddening quietude of the
surroundings brought no solace to
my over-wrought brain. The abso-
lutte death-like stiffness only accen-
tuated my loneliness and emphasized
the insignificance Of man who pits
his strength against the overpower-
ing jungle.
In my passage through the forest
the noise I myself made seemed to
be companionable. but now, as 1 lay
still, not a sound was heard unless
it was a branch creaking with age,
a falling leaf, or some mournful iso-
lated cry of a bird that echoed
through the forest like lost soul.
The daylight faded away little by
little; the white trunks OF certain
trees stood out on ghost-like relief
from the rest OF thei- fellows. Not
a tremor or even a rustic was per-
ceptible in the green canopy over
head. Like a funeral pail it de-
scended lower and lower till in the
darkness which ensued I felt stran-
gled and suffocated beneath.
At intervals I woke. startled by
trivial sounds. Something was walk
jaguar or a large snake wriggling
through the slime. l distinctly
heard the movement of leaves and
the swapping of twigs. Whether 1t
was a small animal close by or a
large one far away 1 knew not.
All sense of proportion had de-
serted me-. All / knew was that at
any moment something might creep
over mel held my breath and per-
spired freely-the strain was too
great-I stood up. Minutes of sus-
pense followed. then the noise would
cease and I lay down again.
The next instant I was startled out
of my senses. The leaves close at
hand 'rustled violently, and some
thing cold and clammy Topped over
my face. A sickening shudder ran
through me from head to foot, as /
tried to beat off my assailant, but it
was nothing-only one Of my palm
leaves that had come adrift and fall
1nr TvN In III = ;er1x
have been anything.
So this was the beautiful forest
which l had been looking forward
to travelling through in peace and
quietness. / laughed at the thought
of it. and burying my head under my
blanket tried to obliterate all con-
seriousness of the outside world.
X x y
DAYLIGHT returned, and with it
new hope and energy to help me
in my quest for the river. 1 set out
at once. Again headed due north
over the ridge and down the other
side, no horizon to encourage, no
patch of blue sky overhead to cheer
me on my: way. Cracks and OPEN
ings there were in plenty, and occa-
sionally shafts Of sunlight where the
forest was more open. but 1t filtered
down into my world as through
prison bars. -, .
I CROPPED my way along slowly,
laboriously, fearful of touching any,
thing, and hoping against hope to
encounter the river any moment. At
about 4 the sound of running water
was unmistakable. My energy re-
vived Immediately and, pushing
forward with renewed vigor, flood