Evening star., 1925-03-29
One of lie ast
Known Sections Of
New World Is So
Far Renovation
Trave | e d Ways
That Only Three
w hite Men Are
Said to Have Been
Seen There in Eight
Years s-Cutting
Trails Where Death
May Come Very
Quickly.
BY CAPTAIN ROBERT r.. BENNETT.

mdSte0 schooner on tne lTOH-
bound coast of Yucatan, and
after many adventures landed
at Progreso almost in rags. That
however, is a long story, merely
mentioned as an incident Turing me
back to the scenes and friendships of
long ago, at the same time enabling
me to indulge in a hunting and
archaeological expedition.
Last February found me in the
Territory of Quintana Roo on the
eastern coast of the peninsula one
of the widest and least known por-
tions of the New World, and in the
vicinity of Puerto Morelos, where,
was told, two Americans and a Hol-
lander had been the only white men
seen in eight years.
4 Maya Indian said that he could
show me the hut of a white man,
which was only mile or two distant
We started on trail that was worse
than rough, and must have gone at
least five miles or more when the In
dian paused on the edge of a lagoon.
The water was clear and beautiful
so clear that his image was reflected
against a sky blue as indigo. 1t
was hot, the hour was about noon
and nature was taking a nap. Not
. leaf stirred, and the fronds of a
Gocoanutpalm hung motionless, but
life stirred in our Lath, for a huge
famingo with brilliant vermilion,
stiltlike legs arose in the air, flaunt-
ing his Scarlet plumage in the golden
sunlight Strange, brilliant flowers
hurst forth upon curtain of foliage,
the pushing back of which, by force,
crushed to death thousands of bios
SONS.
Felipe, the Indian. cut his way
slowly. 1t required care, for a. huge
bushma ster, the serpent of terror in
all the New World tropics, hastened
Felipe motioned-I crawIed gingerly
through the passage between walls of
lianas and shrubs. He finally found
q dim semblance to a trail, and push
Ing our way along. We soon reached
the edge of an eXDanse of clear water,
in which could be seen many fish of
radiant hue, flashing rainbow colors
as they slowly moved here and there.
The Indian pointed with stolid face
and piercing beadlike expressionless
eyes to a hut, the thatched roof fallen
in, the Slated sides protruding in
many places. while over all crept a
mantle of the glorious bongainvilla,
in full flower, as If mocking this evil
dence of decay.
A door hanging by slender vine
attracted me and I entered. A
damp. close smell pervaded this dark
and noiSome place. A rOtting ham
mock. rags of clothing and what had
once been papers. Uttered the earthen
floor A human skull shone forth
from this trash and gingerly I raised
the covering and beheld what was
left.
Who was this man? What brought
him here, to die? Who was mourn
ing for him? What was the man
ner of his death? All these questions
came into my mind with possi-
bility of an answer. ] knew he was
1r1x, +.ll
but that was all; there was nothing
more to tell. He had given no name,
but admitted his disgust for civilized
life and only wished for a place to
fish and hunt-a dream place, where
he could have happiness and peace.
He had employed a couple of
Indians to build this hut. had come
to and fro occasionally to the little
store for necessities, and that was
all.
He did not understand the forest
of Quintana Roo, but the forest un-
derstood him perfectly. 1t knows |
ones fear of it's sovereignty and has |
secret knowledge of ones fate. but |
makes no sign. 1t only smiled in |
the sunshine and looked like para
disc, but it was watchful and waited, ,
for it had seen these things before /
had seen strong men. full of hope |
and ambition. had seen them bitten |
by a mosquito, then terrible pain. !
delirium, glance from dimming J
eyes. beholding for moment the |
brilliant sunshine, the flowers, the |
keautiful lagoon, then the black !
vonit, and all his thoughts were !
wiped out.
The forest only laughs. the birds |
sing, the fish swim around in the |
lagoon. the vines put forth their love-
liest flowers, the monkeys frolic in !
the and all wait Datiently for |
the next
HUINTANA ROO FOREST does not !
" believe in lasting friendships |
Like the Lorelei, it sings its song and |
rejoices, for it always wins. 1t asks |
for no love or friendship, it does not /!
need to--its tree, called by the In |
dians Che e-chan, exudes a sap, and IL |
even one drop falls on a human skin !
1T burns hole and makes q terrible |
sore, leaving a scared scar. 1t sends |
forth fly which bites humans, par |
ticularly selecting the ears, and then !
the tops of the ears rot away. i have |
seen many such ears. 1t sends mes |
sengers of coral snakes, orange and |
black and beautiful, bite from |
which means the end; centipedes, |
scorpions and curious creatures in !
shells, like the ends of the conch- |!
they are red, with one claw protrud- |
lHSs with WHICH lHeS lONe 10 plncn the |
unsuspecting intruder, and they make |
a clucking noise like setting hen. |
The Indians say he will die-I do not |
know.
It's lakes and swamplike savannahs !
contain other messengers-a small in |
sect which bites hard and sure and |
actually takes out and carries away |
a piece of flesh. Alligators and water |
snakes are also among its treasured |
offspring. The forest is lovely, invit- |
ing, but to him who goes there, one !
word-do not linger, but push through |
even though carried in a hammock, |
for once on the seashore the spell is /
broken, 1t cannot hurt you.