The Days of a Man 



1884 



The Gila 

 Monster 



On the west coast of Mexico lives Pelamis, a small brown 

 and yellow sea snake with an oar-shaped tail, known to be ex- 

 ceedingly venomous. But "the sea serpent" is of a very dif- 

 ferent type; when not of purely alcoholic origin, it is usually 

 the great oarfish Regalecus which swims at the surface, 

 lifting above the water the red mane of its dorsal fin. 



Speaking of venomous reptiles, Myron Reed once sent to 

 me in Irvington a Gila Monster Heloderma suspectum 

 from Arizona. This big, warty, toad-like lizard of very re- 

 pulsive appearance is the only four-footed creature which is 

 actually venomous, poison lurking in its saliva. At that time 

 (1875) there was no definite knowledge of its true character, 

 only a suspicion entertained by Cope, who named it, and 

 I freely showed the animal to visitors. Though apparently 

 sluggish, it escaped from the house and could not be found; 

 but as no fatalities ensued, it probably perished in some crevice. 



In 



Havana 



In Havana I was impressed by the fluctuations of 

 Cuban paper currency, which rose with the frequent 

 rumors that the island was to be purchased by the 

 United States. Still more noticeable was the uni- 

 versal prevalence of the lottery, a special curse 

 of most Latin nations. All day long tickets were 

 hawked about on the street, and the many parrots 

 took up the cry of " doscientos, trescientos cincuante 

 cinco," and so on. Many of the streets are named 

 for the virtues " Industrial " Verdad" " Piedad" 

 and the like ; but most of those qualities, especially 

 industry and truth, were little in evidence among 

 the people at large. A hand-to-mouth existence 

 under the corrupt and often brutal Spanish rule 

 probably had much to do with the general lack of 

 integrity. And I met individual citizens of the 

 finest type, especially members of the staff of the 



C 2843 



