Des] AND SYMBOLS. 83 



death peoples its solitudes. The glens or gorges frequented by 

 the caravans are lined with stones, symmetrically disposed at 

 certain intervals. These stones mark the places where rest the 

 remains of the hapless pilgrims who have attempted to cross the 

 wilderness, and perished in the attempt. Round and about 

 each rugged tomb lie the skeletons of animals which none have 

 troubled themselves to bury in the sand. Frequently you may 

 see, on the sandy wastes of Africa, or the desolate plains of 

 Asia and the New World, these carcases laid out in two inter- 

 minable rows, indicating the gloomy track which should be 

 followed by the traveller, and never failing to remind him of 

 the tribute death levies upon mankind in these accursed regions. 

 Thus does the desert show itself more relentless than even the 

 hungry ocean, which at least devours its victims whole, and 

 affronts the eye with no traces of its murders. But the Moloch 

 of the desert has no shame ; it cynically exposes the hideous 

 remains of those whom it has killed ; it strews the earth with 

 their bones ; it has its museums of skeletons, or rather of pre- 

 served animals. D. 



A Destroyer's Art and Force. 



One of the most dangerous denizens of the marshy plains of 

 equatorial America is the gigantic boa-constrictor, a frightful 

 reptile often attaining to the length of thirty-six to forty-five 

 feet. In the morning and evening he places himself in ambush 

 on the border of some lake or water-course to surprise the 

 quadrupeds which flock thither to quench their thirst. By 

 means of his prehensile tail he suspends himself to a tree on 

 the shore, and patiently awaits the coming prey. When an 

 animal passes within his reach, he swiftly seizes it, enfolds it 

 in his spiral coils, crushes it against the tree which serves for 

 his point d'appui, compresses its bleeding mass into a convenient 

 form, covers it with a glutinous saliva, and swallows it. In 

 this fashion he will devour a stag or even an ox entire, nor does 

 he fear to attack the puma and jaguar. D. 



