

FOREST AND STREAM. 



283 



in one is on foot. Though we heard them on sev- 

 - they would never allow us to approach them 

 i io have a view of the herds, their sentries 

 alwavs giving the alarm to the troop. 



Tired 'wilh I he use of the gun, and feeling isolated from 

 the world we proposed to indulge in a grand feast. An old 

 C had joined our party, and proved of mueh 

 ■il as a jovial companion at the table. 

 Mil partridges were prepared, four hares, and 

 many quail, coffee, good wine (white and red), which we 

 had obtained in small vessels carried on mule back from the 

 ] village. Half a dozen boys were to play the flute 

 during dinner, while a dozen Arab girls were to dance after 

 the feast. The programme was complete; we had a few 

 lemons, and with them and sugar an excellent claret was 

 mixed for the evening. We had invited the Arabs working 

 in the vicinity to come in and have a cup of coffee, the 

 mi which we could offer them. They will do 

 inj 1 hint.' for a handful of coffee beaus. 

 The hour of dinner came. The game was roasted to a 

 turn, the dishes as tastefully decorated as On n royal table. 

 'tin- music, though not of a deafening roar, was beautifully 

 harmonious aud characteristic. We had built a table, chairs 

 ii h ■ were, and wilh oil lamps for light, we sat down. The 

 nviled gin-sis. or rather self-invited guests, sul upon the 

 ftpJH" around the rudely built stonewalls, never once dur- 

 ing the eating taking tiieir eyes from the delicious viands as 

 ■ In in i lassed, or the sparkling wine which, as the cven- 

 i in from the vaults of Dioniodes. ft was 

 We had dressed the room, placing our gnus 

 - spears in fanciful patterns along the walls. 

 around the chimney Stood the playing boys, each one 

 a picture for a Raphael. 'These boys are extremely hand- 

 lias those of the young girls 

 i u Ibj disease) an really beautiful, and typi- 

 cal of that "gazelle eye" which northern belles are so desir- 

 of imitating. 

 .Many were the blood-curdling lion tales circulated as the 

 evening advanced, until the dinner was considered ended, 

 and the dancing girls were called in. They underwent this 

 exercise with the genera! good grace which is so prevalent 

 among the women ot their class, and obtained from the coui- 

 loud aud long applause, besides each a cup of coffee, 

 which entirely satisfied them. Not contenting ourselves 

 With this inspection of the fair creatures, we availed our- 

 ' ii nee of the male portion of a small village, 

 to enter and see th-tu "at home," the old soldier having pre- 

 vio i-l) demanded of the women to chain the hounds which 

 the men leave behind to protect them from the assault of the 

 lion or leopard, and from intruders. The abject misery 

 ttOtiteable in these villages, or rather pig-pens, is deplorable; 

 most of the inmates were Buffering from the vilest blood dis- 

 ease, or from oreeyef sionedb; < ■ filling of 

 the- eyi i ' [ {he cutting of the eyelids by the same 

 i distressliie inflammation, which, if 

 nerally terminates in the loss of the eyes, 

 i lie women were employed at grinding corn, which 

 accomplish by means of a small, antique shaped grinder 

 made of two uneven circular pieces of stone the top one 

 revolving upon I lie under one, and being made to turn by 

 the hand. There they Bit for hours. The young women 

 often rebel against this arduous task, and if consequently 

 devolves greatly upon the aged aud infirm matron- nil 

 i he blind, After inspecting a dozen or more of the 

 tents we returned, to fable, where games were played and 

 told, By midnight the hairs of our heads were per- 

 haps incorrectly speaking) stauding upon end. as we fol- 

 Vral) through the adventures of the forest and 

 liters of leopard and lion. It was nigh daylight before 

 the last tales had been told aud we thought of rest." 

 Thp.day following these joyous festivities we rose late. 

 1 1 liis usual good' behavior our attendant was on 

 hand, una we soon turned out ready again for the use of the 

 in Again we mounted aud again we traversed an unin- 

 -ie. At not n we had arrived where we intended 

 lOting, and having an escort we proceeded with three 

 i- party to scour tbe sands. We bad been but 

 an hour bagging a few partridges and hares, and were walk- 

 ing about thirty yards distant from one another, we some- 

 thing in advance of the rest of the party, when of a sudden 

 WU came upon a pack of jackals feeding upon the bod) of a 

 SSZi 11 I ':: surprise was 80 sudden and unexpected, and 

 JUG coloring of the body of prostrate animal so like the col- 

 " i In- lion, thai we exclaimed "A lion 1" The word was 

 caught up like fire in straw and was echoed from one mouth 

 to the other. The Arabs at the flist sound of the word had 

 sprung forward and loosed their hounds which they had up 

 till this withheld b\ cords of twisted camel's ha ir. In an 

 instant they were flying over the plaius audit' not excelling 

 at least keeping well up with their hounds; their lightness 

 i was surprising. 

 The tide had meantime joined me and seen my mistake. 

 (II sorry for having occasioned such unnecessary excite- 

 I -ired In recall the flying Arabs by calling, but 

 till i aide advised us to let them follow the jackals, thinking 

 they might by the aid of the hounds secure one. The flesh 

 n n by t'he'uatives and much liked. These diminutive 

 wolves, though foul cowards when single or over-numbered 

 hv theii foe, are dire enemies against hounds and even man 

 when brought at bay, or hard pressed; and they fight with a 

 ,i. ,, nieh shows thtm to be true- representatives of 

 •I 'i'h roe species to which they belong. They use great 

 cunning, ami an-, in fact, the African fox in tricks and 

 stealth. The pack we had started was evidently a small one, 

 we counted mile bi-fore we lost them from sight. We ex- 

 ol the gazelle, it was that of a female, 

 which evidently had. through sickness, wandered from the 

 herd and fallen an easy prey to the hungry pack. It is 

 seldom that a herd 'separates, nor when two bands 

 in i do their members become mixed: parting 

 no h individual joins his respective parly. ln- 

 lid that if a stranger forces himself upon a 

 new herd he is soon worried by the bucks into an iguomiu- 

 Their fleetuees is astounding in proportion to 

 tin- height ami length of limb, and though the liou aud leOp- 

 i i i tniea, when notified in time the gazelles run 

 easily from them. The watchfulness of the sentries when 

 rest, which invariably keep guard over it, often 

 prevent the approach of these carnivorous beasts, when by 

 truing the herd is alarmed. The body already 

 _■ - . ' ay, otherwise we should have obtained a 

 -.in. lu half an hour the Arabs returned, seemingly 

 ii'n-r than fatigued by the precipitation of their 

 run; I heir hounds in reality looked more tired. They were 

 unable to overtake the jackals which they had seen on start 

 ing, though their hearts had been made to beat at the expec- 

 tation , if a lion hunt, which, our call had suggested. We 



begged their pardon for having made such fools of them, to 

 which they courteously replied, "Tour humble - i 



Our guide wished us to push on to the land of the lion and 



which was within a day's walk, but having already 

 for the time at least, our sporting tastes, and having 

 nearly expended all our ammunition, we declined the proposal, 

 reserving this greater treat for another season. Returning 

 home that evening, v. e observed something to pass in front 

 of us with great rapidity, and evidently in a succession of 

 bounds. This was no o'lher thau the gerboo, a beautiful 

 little animal, about the size of the ordinary nit. The color 

 ot its fur is dun. The tail, which is long and pliant, serves 

 icing the body when leaping through the air. and 

 in aiding it in accomplishing the wonderful 'acrobatic feats 

 of locomotion, which excels the swiftest native hound. 

 These diminutive kangaroos feed chiefly at night, though we 

 met them on several occasions afterward gamboling over the 

 sands in midday 



AVe mustered our game bags and counted our trophies. 

 Leaving out what w'e had eaten during the trip, it held thirty 

 brace of partridge, sixteen brace of snipe, twelve brace of 

 sandpiper-, Ii re, one crane, two or tfcn 



birds of beautiful plumage, and four brace of woodcock. 

 This was done with two guns in three days. We then 

 cleaned the birds, and well rubbed the interiors with salt aud 

 pepper, neatly packed them away, and staited home. Not 

 content, we walk most of the way. shooting to right and left 

 of tin- road as we came down the lulls. In passing through 

 our first camp we wire accosted by the old guardian of the 

 farm, who had interested us by his stories of adventures and 

 peril during the Crimean and subsequent wars. He was of 

 old military stock, as imperative as a field-marshal, and as 

 master as the worst of slave-holders, but an excel- 

 lent man to meet on a shooting expedition; and we cannot 

 refrain from telling his last story told. It was a true one, 

 which we afterward had occasion of verifying at Marseilles 

 by becoming acquainted with the party in question. The 

 |, determined to test the amiable character of the 

 African lion, had equipped himself and attendants for 

 a lion huut. According to our informer, after all 

 due- preparation the party had actually succeeded in tracing 

 out a pair of wonderfully large and powerful beasts, Pol 

 three days the chase was kept up Without issue, until the 

 guide determined upon a happy strati ivi'i < tr n resorted to, 

 however, in lion hunting). This consisted iu building four 

 or tive strong scaffolds in the trees, which wire to be selected 

 in a circular or triangular form, thus leaving an open space 

 which could be plainly seen by the occupant of - 

 fold; next was to procure the bait required to attract the 

 beast, which was quickly done by the pay men! of fl few 

 francs to a donkey boy for the sale of an old mule, a beast 

 for which the lion is' said to have a special fondness. On 

 the night appointed for the massacre each rifleman crawled 

 into his allotted "watch," where breathless he was to await 

 until he perceived the lion, or, should the night be extremely 

 dark, until he heard the screams ot t lie frightened mule, 

 when al a signal all were to discharge their carbines into the 

 blackness, and thus kill their prize. 



The rnnli v - cue Ly tied and the weary hours ot night 

 stole by. Toward midnight a stir was heard; the lion was 

 near at' hand; the time of expected triumph was drawing 

 near. The noise grew louder. The scaffolds fairly shook the 

 lives with the impatience of their charges, for what with the 

 excitement, and the coldness of the night air, the watchful 

 occupants were prepared for a great shiver. The mule was 

 attacked, with scream after scream the poor brute was fal- 

 ling under the tooth and nail of the hungry lions. The tir- 

 ing signal was given, volley after volley was fired at the 

 lions until all was silenced.' even the screams aud roars of the 

 dying game. The "young bloods" wished to come down, 

 Li i e prudent huntsman refused such a dangerous 

 undertaking until "daylight would reveal the real state of 

 affairs.'' for, said he, the lion was a most formidable animal 

 to encounter wdien wounded, and especially in total darkness. 

 Contented with the prospect of securing the prize, the meu 

 of this brave party remained the rest, of the night in wakeful- 

 ness and in happy thoughts of the result of their night's 

 toil. Daylight dawned Taint at first; eight straining eyes 

 were directed upon the center of the Held of slaughter, each 

 one desirous of giving the first joyful call of victory. Day- 

 light broke, Something was wrong evidently. No joyous 

 sounds were heard, no merrymaking rent the air. ' The 

 lion has gone!'' Or had there been a liou there at all? It 

 was a mystery none of the party seemed much inclined to 

 answer. Each rifleman had done his work well, each had 

 fired at the given signal three times iu rapid succession, each 

 had evidently hit the mark each time, for the body of the 

 mule bore sufficient proof as to the correctness of the shots; 

 it was riddled with just twelve rifle balls, the only one which 

 plissed a vital part was a shot none of the aspirants would 

 acknowledge, tor it had severed the mule's caudal appendage 

 at the third joint from the trunk. The lion was nowhere; 

 the ground was searched, no footprints could he found. "I 

 Saw liim," and "I certainly saw the eyes, I aimed directly 

 between them" and "So did 1." It was evident that these 



ions were correct, for just two balls had struck the 



' i i wrt-n the uyes. It was no joke, at least for the 

 - a cool night's roost, they had suf- 

 fered from cramped legs, sleepless eyes, and hungry'stomaehs. 

 The African lion is. Indeed, a formidable enemy to meet. 



rwever, had proved itself unceremoniously polite. 

 On out way down we noticed au excited gathering of 

 natives, inquiring of I he guide the cause we were informed 

 that an Arab had just killed a rabid pig, aud it appears that 

 frequently there is rabies among the swine, our guide show- 

 ing us an" ugly scar upon his hand occasioned, he said, by 

 the bite of -one of these animals. He had had a lucky 

 escape, for besides the inflammation for a few days, he had 

 suffered no other inconvenience, Before reaching our last 

 slatbn but one before attaining the saddle road the guide 

 advised us io look at the Roman ruins which had lately been 

 unearthed. It is strange that, though Algiers has since it was 

 subjected to Roman rule, passed through so many hands, 



till found yearly, and to prove to us the richness 

 of the soil in antique' wealth tin- guide proceeded to dig up 

 in. our presence coins of great age which we still carefully 

 preserve. The ruin consisted of a bath or well of white 

 marble covered handsomely by a number of columns of the 

 same material, beautifully "cut and surmounted by elaborate 

 capitals. Over the well against the wall was a Latin inscrip- 

 tion which the wear of years had rendered illegible. The 



i curious discovery, and the. unearthing river has 

 probably disclosed greater wonders. 



The "same evening we returned to the city laden with 

 game, much to the contentment of our friends, who undoubt- 

 edly had felt jealous of our good success, ami of the pleasure 

 they had missed bv a refusal to accompany us. P. 



Jptfural ^i§tortJ. 



NOTES ABOUT REPTILES, 



AND' FCITLAK DELUSIONS P.EOAHDINC. THEM. 



.2) I Unie. Penn.) 



,.-. : ■ ... .. i si i '/, ., ihingtoa.) 



(I ei ■'-" From Paw -«'• 

 nPHE next serpent about which a curious superstition pre- 

 X vails is the coach-whip snake, and lying at full length 

 in the road it seems to be worthy of its popular name. To 

 naturalists ii is known as Bitmnnum ■ Jl<- I'le- an- 



terior fourth of the body is of a dull" brownish-black color, 

 which gradually becomes lie-liter until near the posterior 

 part, where it is of a yellowish-gray. This coloration, in 

 connection with s peculiar arrangement of th 



it a "very whip-like appearance, the dark part of the ! 



being the handle, the lighter the lash. This reptile in the 

 I- long been a terror to the colored population, and 

 many are tin- stories related of how drunken and belated 

 negroes have been found dead in the road whipped to death 

 by the coach-whip snake. Some years ago I was told by a 

 creole lady of Louisiana thatshe herself knew of two c 

 in which servant- on her uncle's piautation bad losl 

 lives in this way. They had gone to visit a neighboring plan- 

 tation and had overstayed their leave, and notrc-turning the 

 next day search had been mad* for them with the result 

 already stated, tin each body was wound the dead bodies 

 of the snakes, and the whole' surface of the skin was cov- 

 ered with black and blue welts, as if a large cowhide had 

 been used. Perhaps it would not be unfair to say that it 

 was probable that this tradition was encouraged during 

 Hum days, as a wholesome corrective to the 

 night-straying propensity of our African brother. This 

 serpent is very graceful, and I can imagine that if held, 

 provoked, or irritated, it might in its ell , witch 



fiercely with its long tailandbody, but as for its being able 

 to seize a person and whip him to death, we must conSf£ 

 limbo the tradition, with many others of similar nature. 

 From the somewhat fragile nature of the ligamentuons at- 

 tachments of the spinal vertebras of the aninnd. we can more 

 readily imagine 'hat the reptile would stand a better chance 

 ot breaking its own back than that of its opponent. 



Tolerably common are also certain superstitious about the 

 poisouous attributes of lizards, and the ones which appear to 

 be the mosl dreaded in the South are the Miirajiopxis tn'ilnr- 

 tyiii?, the three-lingered siren; Siren buyilina, the una: e 

 ami J/, r i, the Tennessee hellbender! These are 



all known to the negroes and ignorant whites of the South as 

 Congo snakes, and are very much feared. They are short, 

 black, repulsive-looking reptiles, making their homes in the 

 muddy marshes and rice fields, and will bite sharply if dis- 

 turbed. They have no poison fangs, and. so far as known, 

 the saliva is not poisouous. Even the beautiful little green 

 lizard, Au-itix priiicipulix; the blue-tailed skink, Eu 



.-. and some others, are called scorpions and are mueh 

 feared. While at Fort Macon, X. C, a few years since, a 

 man brought me a gourd partly filled with what he called 

 scorpions, and warned me against touching them, as he said 



they were very poisonous. He was much horrified at - j 



me let them run ail over my person; they were the harmless 

 and pretty green lizards. An account of this was pub] 

 in the . I ... n, in Is;:;. 



In the Western and Southwestern States, among the Mexi- 

 cau and half-breed papulation, a curious idea exists with re- 

 gard to the ambl\ stomas or axoiotls, which is as follow s; in 

 case a certain young woman finds herself to be in a delicate 

 condition previous to certain religious rites, and her friends 

 cannot find out tile name of thegffender, she at once a-- \ 

 crates, and her kinsfolk affect to believe, that she has in her 

 daily walks stumbled or strode over a living axolotl. This 

 is a* very comfortable belief and must save an enormous 

 amount of trouble in families where virtue is at a slight dis- 

 count. 



Less than two years since I might have alluded to the 

 Mexican superstition regarding JJeltKi ,. the 



Gila monster, a«t the belief as to the very poisonous Q 

 of its bite, but since the experience of Dr. Shufeldt. who was 

 bitten by one in my room in the National Museum, and suf- 

 fered \e~rv severely, aud the exhaustive experiments of bis. 

 Mitchell and Reichert with this animal, we must admit 

 fact what was long considered a vulgar tradition. 



The- belief is common in .Maryland and Virginia that, the 

 milk snake. Opflibolus tviaiiguluf, milks the cows; and 1 

 have no doubt that many a negro's thirsty gullet has re- 

 ceived a goodly share of the lacteal fluid, for the stealing of 

 beautiful serpent has been held 



A peculiar b - i I ' v-'- in -■ inn of the States wl ir 

 snakes arc numerous that this dreaded reptil - 



familiar serpent kuowm as the rnttlesiia!.:. 

 precursor of its approach, and that it acts as a sort , ,. 



up of food for 'the more sin.. - claim 



that in addition Io its duties as a forager, it is sent ahead to 

 warn individuals of the danger they run by remaining in the 

 paths by which Mr. Crotalus proposes to promenade. I have 



been unable to Ibc definitely the species to which the reptile 



liptious given, 1 am led to bclicvt I 

 in Pennsylvania it is th isoletus, the mot 



blacksuake; the Southern States y j iV'/e.e'. ' , - . 



pine or bull snake. 



In South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas Florida, 

 aud Texas, are to be found two species of North American 

 vipers, viz., Klapa ftdeiuj, the harlequin or coral snake 

 in Florida Elaps t$i»ta>ui, tin- Florida qui ir coral 



snake, and these, contrary to very general belief, are quite 

 poisonous. They resemble somet in n al found in the 



same States, which is ho 



the scarlet snake, and it is probably from the 

 latter being tolerably common and not harmful, that mis- 

 takes have been made in the identity of the two species not 

 being determined. That the harlequiu or coral snake is poi- 

 be doubted, as a case of bite occurred at 

 the National Museum last year, by which serious sin; 

 and danger .'-suited, the description of which 



-"I j be found > I it, January, 



1888, page 26. It is a rather curious fact that 

 (he very serpent that inflicted the injury 'bad been teased in 

 the reptile room for sonic time iu the vain endeavor lo make 

 him bite small anitua'.s. In the article referred to. the uar 

 rator. Mr. True, gives a letter from Dr. Kearney, of I 

 in which the latter gentleman states that the people of his 

 neighborhood believe .that the coral snake - 



- it is quite interesting, apart of it is heregiv. q; "The 

 following rase of a bite of .-oral snake, followed by death, 

 occurred neai i i Tex., during the last ye 



