102 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



tSEPT. S, 1886' 



M^ortmi\m ^mmi 



TRAVELS IN BOON GAH ARRAHBIGGEE. 



PROM THE DIARY OF JOSEPH GOATER. 

 EDITED BY I", H. TISMPUS BELLE-W. 



(Oontinued.) 



* * * A FTER a mid-day siesta we again sallied forth 

 XJL in an opposite direction to that in which we 

 had found the rolling hall, which, for the sake of having 

 some name to distinguish it, I shall call the Pila-volutatio , 

 or perhaps Pila for short. In the dhection we now took 

 we found the landscape much more broken, and after 

 walking nearly five miles we came to a long line of lime- 

 stone chffs, whose appearance at once struck me as re- 

 markable. The whole f agade was bored with immmcr- 

 able holes varying in size from 3ft. to ^in. in diameter, 

 while near the ground were some that must hare been at 

 least 5ft. in height. Opposite all the upper larger ones 

 swTing long tendrils of vines, roots or ropes, I could not 

 tell from the distance below which. The thing, however, 

 that struck me most, was the signs of animation at each 

 and every aperture. From every one something was pro- 

 truded every few seconds and then withdrawn in a way 

 that made me think of the inside working of a piano or 

 some other machine. 



After watchmg this strange spectacle for some time I 

 determined to see if I could solve the mystery, so taking 



a rifle from one of my men I selected one of the larger 

 holes where there seemed to me the greatest activity, and 

 taking careful aim, fired. A piercing howl followed the 

 shot, and then came a scene of confusion for which I was 

 little prepared. In the first place from the opening at 

 which I had shot issued a number of gray balls (I began 

 to thuak that animal life was given to taking the shape of 

 balls in this strange country), considerably larger than a 

 bushel basket, which began to cUmb with rapidity up the 

 pendulous tendrils I had previously noticed, till they 

 reached the top of the cliff where they moved about 

 backward and forward with apparently great agitation. 

 The same thing occurred at every one of the other large 

 holes untU the top of the cliff seemed alive witli these 

 objects. A.t the same time from every one of the other 

 orifices flew some specimen of animated natm-e, from big 

 birds, as large as geese, to insects the size of a bumble 

 bee. The former with wide outstretched wings circled 

 screammg round our heads, sometimes skimming close 

 to the surface of the earth and at other soaring as high 

 as the toj) of the cliffs. Innumerable smaller birds shot 

 hither and thither, while the whole ah seemed filled with 

 humming insects. ]My shot apj)eared to have distmhed 

 the mid-day repose of a whole colony of the most conglom- 

 orate description, 



Wliile I was yet looking with astonishment at the scene 

 of confusion I had evoked, my attention was attracted by 

 a loud crackling and crashing among some tall shrubs 

 and bushes that grew at the foot of the rocks, and casting 

 my eyes in that direction I saw the snout of some animal 

 pushing its way between the branches, to be quickly fol- 

 lowed by the body of one of the most appalling creatures 

 I ever beheld in my life. It was a plantigrade, covered 

 with short black fur, and as high as the tallest elephant, 

 with the back, forehead and nose cased in armor like 

 that of an armadillo. Its large white teeth glittered in its 

 huge red mouth, and its small, deep-set eyes blazed with 

 ferocity. It moved -wdth gTeai; velocity and was on me in 

 an instant, and I verily thought my last hour had come. 

 I knew that my light-bore rifle would be of no a vail unless 

 I cotdd strike liim in some pecuharly vulnerable spot. I 

 raised my piece quickly, and aiming at his eye, fired. 

 The animal threw up his head and gave a snort like the 

 esca,pe of steam from a locomotive, but did not check his 

 speed in the least. My men and even the dogs hadaUiim 

 away. I had no second gun at hand, and even bad there 

 been one ready there was not a moment to make a change. 

 I dropped my rifle and ran, never before nor since have 

 I XTin so fast. I heard the beast's soft heavy tread close 

 behind me like the thumping of feather pillows. I 

 thought to dodge beliind a tree, but I did not dare 



to check my speed to make the experiment. 

 I put my whole soul into my legs and ran, I seemed to 

 be unconscious of every part of my anatomv, save my 

 legs. Everything grew misty before'my eves, then black, 

 and I seemed to run in a dream. I struck my foot against 

 a stump or a stone, I do not know which; all I remember 

 is that I was hurled headlong forward to the ground in a 

 confused heap, I was a dead man— at least that was my 

 firm conviction as I went dowi. I must have fainted, 

 for I know that the next emotion was one of intense sur- 

 prise at finding that I was not a mangled mass of flesh 

 and bone. I arose slowly to my feet and looking around 

 espied the body of my plantigrade friend lying on tlie 

 sward nearly a quarter of a mile back. If "the wicked flee 

 when no man pursiieth," so also do the frightened. I had 

 been tearuig away like mad from a dead beast. I did not 

 venture just then to go back and satisfy myself as to his 

 condition, I was quite %villing to accept the situation as it 

 stood and let my cimosity take care of itself for a while 

 while I walked slowly back to the camp and restored my 

 nerves with a, good big di-am of brandy. Some hom's 

 later, taking my fom^ ounce rifle and my whole staff of at- 

 tendants with me, I retmmed to the spot, where I found 

 that my shot had fortunately penetrated the monster's 

 eye, killing him almost instantly. 



I approached the cliffs with great caution, however, 

 fearing the possible appearance of an avenging mate; but 

 whetiier Madam was in tlie country or whether divorce 

 proceedings had been instituted, or whetlier Monsieiu- 

 was a widower or a bachelor, I know not; but at all 



events, no Nemesis made its ajipearance. Tlie excitement 

 had almost entirely subsided on the chffs, though one or 

 two of the ball-like figures still moved slowly up and 

 down, and many of the large birds still circled noiselessly 

 about. Not wishing to create a fresh distm-bance just 

 then, I did not ventme to discharge my piece at the fly- 

 ing bhds, one of which I was anxious to possess. I, how- 

 ever, attained my object in a much easier way. Poptie, 

 who was very skillful in tlirowing the bingie, a species of 

 heavy stick, soon brought one of them down without 

 noise or confusion. I then found that the creature had 

 no mandibles, but in j)lace of them a long rigid tube lined 

 with fibrous tentacles, that indicated that the bird lived 

 (as I afterward learned to be the case) by suction, some- 

 times sucking in insects while on the wing, and at other 

 times out of the water. We cooked this particular speci- 

 men for sujjper, but found it not very good eating, being 

 rather tough and rank. When quite young, however, or 

 m the squab stage, they are very delicious, 



A DAY IN SUMMER. 



BY "THE OLD MAN OP THE HILL." 



A SUMMER afternoon. King Sol has summoned all 

 his wandering rays from a thousand distant planets, 

 and, having brushed every obstructing cloud from his 

 vision, adjusts his strongest magnifying glasses and 

 brings his gaze to focus on poor old Mother Earth, till the 

 dear creatm'e is so overcome she can scarcely keep her 

 orbit, but lies drooping, sweltering and steaming at every 

 pore, while we miserable beings can only sweat and mop 

 in sympatliy, and long for the wings of a dove that we 

 might fly away and not retiu-n until she has cooled to a 

 more habitable temperature. 



Down the hiU, in the Town, the pedestrian drags his 

 feet of lead over pavements that might have been quarried 

 in Tophet, while the Barefoot Boy, finding no mischief 

 befittmg such a day as this, can only toast his feet on the 

 hot cobbles while he fashions peach-stone baskets against 

 the curbstone. 



In front of the Grocery a few vegetables are shriveling 

 in the sun, while a swarm of bees are investigating the 

 recesses of an empty hogshead and ha^dng an uproarious 

 little time reveling in the fumes. 



Coming through the Square we meet a voluminous 

 Cloud of Dust that has been Im-kmg about the ToAvn these 

 several da3"s; now careering down tlie street until he 

 overtakes his fleeing victim and envelops him in whirl- 

 ing, blinding clouds; now sweeping along su'iftly and low, 

 or rising slowly and soaring among the frees and over the 

 liousetops; now rachig down the turnpike with a couple 



of fast drivers and returning later to town in the wake of 

 a slow, jogging farmer. His chief delight has been to lie 

 here m the Square in wait for the arrival of the Four- 

 Horse Stage and then roil out in ascending clouds from 

 underneath the wheels to settle dov^m upon the steaming 

 horses and sift a miller's coat on every tired, impatient 

 passenger. But to-day he, too, is utterly overcome, and 

 now hes prostrate in the Square. His strongest effort only 

 raises liim a little on his wings; he straggles and stumbles 

 a little way and then flops down exhausted. 



The Town Pump alone preserves its equilibrium, and 

 acts the Good Samaritan to the thirsty quadrupeds thrust- 

 ing their expectant noses into the cooling trough and ex- 

 pressing their delight by splashing the ducks that paddle 

 in the green mud below. 



Over here in the corner by the warehouse, we discover 

 our dark-complexioned old friend, Honest John, fast 

 asleep, with his whitewash-brush, carpet-sticks and other 

 emblems of his profession artistically disposed about him. 

 His hands are clasped hi front, his mouth ajar, his head 

 tin-own back, while a sonorous snore is issuing from bis 

 nostrils. A while ago he was in the shade, but Old Sol 

 has come round the corner and is gazing down upon him 

 with a scrutinizing glare. Little springs start into life 

 on his forehead, expand into miniature pools, tlien be- 

 come ri^^llets and meander over the wide expanse of 

 countenance, while a myriad of flies, ti-aihng their wet 

 legs through the watercoiu-se, are investigating the topo- 

 graphy of bis features. 



Arrived at last at our destination on the hiU it is almost 

 evening, so let us perch a while on the wall and watch the 

 tTansition. Far below, the Town is still enveloped in a 

 suffocating haze, but up here we are m another atmo- 

 sphere. A cool breeze is fluttering about, wliis]jering 

 reviving secrets among the foliage till every drooping 

 stalk is taking heart and elbowing up among Its fellows. 

 The last rays of sunhght are disappearing in the West, 

 and now vast flights of shadows come flocking up from 

 the blackening East, alightrng noiselessly and tMck 

 among the bushes and rethed corners. Every leaf and 

 blade of grass conceals a little one. High up in the last 

 lingering strata of twilight the bats are wheeling about 

 the chimney in erratic chcles, encompassing their even- 

 ing meal, and aheady through the deepening gloom are 

 gathering from faa- and near those Will o' the Wisps, the 

 fireflies. Down the green lane and over the meadow, by 

 their swaying lanterns you mayiro :-! ti i- ir undulating 

 flight, all tending to the Intervale ! -i y hold their 



nightly levee. Then- orchestra, tlu' i i '- r i : . are essaying 

 their preliminary fiddles, while the irres toads, then" im- 

 patient audience, are piping anill-la-od conversation, until 

 the latest comers all arrived the u arm nigiit ah is illu- 

 mined with a myriad torches in a scene of fahy revelry. 

 Now they are promenading in chosen couploa; now paus- 

 ing in a graceful balance; now in the midst of a dizzy 

 w iiirl or a mad career down the length of the field, while 

 i;!ie crickets keep time withperspii-ation, and the tree toads 

 shriek in such wild delight that a pair of carping katy- 

 dids pause in their mutual recriminations and a whole 

 glee club of j^onderous-voiced bullfrogs in the mai'sh 

 cease from very envy. J EFr'ERSON Scribb. 



SAM LOVEL'S CAMPS.-IV. 



WHEN Sam, the earliest riser of the three tenants of 

 the camp, crept abroad next morjung the daylight 

 pervaded a misty Umdscape. Close ljy the camp the 

 silvery gra}^ surface of the Slang was visible, tlien faded 

 off into a dull white lake of fog that had for its further 

 shore the dun upland fields and jutting capes of wooded 

 hills. Out of it scattered trees arose with apparently un- 

 stable rootage, and roofs of barns hke stranded hulks. 

 Tlie hemlrjcks dripped a slow patter of condensed mist, 

 and ilic liottoms of the overturned canoes were beaded so 

 thick with it that they looked as if sheathed with a coat- 

 ing of pearls. The light air from the south, so faint that 

 it scarcely bent the columns of rising vapor, was soft with 

 the breath of spring, and the voices of many birds uprose 

 to welcome the beautiful day — the gm-gle of blackbirds, 

 the flicker's cackle, the robin's clear but jerky notes, the 

 long-drawn whistle of the meadow lark away in the 

 foggy fields, the trill of the song sparrow and the joyous 

 warble of the piu-ple finch, A crow on a treetop began to 

 call his friends to breakfast with him on the lieap of 

 skinned muskrats that the trappers had left at proper dis- 

 tance from camp, and reminded Sam that it was time to 

 make preparations f (n- his ovni and his companions' break- 

 fast. He raked a few live coals out of the heart of the 

 ashes, and, placing them beside the back-log, laid some 

 "fat" pine shavings and shvers upon them, and after 

 some lusty blowing got a blaze started. When he began 

 to cut the wood to feed the fire the noise of the axe 

 aroused Antoine, who came out on all f oiu's from his lair 

 hi such a half -asleep and blinking condition that Sam was 

 reminded of some hibernating anim^ taking its first look 

 at awakening nature. He said nothing till Sam hung the 

 potato kettle over the fire, and clawing a dozen potatoes 

 out of the grimy bag they were stored in, began to peel 

 them. "What' you goin' call dat dinny you mek it wen 

 you git him do, suj^py or breakfis, Ah dunno, me?" 



"Supper, I giiess, 'f you don't flax raound a leetle mite 

 'n' help. Wake up 'n' get some ma'sh rabbits ready 'fore 

 Peltier gits liis eyes ojjen 'nough to see what kind of a 

 critter the hindquarters growed on. "T 'ould spile his 

 appetite t' cat if he knowed they Avas muslu'ats when they 

 was liviu\" 



"Bah gosh!" Antoine grumbled as he shuffled away to 

 prepare the meat, "Ah'll rudder sleep as git up inanaght 

 for heat! Ah'll jes' beegin have it some funs dreamin', 

 you'll wok it me all up wid you hole axe — pluck! j)luck!" 



"High time to be a sthrin'-, Antwine," Sam said, cheer- 

 fully. "Ti-aps to go raound to, an' then the fish shootin' 

 you've ben a telHn' on. It's goin' to be the neatest day 'at 

 ever was!" 



"Wal, Ah don' care for me," Antoine said, becoming 

 reconciled to the loss of his matutinal nap as he realized 

 what promise the morning gave, "Guess he be pooty 

 good 'nough day — w'en he come," 



Pelatiali was called when the water was drained out of 

 the potatoe kettle and the frying pan was taken oft' the 

 coals and set upon the slab beside it. Kneeling on tlie 

 shore to wash his face antl hands as the others had done 

 already, he asked, turning liis dripping visage toward 

 them witli an expression of disgust upon it, "Wlia' d'ye 

 du for suthin to drink'? This ere water haint fit! I haint 

 lied a decent drink o' water sen I come off 'm the hills. 

 Tills 'ere stuff raound here don't hit nowheres!" 



THE PLANTIGRADE. 



