74 



CENTRAL AMERICA. 



or six lassos were suspended, one over each 

 well-marked trail, which proceeded from the 

 river about one hundred yards distant. The 

 party then crossed the river, and noosed 

 every trail that descended to the river from 

 that side, so that by sunset ten or twelve 

 lassos were set, and the party broke up, 

 under the understanding that we were all to 

 meet again the next morning, an hour before 

 sunrise, and muster as many hands and 

 lassos as we could collect. 



Accordingly, all our horses were tied up 

 for the night, fed on Indian corn, and about 

 two hours before daybreak my Indian and I 

 started to the rendezvous. Smoking our 

 cigars to keep the pestilent forest damp 

 out, we were both surprised at our horses 

 suddenly stopping and snorting, and, as I 

 was in front, was also much surprised by see- 

 ing in the pathway what I took for an enor- 

 mous snake, of about thirty-five feet in length, 

 lying zigzag, and which seemed to be, by its 

 silvery appearance in some places, a boa-con- 

 strictor. I pointed it out to my companion, 

 and, as the moon was clear, he immediately 

 whispered u Bova ! " which means boa ; but, 

 jumping off his horse, he left it with me, and 

 crept into the wood as stealthily as a snake 



