ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.
For several days they voyaged down-stream, without any occurrence of
particular interest. Once or twice they saw Indians upon the shore; but
these, instead of putting off in their canoes, seemed frightened at so
large a craft, and remained by their "maloccas," or great
village-houses, in each of which several families live together. Not
caring to have any dealings with them, our travellers were only too glad
to get past without molestation; and, therefore, when they passed any
place where they thought they observed the signs of Indians on the bank,
they kept on for hours after, without stopping.
A curious incident occurred one evening as they were bringing the balza
to her moorings, which compelled them to drop a little farther
down-stream, and, in fact, almost obliged them to float all night, which
would have been a dangerous matter, as the current at the place happened
to be sharp and rapid.
They had been on the look-out for some time for a good camping-place, as
it was their usual hour to stop. No opening, however, appeared for
several miles. The banks on both sides were thickly-wooded to the
river's edge, and the branches of the trees even drooped into the water.
At length they came in sight of a natural raft that had been formed by
driftwood in a bend of the stream; and as the logs lay thickly together,
and even piled upon each other, it appeared an excellent place to encamp
on. It was, at all events, better than to attempt to penetrate the thick
jungles which met them everywhere else; and so the balza was directed
towards the raft, and soon floated alongside it.
They had already got ashore on the raft, which was dry and firm, and
would have served their purpose well enough; when, all at once, Guapo
was heard uttering one of those exclamations, which showed that all was
not right. The rest looked towards him for an explanation. He was
standing by the edge of the floating timber, just where the balza
touched it, with his arms stretched out in an attitude that betokened
trouble. They all ran up. They saw what was the matter at a glance.
Thousands of red ants were climbing from the raft to the balza!
Thousands,--nay, it would be nearer the truth to say millions!
At one glance Don Pablo saw that it would be a terrible calamity, should
these creatures gain a lodgment on the balza. Not only were they the
dreaded stinging ants, but in a short time nothing on board would be
left. In a few hours they would have eaten all his stores,--his bark,
his vanilla, and his roots. Already quite a number had got upon the
canoe, and were crossing it toward the body of the balza.
Without saying another word, he ordered all to get on board as quickly
as possible, each taking some utensil that had already been carried on
shore. He and Guapo flew to the poles; and, having hastily unfastened
and drawn in the cable, they pushed the balza out into the stream. Then
while Guapo managed the great oar, Don Pablo, assisted by Leon and by
Doña Isidora, went to work with scoops and pails, dashing water upon the
ants; until every one of them had disappeared, drowned in the canoe or
washed off into the river. Fortunate for them, they had observed this
strange enemy in time. Had they not done so--in other words, had they
gone to sleep, leaving the balza where it was during the night--they
would have awakened in the morning to find their stores completely
destroyed, their labour of a year brought to nothing in the space of a
single night. This is no uncommon occurrence to the merchant or the
colonist of tropical America.
They had made a narrow escape, but a fortunate one. They were not
without their troubles, however. No open ground could be found for miles
below; and, as it was growing dark, they approached the thickly-wooded
bank; and, after a good deal of scratching among the branches, at length
succeeded in making the cable fast to a tree. The balza then swung
round, and floated at the end of the cable, half of it being buried
under the long hanging branches.
They spent their night on board, for it was no use attempting to get
on shore through the underwood; and even if they had, they could not
have encamped very comfortably in a thicket. On the other hand, the
balza did not afford the best accommodation for sleeping. The little
"toldo," or cabin, was not large enough to swing a hammock in. It would
only contain a few persons seated close together; and it had been built
more for the purpose of keeping the sun off during the hot hours of the
day than for sleeping in. The rest of the balza was occupied with the
freight; and this was so arranged with sloping sides, thatched with the
bussu-leaves, that there was no level place where one could repose upon
it. The night, therefore, was passed without very much sleep having been
obtained by any one of the party. Of course, the moment the first
streaks of day began to appear along the Eastern sky, they were all
awake and ready to leave their disagreeable anchorage.
As they were making preparations to untie the cable, they noticed that
just below where the balza lay, a horizontal limb stretched far out over
the river. It was the lowermost limb of a large zamang-tree, that stood
on the bank close to the edge of the water. It was not near the surface,
but a good many feet above. Still it was not certain that it was high
enough for the roof of the toldo to clear it. That was an important
question; for although the current was not very rapid just there, it was
sufficiently so to carry the balza under this branch before they could
push it out into the stream. Once the cable was let go, they must
inevitably pass under the limb of the zamang; and if that caught the
toldo, it would sweep off the frail roof like so much spider's-web. This
would be a serious damage; and one to be avoided, if possible.
Don Pablo and Guapo went to the end of the balza nearest the branch, and
stood for some time surveying it. It was about eight or ten yards
distant; but in the gray dawn they could not judge correctly of its
height, and they waited till it grew a little clearer. At length they
came to the conclusion that the branch was high enough. The long
pendulous leaves--characteristic of this great _mimosa_ and the drooping
branchlets hung down much below the main shaft; but these, even if they
touched the roof, would do no injury. It was, therefore, determined to
let go the cable.
It was now clear day, for they had been delayed a good while; but at
length all was ready, and Guapo untied the cable, and drew the end on
board. The balza began to move; slowly at first, for the current under
the bushes was very slight.
All at once the attention of the voyagers was called to the strange
conduct of the pet monkey. That little creature was running to and fro,
first upon the roof of the toldo, then down again, all the while
uttering the most piercing shrieks as if something was biting off its
tail! It was observed to look forward and upward toward the branch of
the zamang, as if the object it dreaded was in that quarter. The eyes of
all were suddenly bent in the same direction. What was their horror on
beholding, stretched along the branch, the hideous body of an enormous
serpent! Only part of it could be seen; the hinder half and the tail
were hidden among the bromelias and vines that in huge masses clustered
around the trunk of the zamang, and the head was among the leaflets of
the mimosa; but what they saw was enough to convince them that it was a
snake of the largest size--the great "_water boa_"--the _anaconda_!
[Illustration: ADVENTURE WITH AN ANACONDA.]
That part of the body in sight was full as thick as a man's thigh, and
covered with black spots or blotches upon a ground of dingy yellow. It
was seen to glisten as the animal moved, for the latter was in motion,
crawling along the branch _outward_! The next moment its head appeared
under the pendulous leaves; and its long forking tongue, protruding
several inches from its mouth, seemed to feel the air in front of it.
This tongue kept playing backwards and forwards, and its viscid covering
glittered under the sunbeam, adding to the hideous appearance of the
monster.
To escape from passing within its reach would be impossible. The balza
was gliding directly under it! It could launch itself aboard at will. It
could seize upon any one of the party without coming from the branch. It
could coil its body around them, and crush them with the constricting
power of its muscles. It could do all this; for it had crushed before
now the tapir, the roebuck, perhaps even the jaguar himself.
All on board the boat knew its dangerous power too well; and, of course,
terror was visible in every countenance.
Don Pablo seized the axe, and Guapo laid hold of his _macheté_. Doña
Isidora, Leon, and the little Leona, were standing--fortunately they
were--by the door of the toldo; and, in obedience to the cries and
hurried gestures of Don Pablo and the Indian, they rushed in and flung
themselves down. They had scarcely disappeared inside, when the forward
part of the balza upon which stood Don Pablo and Guapo, came close to
the branch, and the head of the serpent was on a level with their own.
Both aimed their blows almost at the same instant; but their footing was
unsteady, the boa drew back at the moment, and both missed their aim.
The next moment the current had carried them out of reach, and they had
no opportunity of striking a second blow.
The moment they had passed the hideous head again dropped down, and hung
directly over, as if waiting. It was a moment of intense anxiety to Don
Pablo. His wife and children! Would it select one as its victim, and
leave the others? or----
He had but little time for reflection. Already the head of the snake was
within three feet of the toldo door. Its eyes were glaring--it was about
to dart down.
"Oh, God, have mercy!" exclaimed Don Pablo, falling upon his knees. "Oh,
God!"
At that moment a loud scream was heard. It came from the toldo; and, at
the same instant, the saïmiri was seen leaping out from the door. Along
with the rest, it had taken shelter within; but just as the head of the
snake came in sight, a fresh panic seemed to seize upon it; and, as if
under the influence of fascination, it leaped screaming in the direction
of the terrible object. It was met half way. The wide jaws closed upon
it, its shrieks were stifled, and the next moment its silken body, along
with the head of the anaconda, disappeared among the leaves of the
mimosa. Another moment passed, and the balza swept clear of the branch,
and floated triumphantly into the open water.
Don Pablo sprang to his feet, ran into the toldo, and, after embracing
his wife and children, knelt down and offered thanks to God for their
almost miraculous deliverance.