IN THE JUNGLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1925, Page 4

IN THE JUNGLE.

AN EXPLORER'S NARRATIVE. (By F. A. Mitchell-Hedges.) LUBAANTUN (British Honduras). Our preparations for tbc journey to Lubaantun completed, two dugouts were loaded, with three Indians in each, our yacht, the Cara, took them in tow, and we left l’unta Gorda for tlm Rio Grande—live miles by sea. We safely crossed the mud-bar and entered the deep stream flowing through miles of mangrove swamp. A few hours’ run and the Cara was compelled to stop. Wo transferred the lowing to a little motor-launch, the mangrove swamps had given place to impenetrable jungle which walled the river in on either side. On the approach of evening the darkness, combined with the rain, made steering guesswork. A rocky lodge rising from the bottom was our undoing. The launch struck with a, crash and became a wreck. We tied it to a tree-stump projecting above the water and left if. With two Indians poling at the bow of each dug-out and one with a paddle in the stern, we groped our way through the ever-increasing gloom until it. grew r.s black as pitch. Finally we landed and in a deserted Indian shelter spent a miserable night, drenched to the skin. The sun rose in a cloudless sky, turning the country into a steaming hothouse. The scenery was glorious. Mo encountered miniature waterfalls and rapids every mile or so. Gigantic frees towered more than 200 feel into the air. From their topmost branches liana fell in straight ropes to the river. The trunks and branches of the frees, and even the ropes ol liana, were smothered with air-plants and orchids. Shortly a low booming could bo hoard, and as wo turned a bend into view came a waterfall, terminating ii: a rapid which roared over great boulders. A large free bad fallen completely across the river, and it was not until we had cut through the trim! witli axes that we could continue. ; Mile after mile we proceeded hv never-ending rapids, which meant all gelling out and pulling the dugouts through with great labour, until wo came to a narrow branch of the liver. We left, ibe main stream and entered ibis. Now. on either bank, we could see inimmer; lble marks where the jungle beasts come down to drink at night. . The boots of the tapir (mountain cow), the pads of the jaguar, and the deep cleft indentations made by wild hogs i were impressed in the soft soil, liaski iug in tile sun were enormous lizards (iguanas). For eating these are liner than chicken. Green snakes swam across the stream, and we saw racoons and once a tiger-cat. Late in ilio afternoon one of the Indians seized a huge eouksliell. on which he blew three or four curious notes. After giine minutes came a ' faint reply. We were approaching n 1 Maya village. Two more sharp bends ! and then one the left bank we could j -eo men and women assembling. Me I had arrived safely. j Half ii. mile farther on we landed. | and were fortunate enough io find a j deserted hush-house- very crude and ‘ entirely closed in bv dense jungle. But | it was a shelter, and best of all. it was j close of the ruins of Lubaantun. In j fait, it was situated on a ruined 1 mound, probably a burial mound. THE MARCHING ANTS. I A few days later we were returning I from the river when, faintly in the | -himmoriiiD; hf'itt. r< rt ruiitinu'Ui?'. I sinister rustling. i Then we saw on the ground three j I,luck lines emerging lrom the jungle • and converging on our shack. Me ran in. hurriedly covering everything eatable. AVitli precision the lines advanced. They were countless millions of the “marching army'’ ants. They have generals and captains, any .stragglers being at once marshalled back. In perfect order they entered our dwelling, j while the right and left wings, each j (housing a side, climbed to the thatch. We ran out, lor to have remained would have meant that within a few niinui-s we should have been covered in a black swarming mass. Scarcely a living tiling do these vast armies leave behind alter they have passed, i For years our palm thatch had ovicl--1 cnt.lv harboured innumerable scorpions, tarantula-spiders, and lizards. As we hurried out Hie battle began. Down fell a scorpion covered with ants. Tn ! seconds it was devoured. | A continuous rustling in the thatch ; told of the. .sanguinary conflict being j waged, heaping madly to the ground, a number of lizards shot into the jungle, and slill millions of ants continued to march in from the hush. ; For more than two hours the ants ! remained. Then it: seemed as though, ' at. some given signal, they termed 1 again into long lines and recommenced : their match into the jungle. We felt a j deep gratitude towards them, for they . had without doubt removed every pest in the place. .IFNODE CHATTER. To live in the bean of a jungle is a strange experience. During the day the air is filied with tlit* rasping noise of cicadas, mingled, res evening descends. with a medley of other sounds. Hundreds of parrots congregating in tin- trees set up a perfect jazz-band. The crickets, tree-frogs and lizards join in one tremendous orchestra. After darkness has fallen. numeral. 1,, lire-beeties flash like meteors among the trees and invade our shack. Then rises the deep banning of a frog, to he answered by its mate. The night birds shriek, a low moaning from some l other nocturnal creature is heard ocr- | ilv. AM round us the jungle teems | with innumerable life. | Yesterday we dined oil parrots. ToI day tlie gibnnt. a rodent which looks like a huge rat, provides us with a meal, barge lizards and their eggs ’ all help the hill of fare. Seasoning j the hush provides, while tortillas, thin I round corn cukes (the corn ground by | the Indians by band with a stone), i take the place of bread, j Friioles, the native red beans, go to make a savoury dish. Grape fruit and limes are in thousands, while ,-urj rounding our bush-house are trees ; laden with large magenta ousturd- | apples. By hunting one can get the beautiful eurrassiw. as large r.% turkeys. and as line for eating; deer, wild bog and pig. The Indians here have never heard of the Great War.