My Friends the Savages

s of the forest?-?Serpents?-?A perilous adventure?-?Carnivorou

ho finds himself, for whatsoever reason you will, in one of those questionable labyrinths still existing in the most civilized Italian cities, would certainly not run less risk than in facing the dangers of the forest. The dart, the trap, the attack

at death does not come swift enough to kill their flesh, after th

s inebriated by the simple and serene joys of living; it is pervaded by a current of new, potent energy that makes

thought and sentiment are so impetuous that that fleeting atom of time is in itself sufficient to mark an indelible epoch in the existence of men. Who knows but what if Mephis

have disturbed along my path and that has not found my philosophizing over pl

big and small, venomous and harmless. It may almost be said (especially tow

the tigi paà and the tigi dolò but the

n a bambo

7

p close to a tree or lazily swinging from one of its branches, keeping hold of it with its powerful tail and so

nd suffocating him with its coils and biting him with its sharp fangs even when they are not poisoned. Like al

with a slow gliding step, taking care not to move your hands or

experiments I have myself m

iles. He never moved as I crept by but he did not lose sight of me for a single instant. I am quite s

long. Well, the horrid serpent just lazily unfolded its coils and softly slipped from under

t and a sip of wine), as they are snugly gathered round a cosy fireside, adventures which they have read in the fabulous pages written by one of those story-

xplain in another chapter. It is a quick and simple means of getting free, in a few minutes, of a venomous enemy which it n

Erect, with open mouth and protruding tongue, the embodiment of hatred, it was there, prompt for an assault. My case was desperate and only a miracle of sang-froid could save me. Fixing my eyes steadily upon those of the serpent, very gradually and with the slowest possible movement I bent my knees and crouched down towards the ground,

t in the railway carriage between one place and another or at least to keep within a safe distance of the forest, for al

ur force of resistance. A rat bites your heel whilst you are asleep; the leeches suck your blood; all sorts of insects sting you. These little annoyin

ons inflicted upon one's flesh by the more minute inhabitants of those regions, for the jungle also exacts certain

lgia after having once known her magnificence and her h

prolonging life in the forest. The stomach must ne

ass of wine I managed to keep in excellent health in 1889 when an epidemic r

ss; the burning sun, that seems to cook one's brain; the cold nights and heavy dews; the violent storms that qu

egime, based upon moder

ity of being able to offer a glass to my friends, but those bottles remain well corked, waiting for their legitimate o

cannot be met with impunity; those that render ever

cosely here as in our streets and menageries but vie with other wild beasts in blood-thirstiness; of the rhi

at the fairs and museums and will have learnt their character and habits from Natural History books or from the description (not always correct) of som

ious than any of the carnivorous species. It does not kill fro

head. This animal possesses such vigour and agility as to enable it to attack victoriously a

y night it scours the neighbourhood, rending the air with its awful roars. One is n

the crops cultivated by the Sakais who, for fear of this dreaded enemy, do not plant

ow some feeling of respect, gratitude or fear, the sladan never exhibits one or the other. It would almost seem that in him is concentrated

n with the sladan, might pass for a lamb) of the wild goat or of the deer which are in great numbers, but there are little rodent quadrupeds of every sort, size, and fur, besides perfect crowds of monkeys

orous but all are beautiful in their rich and wonderful variety of colour. Amongst these the pheas

ds of prey have unfolded their wings and soar, like phantoms, through the darkness, the p

ir, and the countless multitude of different insects would be well worth special study; amongst the latter ar

many dangers which exact exceptional presence of mind and str

re, open and pronounced, so unlike those depressing struggles ag

for weeks without encountering a soul. I happened once, though, to fall

reptiles

8

found a man. At seeing me he caught up his blow-pipe-a miserable-looking instrument-and his poisoned darts, and was about to run away. I hast

uld be clearly seen under the unadorned skin; his sunken eyes gleamed with mistrust and inquietu

man of the wood, less vivacious and le

hen, keeping fast hold of his weapon he hurried off, without uttering

tude for what he had received but vanished mute, contemp

ange person and his way of proceeding, because he had

ld-honey and the fruit he found upon the ground. If he happened to catch some game he would light up a bit of fire and seem to cook it but in reality he ate it raw. Sometimes he ca

e always resolutely refused whatever proposal they made him and they were of opinion that not even old age would have

g to live alone as Nature produced him, in the unlimited liberty o

d dare to laugh at or injure such a harmless soul and so he is allowed to ramble from

mongst people more ad