STARBOARD.
HISTORYOFTHE WANDERINGSOFTOM STARBOARD.
I herewith give my young readers extracts from a little work under this title, which I think they will find entertaining. Mr. Starboard is one of those redoubted travellers, who are generally the heroes of their best stories, and his adventures are no less varied than wonderful. But we will let him speak for himself:
“I was two years and a few days wandering over South America. I travelled about one thousand eight hundred miles; but I did not walk all the way; oh no! I frequently went with the Indians up their rivers; and for about five hundred miles I rode on mules, or wild horses, which I caught by stratagem.
“At night I would find a tree, and lace a rope in and out of two boughs, so as to form a kind of cradle; thus supported, I slept in peace, excepting that sometimes the vampire bat would annoy me by sucking my blood; he did it though so quietly, that I suffered no pain; and perhaps it was serviceable to me to lose a little blood; it is not improbable that these flying surgeons kept me in health by their gentle bleedings. The vampire bat does not subsist entirely by sucking the blood of living animals; it feeds also on insects and young fruits.
“One morning, I remember, when I awoke, and was coming down from my cradle, I found that a rattle snake had coiled itself round the stem of the tree, and then I really thought it would be all over with me; but my presence of mind did not forsake me even in this case; for, as the reptile reared his flat, wide, terrible head, I took such good aim, and was so near to it that I blew it to atoms. Once I caught a poisonous serpent, called alabarrisnake, that I might look for, and examine the fangs, which contained its venom. I saw it asleep; and coming cautiously towards it, I sprang at its neck, which I grasped tightly with my hands; its mouth was thus forced open; then taking a small piece of stick, I pressedit on the fang, (the point of which communicated with the root where the bag of poison is situated,) and I distinctly saw the venom ooze out: it was of a thick substance and of a yellow color; of course I killed the creature.”
Starboard in tree
One day, during my wanderings in South America, I came unawares upon a herd of wild horses that were grazing quietly on the borders of a forest. Well,—I had been walking a long way, and felt tired; so I thought I might as well try to catch one of these horses, and vary my mode of journeying, by riding. I had read of the manner in which the Guachos (or South American peasants) catch these animals with a lasso, or long rope, which has a loop at the end of it; and this they expertly throw over the head of the animal that they single out: their dexterity is surprising. I feared, however, to attempt such an exploit, lest I should fail, and thus frighten them all away: besides I had no rope that was long enough.
So I set my wits to work, and thus I tried my scheme. I observed among the trees that skirted the plain, a pool of water: to this pool I made my way; for,thought I, they will surely come there, by and by, to drink; so I climbed up into a cinchona, or barktree.
Having fastened one end of my rope tightly round one of the lower branches, I made the other into a slip-knot or noose; and then I waited patiently for my expected prey. At last the whole herd of horses left their pasture in a body, and came neighing and gambling towards the water, with their tails sailing in the wind, and their long manes waving about with every graceful turn of their bodies. I assure you it was rather an appalling sight to see myself close over the heads of so many powerful animals, that made the ground echo with their spirited movements.
I sat still, however, enjoying myself with a calabash shell full of milk, which I had drawn from acow-treethat grew on the rock near me.
“Acow-tree, Mr. Starboard!” methinks I hear my young readers exclaim; “A cow-tree! Surely you mean acow grazing, Mr. Starboard. We know that travellers are privileged to tell pretty big stories, Mr. Starboard; but there is such a thing, Mr. Starboard; as overstepping too far the bounds of truth, Mr. Starboard.”
Starboard in tree
Upon my veracity, my dear young readers, I am inearnest. It was acow-tree, from which I drew the milk: and the great traveller, Humboldt, will prove what I have said.
The cow-tree is found on the most barren rocks, where rains rarely visit it, and it has large woody roots. When its trunk is pierced, a most delicious, white, thick juice exudes, (or flows out,) which is quite as pleasant and nourishing as the milk of our cows. The Indians always make use of it, and it is found in the greatest abundance about sunrise.
Well: I had just finished my bowl of vegetable milk, when a fine fellow of a horse came under my cinchona-tree, and stooped to drink; so I crept to the end of the branch; and as he raised his head, I slipped the noose over his neck, and drew it tight; the start he gave when he found himself confined, frightened his companions, and away they all scampered, leaving me and my prisoner alone.
Instead of striving to break the rope and escape, which he might have done with ease, his courage seemed weakened by this new kind of restraint. I had some struggles, it is true; but I quickly conquered him, and we were soon friends.
I have met, in the course of my life with a variety of other adventures, which I will narrate to my young readers, if they will give their attention. I am an old man now and have plenty of leisure; but the greater portion of my life has been passed in unceasing activity and has been full of incident:—
“Up to the north—the polar north,With the whalers did I go,’Mong the mountains of eternal iceTo the land of the thawless snow.“We were hemmed in by icy rocks,The strength of man was vain;But at once the arm of God was shownThe rocks were rent in twain.“And then we sailed to the tropic seas,That are like crystal clear,Thou wilt marvel much, thou little child,These glorious things to hear.”
“Up to the north—the polar north,With the whalers did I go,’Mong the mountains of eternal iceTo the land of the thawless snow.“We were hemmed in by icy rocks,The strength of man was vain;But at once the arm of God was shownThe rocks were rent in twain.“And then we sailed to the tropic seas,That are like crystal clear,Thou wilt marvel much, thou little child,These glorious things to hear.”
“Up to the north—the polar north,With the whalers did I go,’Mong the mountains of eternal iceTo the land of the thawless snow.
“Up to the north—the polar north,
With the whalers did I go,
’Mong the mountains of eternal ice
To the land of the thawless snow.
“We were hemmed in by icy rocks,The strength of man was vain;But at once the arm of God was shownThe rocks were rent in twain.
“We were hemmed in by icy rocks,
The strength of man was vain;
But at once the arm of God was shown
The rocks were rent in twain.
“And then we sailed to the tropic seas,That are like crystal clear,Thou wilt marvel much, thou little child,These glorious things to hear.”
“And then we sailed to the tropic seas,
That are like crystal clear,
Thou wilt marvel much, thou little child,
These glorious things to hear.”