The "Saurian Reptile"

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 241, 13 October 1886, Page 3

The "Saurian Reptile"

(To tho Editor.)

Sir, —In ref.rcnre to tho alligator which ha 3 le.ti lately discovered in the Waikato river, I remember hearing from a friend of mine a story, well authenticated, ond which may bo of some service in thia critical time. This account may bo cf some considerabb interest to your readers, as it waa to myso!f when 1 was first told of it. If mv recollection serves me aright, the story runs as follows : —A gentleman living in a town in one of the southern of the United Statos, who ventured out in a neignbouring foro3t for the purpose of having a litt'o sport, returned in tho evening with hut littlo in tbe way of game. During tho day, oppressed with the heat and parched with thirst, be reclined for a short space by tho side of a rivulet, and slaked his thirst from its seem ingly pure watera. About a week aftt rwards the sportsman began to feel somo internal pains. Those pains gradually increased until at last ho sought, as usual, hia medical adviser, who was unable to ascertain the causo of his complaint. Hia doctor in bis turn called in to his assistanco all hia professional friends, and, as usual, with no better success. Tho poor fellow grew worso and worse day by day, and no other roliof seemed to bo open to him save tho grave, upon tho brink of which he seemed to be already trembling. An Irish servant in the houso where he was then residing expressed his belief in the miraculous powers of a certain old wrinkld Indian squaw, whose wigwam was erected not far away in the forest visited by tho unfortunato hunter with moro dire results to himself than tho feathered inhabitants thereof. ; Aftor much persuasion he was induced to , pay a visit to thia old Indian woman. Tho old woman, more like a lifo sizo picture from ono of Finnimore Coopor's novels, yet withal much begrimed with soot, and with skin of a leathery texture like the outsido of a euclid of the oiden time, after hearing the caso explained to hor, so far as tho gentleman and his Irish guido were able to do so, intimated that she could effect the desired euro ; but desired tho sportsman to inform his friends of his intention to place himself under her directions, and, if he were Btill in the same mind, and they offered no objections, to return upon tho following day. Tho next day tho unfortunate man returned, accompanied by two of bia friends, who came desirous of seeing whether the squaw could really perform what sho bad promised with sc much seeming confidence. The woman at once ordered the Bick man to be firmly bound hand and foot, and laid him upon a rough bed of dry twigs, which she had collected in one corner of her habitation. Sho then, as is the custom amongst all women addicted to witchcraft and sorcery, withdrew herself to ona sido, and covering her head with hor mantle, otherwise named a blanket, sat silent aa a statue. The noxt day at breakfast time she placed by tho side ot the unfortunate man a liberal supply of salt meat and a jar of wator, briny even to nauseousnese. The only food before him, he waa obliged to eat it, or go without; for three days tho sick man ate aud drank nothing but salt meat and briny wator. He moaned, ho ciied aloud in his agony, hia torments were fearful; and his friends could with difficulty prevent themselves from tearing his bonds asunder, and leaving his cure to chance —and tho doctors. His entreaties wero of the most heart-stirring nature, and his frantic efforts to burst apart his bandages almost ground to powder tho frail structure under which he rested, or rather lay— for the term rest could in nowise be applicable to a man who never for a single instaat ceased to threaten, struggle, pray, entreat, and shriek in his agony. At the end of the third day he began to show signs of becoming delirious, seemed to bo in a moat critical state, and gave evident signs of sinking rapidly. The squaw, after gazing at him for some time, in much the same manner as a New Zealander of 100 years ago would have gazed at a fine fat European infant placed ready roasted before hia grasping talons and shining tseth, took from her girdle a curiously wrought knife, evidently handed down to her through a long series of ancestors. With a few slashes she cut through the bonds holding the prostrate man, who was now far gone indeed, and only able by a few faint moans to givo any indication that be still breathed. After cutting the bonds, by a few energetic signs sho motioned to tbe two friends of the sick man that each of them should take an arm of their friend ami follow her. Weak themselves with want of nourish meet, for they had had but little opportunity fo; refreshment, so .rent was the anxiety and responsibility tbey felt they laboured under, it required the utmost physical exertion on their part to half drag, half support their (as they considered) dying friend after the uncomely

lady of tho red skin, who several timos turned round and signified her dissatisfaction at their Blow rate of progress by very exprest-ivo grunts. After proceeding a short distance sho halted by a running stream, near to which hor wigwam was erected. Koro she caused the eick man's friends to placo him faco downwards with his mouth closo to tho water. After they had oboyed hor commands, which wero more in tho nature of grunts and gestures than articulate sounds, sho knelt down, seemingly to invoke somo of tho wator spirits to hor aid, for olden Indian legends attach'rnuch power and importance to the spirits frequenting rivers and watery places. Then she slowly and carofully opened the sick man's mouth. Immediately there issued therefrom seven small alligators, who, attracted by tho noise of tho running wator, and having strong objections to being saltod down, thus seized tho first opportunity of escaping into their native element. It is needless to tell the story of what occurred afterwards—the recovery of the gentleman, tho rewards givoa to tho squaw, tho rejoicings in tho neighbourhood, aro thoy not mattors of history '! I should not, Mr Editor, havo troubled you with this history at such length, but that I fool tho responsibility which attaches to ono who is possessed of such facts, and who wickedly and wilfully refuses and neglects to allow h's knowledge to become tho property of tho general public, moro especially when such knowledge may bo of the utmost service to them. There may bo even now a largo portion of tho population of tho Waikato carrying within them embryo alligators. For tho people unfortunately tho victims of such a diro affliction but one remedy is opon, and, aa prevention is bettor than cure in tho ratio of ton to one, I should adviso that a command bo at onco issued by tho proper sanitary officers of the district that all tho dwellors on tho banks of tho Waikato eat nothing but suited meats and drink nothing but brine. In this way a threatened evil may be averted mid blosaincs will thus bo called down upon tho good and Christian officials, by tho fortunate settlors, thus saved from an oarly and untimely grave by Uioir prompt and generous action.—l. am, etc., A. R U. CUKME.