Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/179



ing parrots,  parroquets  and  flamingoes  with  their harsh discordant  voices,  and  black  and  yellow  turpiales, wild turkeys,  peacocks,  and  herons,  and  multitudes  of others,  gorgeously  feathered  and  sweet  of  song,  glitter amidst the  shadowy  green. Chattering monkeys  leap from tree  to  tree  and  swing  upon  the  pendent  vines  ; mammoth blue  butterflies,  brilliant  as  the  rainbow, dance in  the  sun  and  rise  to  match  the  azure  of  heaven on wings  a  hand  broad ;  and  humming  birds,  beautiful as the  butterflies,  buzz  and  poise  and  dart  from  flower to flower. Myriads of  insects  with  burnished  coats  of mail  sparkle  in  the  air  and  people  the  plants,  while all through  the  day  the  shrill  whistle  of  the  chicharra — a kind  of  green  grasshopper — is  heard,  which  begin- ning in a  low  gurgle,  rises  into  a  clear  blast  like  the whistle of  a  steam  engine,  and  which  may  be  distin- guished a mile  distant.

Early Spanish  writers  throw  up  their  hands  in  as- tonishment over the  wonders  of  this  land;  melons, cucumbers, and  lettuce,  say  they,  ripen  in  twenty  da3's after  they  are  sown. Fruits and  edible  roots  abound in great  profusion. The pineapple  was  considered  the most delicious  of  all  tropical  productions. Wild beasts and venomous  reptiles  and  birds  of  brilliant  plumage fill the  forests. A species  of  lion,  smaller  than  those of Africa  was  found  there,  as  well  as  fierce  leopards and ravenous  tigers  which  easily  tear  a  man  in  pieces ; deer, foxes,  hares,  rabbits,  multitudes  of  apes  and monkeys, alligators,  venomous  bats,  vipers,  snakes, scorpions, pheasants,  peacocks,  parrots,  and  birds decked in  a  thousand  shades  of  gay  livery,  and  pour- ing forth sweet  melody,  all  preying  one  upon  another, each fulfilling  its  mission,  to  occupy  and  enjoy  the bounteous gifts  of  nature  so  lavishly  placed  at  their disposal.

It is  a  pity  so  fair  a  scene  should  be  so  foul;  that such dark  death-dealing  plague-spots  should  be  clotted in treacherous  beauty ;  that  quick  and  ardent  nature should flood  such  loveliness  with  vapors  of  d