A Ride Across a Continent Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1868 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. Ellis's strange malady--Ascent of Mombacho--Start for Chontales --First camp--Catching an alligator--Booted and barefoot classes in Nicaragua--Geographical problem--A long forest ride--Shooting one's supper--Lassoing a bull--Nicaraguan roads--Casa Blanca--A tropical stream--Juigalpa--Amiable priest--Indian remains--Tomb-breaking--Tales of mystery--Uncanny behaviour of our Indian host--More tales of wonder--Great tombs--Portrait statues--Restoration--A dreary camp--Pumas--Catching a puma --A weary night--Garrapatas--Arrival at Libertad. The disease from which Ellis was suffering on our arrival at Granada was a mysterious swelling and blistering of the foot, which had broken out the day we left Grey town. Thin scarlet lines passed in zigzag under the skin, and each morning showed an increase of them, as if a worm had been at work during the night, making fresh burrows. None of the Americans or natives on board the steamer had ever seen or heard of a similar case, and we became not a little anxious before reaching Granada. In forty-eight hours after the first symptoms all sensation was lost in two toes, and we were in great dread of mortification--a result which would doubtless have happened in a few hours more. Dr. Flint, an American long settled in the town, pronounced it to be Guinea-worm, but he had never before encountered a case. His treatment was to open the zigzags with a lancet and rub iron in the incision. This instantly restored feeling in the lost toes, and for a week or two the swelling gradually subsided; but after a time the worm seemed to get casehardened, and resumed his vigour, attacking both feet. Ellis finally overcame the enemy with lunar caustic applied direct to the scarlet lines. From what I have heard...