The Continuing Biodiesel Adventures in
"Putting the 'Bean' in Caribbean"
"Putting the 'Bean' in Caribbean"
WHAT IS THE ANIMAL?
(SCOTLAND BAY, TRINIDAD)—
Beyond is still anchored all the way up in Scotland Bay, Trinidad right at the edge of the jungle. We are only about a 20 minute ride from town in the inflatable, but at times it can feel like we are at the edge of the world. In the day time we hear the
red Howler monkeys screaming (they sound more like lions roaring than 60 lb. monkeys), several times a day flocks of parrots fly overhead warbling to each other sounding more like a video game than birds, and at night time the drumming sounds of all kinds of toads and frogs making those typical jungle sounds Hollywood likes to use so much in movies:
"a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a, o-o-o-o-o-o-o, e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e."
Yesterday, I brought home an iguana about the same size as Brewser the cat, for her to play with before setting it free again in the jungle. About two weeks ago, I was out in the jungle collecting coconuts with Tarzan and Jane (two wild dogs who live here along the shore). I had just finished sharing a coconut with the white pups when they were attracted by something inside an old drainage pipe left from the days when the U.S. Navy
used this area as a submarine base. Tarzan went in first barking, followed by an inquisitive Jane.
It didn't take long before yelps and squeals were mixed with the barking. The yelping and squealing worsened and it became obvious that these dogs were either stuck, injured, or getting eaten by some creature inside the pipe. I was quite reluctant to jump down into the aqueduct and stick my head inside the pipe fearing that whatever had a hold on the dogs would get me as well, but the crying indicated that at least one of the dogs was in severe pain. I had recently heard of another boater who was hiking on a neighboring island and stepped on a pile of leaves inside the still standing foundation of a long ago destroyed home when up from under the leaves flew over 10' of anaconda, wrapped itself around his legs and began constricting.
We were told Boa Constrictors will not constrict anything they can not swallow whole; unfortunately, anacondas are less selective as they have teeth and don't mind eating their prey in pieces. Luckily, the hiker was armed with his cutlass. He beheaded the beast, was bathed in its blood which spurted from a finger sized vessel, but had tasty anaconda steaks to eat for dinner.
Thinking maybe one of the dogs fell into a well or maybe had been seized by such a predator snake as the anaconda, I rushed back to the boat and told Rebecca to follow me back with a spotlight. Nearing the pipe, we could still hear the sickening cries echoing inside. Holding my dive light, a machete at the ready, I illuminated the inside of the pipe and could see both dogs about 15' from the opening and was relieved to find that both were standing, both were barking, but both were lashing at something with teeth bared and fighting vigorously.
"What do you see?" Rebecca yelled.
"They've got something, but I can't tell-Wo-o-o-o-a-a-a-a!"
"What is it?!"
"I don't know, but I just saw a patch of brown fur."
Both dogs are white.
"Maybe they have an agouti or a manacou." Agouties are a raccoon-like animal and the
manacou is like an opossum. The locals down here hunt both for game and cook them with curry and peppers. "I don't know. Maybe an anteater or a tatoo" (what we call an armadillo). Oh my God! Omigod!"
"What, what now?"
"Whatever it is its got a tail. I just saw a huge tail wrap around the boy dog and pull it down. The female attacked it and now they are on top again."
"Maybe it's a howler or a spider monkey?"
Just then one of the dogs let a high pitched cry of pain. "I don't know, but I'm not sure who's going to win this fight. Rebecca, I could see its eyes-big and bright yellow-glowing in the light." Just then the boy dog emerged, blood dripping from wounds to his face, a cut nose, a bloody eye, and bright red spots of flesh showing on his legs. He was breathing hard and looking around like I was supposed to tell him what to do next. All the while, the smaller female refused to give up. She was still attacking the creature; and from the cries of pain, taking a beating too. Tarzan rushed back in and now the barking was
fierce and the growling intense.
"What do you see now?"
"They are just tumbling around in there, but I still can't see the creature."
Things were heating up in there. Now we could hear, mixed with barking and cries of the dogs, groaning, wheezing, and a high pitched squealing sound that no dogs ever made.
"Here, throw this coconut in there," Rebecca said.
"Maybe it will separate them." I bowled the nut all the way into the tunnel. It worked, somewhat. Now the dogs were no longer blocking the way between the creature and the opening of the tunnel and I could see the creature making his way toward the opening.
"Oh my God, here it comes," I yelled as I threw the flashlight and cutlass up to Rebecca and climbed out of the aqueduct to avoid being bowled over and attacked by the angry creature as it made its mad dash to freedom. The dogs intercepted the creature before it made its way out of the tunnel and now the fighting resumed nearer the entrance. The squealing, moaning, and groaning was intensifying as all three animals were engaged in a battle to their death.
I jumped back down into the gully to see if I could break them apart without getting eaten in the process. As I
approached them, I created enough of a diversion that the creature was able to sidestep the flying teeth of those rampaging dogs and out he came into the daylight at last, madder than hell.
"Rebecca, it's coming, it's coming."
"What is it? What is it?" I did not have time to answer as I was scrambling up the wall of the water way to avoid being trampled upon, bitten, or clawed.
The dogs had put up quite a fight and were dripping blood all over and had terrible puncture wounds from the pairs of strong, black, hook-like claws on the creatures hands. They were panting like marathon runners and were somewhat less interested in the
jungle creature now that he was out in daylight. The creature walked like a bear on all fours, shaking his head and his long narrow snout from side to side.
He came up to the side of the aqueduct, stood up on his hind legs, balanced himself on that
powerful tail and began climbing out.
"I don't know what it is, Rebecca."
She turned her head and would not look, "What's it look like?"
"Whaddya mean, 'What's it look like?' Look at it, before it's gone."
What is the animal?