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1/4
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We have at
last arrived! I am so anxious to begin our journey to the interior but there
are so many preparations to be made. Despite the heat I feel full of energy.
S. does not feel quite so enthusiastic and is concerned whether such temperatures
and humidity will affect his health. I believe that there will be a period
of adaptation, acclimatization of a few weeks and all will be well. In the
city the worst one can expect is an upset stomach but I know that other
perils await us in the jungle, most notably malaria. I do not speak of it
lest I upset S.
Enough of this talk. We are in a country full of colour and smells. It is
all so exotic, so noisy and active. We will take time to see local sites
as well as arranging our guides, porters, provisions and necessary equipment
which we will require for the journey. Of course we must also devise a cage,
a carrying case for the beast we hope to capture and bring back for all
to see!
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3/4
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S. refuses
to budge from the hotel room - the heat he complains. I admit that it is
hot but we have not come so far to stay cooped up in a room. I refuse to
argue and just go about the business that must be done.
Went to see the Great Palace today. How magnificent! The work, the imagination
that must have been required to build such a structure. Afterward I took
some tea in a small cafe nearby and met some Englishmen. They asked why
I have come to the East and when I explained that I intend to find and capture
Goliathus Hercules they laughed. Laughed! I asked why they laughed and they
said that there is no such creature. Well I beg to differ! How can there
have been so many sightings, so many records of said sightings over the
centuries and there be no beast. They said if so many people have seen it
then why has one never been captured alive and put on display.
Well I intend to do just that. I explained the allusive nature of the creature
to make them see that this is a task for only the most determined and intrepid.
Ah, S. is calling. Must go.
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3/5
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The Englishmen
laughed when I told them the nature of my quest but the locals stare at
me with a kind of reverence when I tell them what I seek. Two men told me
of relatives in the North who claim to have seen Goliathus Hercules. I asked
them to give me the details as they knew them and what they said corresponds
exactly to what I have researched over the years.
It is exciting to be so close. I feel an urgency to get out and into the
jungle before any other person beats me to the prize.
S. ventured out for the first time today and was in a far better humour.
I am making contacts and soon I will have my party together. I intend to
leave in a week's time. The longest week of my life but all must be ready
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10/5
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I write as
proceed North by train. At last we are on our way! It is cosy on the train
but outside the rains have started. The going will be difficult in the jungle
but what choice have we for this is the season when Goliathus Hercules emerges
after seven long years underground.
I have engaged a guide who is from one of the tribes that reside in the
jungle. He seems a capable fellow and speaks English well. He had excellent
credentials and came highly recommended. Foremost he appears honest. He
makes no claim to have ever seen Goliathus Hercules but is full of stories
- tribal legends of the creature. This will be helpful as there is usually
some measure of truth to such tales.
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11/5
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Goliathus
Hercules
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A member
of the beetle family - Coleoptera
OR
Member of cicada family - Homoptera
- largest, most fierce, and longest living insect in the world
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- can snap
off a grown man's finger
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- mature
specimen can grow up to 12 inches
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- lives
underground until age of maturity and then lives in trees to the age
of twenty
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- lives
only in the remote jungle at mid altitudes
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- dark brown
or black with hints of gold on Elytra ( front wings) and Tarsus (feet)
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- Helmet
- very shiny black with horns of gold which is said to have inspired
Japanese Samurai armour
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13/5
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We are gathering
the rest of our porters, locals hired on the spot. There has been some trouble
recruiting as many do not want to venture into the jungle in the rainy season
they say but I sense some fear. I have had to offer greater compensation
to attract them.
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15/5
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We have begun
our walk into the jungle. We will trek for 10 days before we reach the village
which will be our base. It is beastly hot. It rains most of the day. I cannot
tell if I am wet with rain or perspiration. S. looks unhappy but so far
has not complained.
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20/5
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It is difficult
to sleep at night with the mosquitoes droning and the general discomfort
of the tent which never seems dry. Compounded with this are the leaches.
During the day if one stands still for even one minute the leaches sense
the body's warm and make a dart for one's leg. I took off my boot when we
stopped to lunch and found near half a dozen sucking the blood of my toes.
They are vile. Our guide tells us that if remember to clap our hands 4 times
when we arise from our tent in the morning this will send warning to them
to leave us alone. I see no scientific basis for this to have any positive
effect. Nonetheless S. has started it and claims he gets half as many leaches
as he use to!
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23/5
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Today we arrived
to great welcome in the village. We were led to the headman's house who
is the brother of our guide. It was nice to be dry for change and I slept
well. We will rest a few days before beginning our expedition into the jungle.
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25/5
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Last night
the village elders gathered in the headman's house and regaled us with stories
of Goliathus Hercules. Several wore charms around their neck with elytra
they claim is from Goliathus Hercules and when I examined them it seemed
possible. Yet none who wore these said they have seen the creature alive.
They found them along side the path which follows the river to the next
village three days walk from here. When I ask them why they think they have
never seen one alive they all respond that it is too clever or that it is
possessed by some spirit which can make it invisible when it chooses. I
think it must simply be camouflage for how can people who live in the jungle
and wear amulets with its wings not have ever seen one alive? Perhaps they
choose not to see it?
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27/5
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Last night
an old man was carried to the headman's house. He is the only person I have
met who claims to have seen Goliathus Hercules. He showed me his left hand.
He is missing his index finger which he says was bitten off by the beast
when he was a young man. He was climbing a tree looking for wild bird eggs
when as he put his hand up to the next branch he felt tremendous pain. As
he looked up to see what caused this he saw scurrying away the creature
- about the length of a man's hand and wearing a golden crown.
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28/5
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The old man
says that when he was a boy another boy was killed by Goliathus Hercules.
No one saw them attack the child but his body was found in the jungle and
littered about him were the remains of several of the creatures as if some
fierce battle had taken place. S. does not enjoy these stories at all and
has indicated we should just return to the city and say that we tried but
were not successful. However this will not be a satisfactory answer to my
sponsor. On the contrary I am excited by these stories for they are virtually
proof that the Goliathus Hercules exists!
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1/6
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Today we began
the walk to the next village some three days away. It is along this route
that I expect to find Goliathus Hercules. We have been slowly walking yet
I have seen nothing - that is nothing that resembles my prize for there
are monkey who screech from great heights up the trees and there all manner
of grasshoppers - some with the most gorgeous wings, pink to blue to purple.
We stopped walking mid afternoon and upon large teak trees we have hung
bait - chicken innards. I intend to set up a watch through the night to
observe any activity.
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2/6
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It is extraordinary
- the bait is gone! Yet none of the men on watch claim to have seen anything.
I suspect that they may have just fallen asleep and don't want to admit
it. Tonight I will keep watch myself! Something else - I saw the most wonderful
coloured lights flitting about as dusk came. Like miniature fireworks. I
expect that they are some kind of fire fly. It is the first time S. has
been excited. He intends to observe and catch some. I am glad that he has
something to occupy his time for then I can concentrate fully on my venture.
We will set out more bait. My net made of the sturdiest lightweight wire
is at the ready. While it may look like a butterfly or fish net it must
be strong for the creature is said to have incredible jaws. I certainly
doubt that it will be able to escape for I tested it and cannot pull or
break it apart with my hands or shears.
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3/6
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We are getting
closer! However one of my men is the worse for wear! During the evening
as he crouched at his appointed spot to observe the tree he heard a noise.
Slowly he approached. As to what happened next I am not sure but I heard
the most blood curdling scream I have ever heard and then much running and
yelling. Apparently the man was bitten full on the nose by something. Goliathus
Hercules? He looks ghastly and has returned to the village. Two others went
off with him and say they will not return. Tension is growing and I feel
that not only is my patience running out but so is my goodwill of my party.
On the positive side, S. captured some of the creatures I described as fireflies.
In fact they are a kind of beetle. So lovely, ranging in luminous colour
from pinks to bronze to an iridescent red. I am astounded for I have never
seen nor read of any such insect. Of course they must be in the jewel beetle
family. It is an exciting discovery which is sure to bring accolades but
still I cannot rest until Goliathus Hercules is captured. S. has declared
they are "fairy beetles" and for the time being we shall call them this
until our patron suggests another name.
I am weary but I look forward to the night!
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4/6
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Once again
the meat has vanished yet with no sign of the creature which has taken it.
I despair. I am feeling unwell too. Stomach. We will spend one more night
and then return to the village. It seems the men will be greatly relieved.
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5/6
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Nothing.
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6/6
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As we returned
to the village we came across the carcass of a goat, undoubtedly strayed
from the village. It had been most savagely ripped apart. At first I thought
by some large animal but then I saw littered about what I thought were shells
of black and gold. Upon closer examination I realized they are elytra -
the same as the men wear on charms about their neck! But what savagery!
What cannibals! For in the thrill of the kill they appear to have torn apart
their comrades! I have read of piranhas that are of a similar bloodthirsty
nature. I am shocked yet I am excited for I have a new plan.
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7/6
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In two days
time we will venture into the jungle again. I have purchased a goat from
the headman and intend to tie him up - an offering to the beast! S. is basking
in his glory over the fairy beetles and says he shall not venture out to
see such carnage. He has had his fill. Likewise I am weary and apprehensive
too but I cannot return home empty handed. This will be my last attempt
for I have insufficient funds to continue.
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9/6
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We have made
camp and the goat is tethered beyond the light of the fire. I have a small
but trustworthy party. Only the bravest have ventured out again. While I
am excited at the possibility of many swarming the goat I must express some
fear for I do wish any harm to come to myself or the men. I had not considered
that they might travel as an army. I imagined them as lonely creatures.
Time passes so slowly.
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11/6
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Success! It
has taken me a day to recover from the excitement and the experience. I
expect never to see such a sight in my life again. Goliathus Hercules came.
How many is difficult to know for it was dark and then there was such frenzy.
Why do they come sometimes and not others? I believe that they sense fear.
Surely the goat trembled as it waited in the dark. As the last light of
the fire died we sat in wait listening for any sound. Shortly thereafter
the goat began to bleat in a most plaintive wail. While it was tempting
to rush up we neither wanted to scare them off nor be attacked ourselves.
Slowly we crept forward little by little. At last the signal was given and
torch light lit the gruesome sight of goat sprawled upon the ground and
a seething mass of black, gold and blood red. They attacked as one yet they
trod on their companions and did what was necessary to get the best position.
Our light startled them and perhaps that is the best defence. They dislike
the bright light and just as quickly as they emerged from the jungle they
hastened back. Knowing their weakness I no longer felt fear and with only
seconds to act I jumped forward and brought my net down. The goat no longer
made any sound and the multitudes had disappeared into the jungle. Under
my net I was surprised to see that I had captured three specimens. I rejoiced
but to my utter astonishment they seemed to ignore the net and turned upon
each other - it appeared that they would fight to the death. It then occurred
to me that the reason Goliathus Hercules has not been captured is that not
only are they allusive but they are self destructive. As true soldiers they
would rather die than be caught. As I appraised the situation I realized
that I had no choice but to raise the net for what use would bits of the
beast be? I gently raised one side of the net offering opportunity for escape.
As I hoped two quickly ceased the moment yet the third was not so fleet.
Down came the net and there was my prize!
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I must say
he fought valiantly to free himself but to little avail. Transferring him
to the specially constructed cage was no easy feat and several were pinched
drawing blood. I returned triumphantly to the village as dawn arrived and
the inhabitants arose and came to congratulate us and view our captive.
I have named him "Mighty" and he is a magnificent yet ornery character.
He is a handsome warrior, fit for battle.
We must make haste and return to the city so that we may send word of our
success. It will be to tremendous fanfare that we return home!
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