Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-08-10
VOL. II. NO. VIII.
From the Missionary Herald for March.
FIERY FIXING SERPENT.


In the early part Of 1888, native chief
Limo Manis, il the vicinity of Hadang,
named Tam Bossar, in company with a.
mother person, mentioned to Mrs. +. a.
Nandenberg and myself that they had just
before seen Il serpent flying, and rs il was
considered dangerous, had killed it, We
smiled at them rs romancing, but they pos
lively affirmed that they had seen it nv,
and offered 10 take us TO it, We accord
ing went and examined it; and finding no
appcndage OF the nature of wings, we again
laughed at them as attempting TO impose
on our creduliiy. They, however, con-
tinued positive That they had seen it, and
explained the mode of flying by saying it
had power 10 render the under part Of the
belly concave instead of convex, as far as
the ribs extended, whence i; derived its
support in the air whilst It's propulsion
was produced by n motion Of the body ST.
mllar 10 that Of swimming in the water
We however continued incredulous, and
took no further notice of the circumstance.
In January, 1884, | was walking with Mr.
Rogers, in forest near the river Pedang
Bessie, about mile from the spot where
the above was killed. when stopping for
moment TO admire an immense tree, COW
cred as with a garment oC crecpcrs, be-
held serpent fly from il, at the height of
fifty or sixty feet above the ground and
a!Ight upon another at the distance Of for
~ fa'homs. It's velocity was rapid as u
bird, lis motion that Of a serpent swimming
in the water. 1t had no appearance of
wings. Its course was that Of direct line
an inclination Of ten or fifteen degrees 10
the horizon. 1t appeared TO be four feet
long. The one killed bv the native chief
was about the same length, was OF slender
proportions, dark colorcd back, light be-
low and was not characterised by any pc
cuiarity which would make it remarkable
TO stranger. Thus was | convinced of
the existence Of flying serpcnts; and, on
enquiry, found some of the natives, ac-
cuotomed TO the forests, aware of the fact
Those acquainted with the serpent called
it, "Ular tanpang hari," (the fiery SER
pcnt) from the burning pain and mortal
effect Of It's bite; so that the fiery flying
serpent of the Scriptures was not an i'm
aginary creature, though it appears now
extinct in the region i! formerly inhabited.
| have delayed the present notice in hopes
Of obtaining a specimen which could Of
fer as a more convincing proof that my
bare assertion; but further delay may pos
sibIy with some weaken even this tcsimo-
ny on a point which appears TO have been
long disputed, and which has not been
credited by any Of the Dutch gentlemen
employed in collecting specimens Of natu
ual history of these parts, 10 whom | have
mentioned it. learn from the natives,
however, that this is not the only species
that flies. There is one called "Ular Ia
dung with red head, and not exceeding
two feet long, seen sometimes about CO.
coa-nut trees, whose bite is instantly NOR
tai, and which has the power Of flying or
leaping distance Of twenty lathoms, for
it is described as not having the waving
motion through the air Of the one | saw.
n. NJ. WARD.
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