The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-11-15
THE DAILY DISPATCA

lHE SNAkE AND THE CRocoDu r-Tbs
following thrilling account of an engagement,
between boa constructor and a crocodile i,
Java, is given by an eye witness:
1t was one morning that stood beside n
small lake, fed by one Of the rilis from the
mountains. The waters were clear as CRYSTAL.
and everything could be seen to the very boz.
tom. Stretching its limbs close over this pond,
was gigantic teak tree, and in its thick, shin
ing, evergreen leaves, lay huge boa, in an
easy coil, taking his morning nap. Above
him was powerful ape of the baboon specie, :,
leering race of scamps, always bent on mis-
chief.
Now the ape, from his position, saw q croco.
die IN the water, rising to the top, exactly be-
meath the coil Of the serpent. Quick as though
he jumped plump upon the snake, which fell
with splash into the jaws of the CROCODILE
The ape saved himself by clinging to limb of
the tree, but battle royal Immediately COM
menced in the water. The serpent grasped in
the middle by the crocodile, made the wat-r
boil by his furious contortions. Winding his
fold round the body of his antagonist, he dis
abled his two hinder legs, and, by his contrac-
tons, made the scale and bones Of the monster
crack.
The water was speedily tnged with the blood
OF both combatants, yet neither was disposed
to yield. They rolled over and over, neither
being able to obtain decided advantage. All
this time the cause of mischit was in state of
the highest ecstacy. He leaped up and down
the branches OF the tree, came several times
close to the scene OF the fight, shook the limbs
OF the tree, uttered a yell, and again frisked
about. At the end of ten minutes silence be-
gan to come over the scene. The folds Of the
serpent began to be relaxed, and though they
were trembling along the back, the head hung
'liieless in the wate-.
The crocodile also was still, and tn ough
only the spin"s Of his back were visible it
was evident that he, too was dead. The
monkey now perched himself on the lower
limbs of the tree, close to the dead bodies, and
amused himself for ten minutes in making all
sorts of faces at them. This seemed to be
adding insult to injury. One of my compan.
ions was standing at a short distance, aud
taking stone from the edge of the lake, hurl.
ed it at the ape. He was totally unprepared
and as it struck him on the side of the head,
he was instantly tipped over, and fell upon the
crocodile. A few bounds, however, brought
him ashore, and taking to the tree, he speedily
disappeared among the thick branches.
A SURE MARKsMAN. We find in the "Auto
biography of w. Jordan" the following con
cerning Lord de Tabley's shooting:
''Lord de Tabley was the surest shot ever
saw in the field. His piece was rarely ever
raised but TO Kill, and twenty snipe in success.
lion have fallen in proof Of his accuracy of
aim. And with the pistol he was still more
wonderful. The head of swallow peeping
over cornice of the old tower was a suffi,
cient object for bullet about the size of a
pea. Awagtal hopping and clipping on the
lawn was gone bird if | asked for another
specimen Of skill though he was out of practice
since the time he fred for a wager of a thous.
and guineas laid upon him by the Prince Re.
gent the evidence of the winning of which be,
was testified by card with holes in the centre,
resembling the ace of clubs, and which had
been perforated in that way at the duelling dis
lance of 13 PAGES. He would have stood a
poor chance in duel who ventursd to meet
Lord de Tabley. The loading OF tn. pistol
was bit of minute science which amused me.
The gunpowder was carefully measured in
ramrod with funnel end to receive it, and
smoothed off by fine card; the pistol was iu-
verted over this, and being reversed, every par.
ticle was deposited in the breech. The rest OF
the loading was equally precise, aad, as his
lordship never missed, was brought to the
conclusion that three or four Of the finest
grains of powder, more or less, made all the
difference in hitting or missing"