The Nevada journal., 1854-03-31

a Boa CONSTRUCTOR SWALLOWING HoRsE-
Mr.. Gardiner, in his Travels in Brazil" con-
firms the early accounts respecting the size and
prodiglous swallowing capacity of the boa
constructor accounts which certain naturalists
whose researches never extended beyoud the
galleries of museum, are in the habit of treat
ing with ridicule and unbelief q The boa "
said he, is not uncommon throughout the
whole province of Gogaz, particularly by the
wooded margins of lakes, marshes and streams
Sometimes they attain the enormous length oil
forty feet the largest l saw was in this place
but it was not alive. Some weeks before our
arrival at Sape, the favorite riding horse Of
Senor Lagoeira, which had been put out to
pasture not far from the house, could not be
found, although strict search was made for it
all over the hacienda Shortly after this, one
of his vaqueros in going through the wood by
the side OF small river, saw an enormous boa
suspended in the fork of tree which hung
over the water !; it was dead, but had evidently
been floated down alive by recent food and
being in an inert state, it had not been able to
extricate itself before the water fell. 1t was
dragged out to the open country by two
horses, and was found to measure thirty seven
feet in, length. On opening it, the bones of a
horse were found, in somewhat broken con-
dition, the head being uninjured. From these
circumstances it was concluded that the boa had
devoured the horse entire. In all kinds of
snakes the capacity for swallowing is prodg-
ious. / have often seen one not thicker than
my thumb, swallow frog as large as my fist;
and | once killed rattlesnake about four feet
long, and of no great thickness, which had
swallowed no less than three frogs one of
which swelled out its side to nearly twice the
thickness Of the other parts | have also seen
very slender snake that frequents the roofs of
houses, swallow an entire bat three times its
own thinkness. If such be the case with these
smaller kinds, it is not to be wondered at that
one thirty-seyen feet in length, should be able
to swallow horse, particularly when it is
known that, previously to doing so, it breaks
the bones of animals by coiling itself round
it, and afterwards lubricating it with simy
matter which it has a power of secreting in its
mouth.
AN EXTRAORDINARY MAN.--David Wilson,
an old revolutionary soldier and a native of
New Jersey, died after a short illness, in Dear
born comfy, Indiana, in August, 1858, aged
one hundred and seuen yedrs, tlro months and
ten days. He had at different periods of his
life, five wives, and at the time of his DEATH was
the father of forty-seyen children. While re-
siding in Pennsylvania near the old Reedstone.
his wife gave birth to five children in eleven
months This extraordinary man, when in
his one hundred and fourth year, moved one
week for Esq. Pendeton, of Hamilton county,
Ohio, about two miles from Cincinnati, during
which he moved one acre per day of heavy
timothy grass. He was about five feet six
inches high. His frame was not supported by
ribs, as the frames of ordinary men are, but an
apparently solid sheet of bone supplied their
place He could not hold up his hands in
vertical position, and receive a blow from the
fist of powerful man, on the laternal portion
of his body without Inconvenience. He served
throughout the entire Revolution under Cen
Washington, was engaged in most of the Indian
wars since, and was the companion of Marion
and Rogers, and many other distinguished
pioneers of our Western and Southern wilds
Our readers may rest assured that this state
ment is correct, as we received it from Mr..
Alexandra Wilson Of North Madison who is
the forty-ffth child of the subject of this para
graph Madison Banner.
THE RECENT EXECUTION AMONG THE FILL
BUsTERs.-'Fhe following facts in relation to the
recent outrageous execution, or more properly
rank murder, amongst the fllibusters, will give
our readers a much juster idea of what we in
tended to convey in our leading article on Tues
day last
Arthur Morrison. one the victims of whom
we speak, had a young and fondly attached
wife, and child five years old, in Illinois, the
place of his birth. He had written to her to
come out, and sent her the necessary means to
do so and about two months since. this devo-
ted woman left her home and friends, with a
heart buoyant with hope to meet the object of
her love and fealty,
About one month ago, she arrived with her
child on our shores, and then for the first time,
learned that her husband had been enticed to
Join the fillibusters. She Immediately wrote to
him. informing him of her arrival, and be yging
him for Gods sake to come to her, and aban-
don his uDjustifiable enterprise. Morrison re-
ceived this letter, and instantly set about full
filling his duties as a man and a citizen, by
abandoning the camp of the fillibusters, and
starting for San Francisco.
But he counted without his host,' for Mr.
Walker Immediately dispatched party in pur-
suit, which overlook Morrison near San Diego,
and compelled him to return with them A
second letter from his wife soon after reached
him, and the unhappy man determined to leave
Lower California and return to his family,
which needed his presence at all hazards.
In order to effect this, Morrison entered into
a combination with ten others, to desert at the
first opportunity. This determination was car
ried into execution with as little delay as poss-
ible; but again the emissaries of Mr.. Walker
tracked the ill-fated refugee, and making hun
a prisoner, returned with him to the camp,
Then a Court Martial was held the selfcon-
stituted officers sat in Judgment over their vic
tim; the forms and ceremonies of a trial were
gone through with, according to the most re-
ceived rules for such cases made and provided;
a verdict of guilty is brought in, sentence of
q death" is pronounced unhesitatingly by his
superiors," and Morrison is snot like dog, in
cold blood, for obeying the first laws of God
and man, and refusing any longer to do evil.
Tongue cannot tell. nor language depict the
sufferings of that devoted wife and mother, who
now stands on our soil, homeless, friendless,
cheerless far from the scenes of her birth, and
the friends of her existence; unknown to all
around her; and her helpless orphan dependent
lor q ic &c h