Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-05-24
THEBOA AND THE MONKEY

:
ment in the neighborhood of Kul
Iadgee in India-a region in whic
monkeysaboundedinnu quar-
titles, and whose yells, shrieks an
hootings were indescribably wild-wa
a witness of a most extraordinar-
scene, which he has thus sketchee
Il was one day, with native for
companion, climbing one of the slantinl
ascents of the Runmuddle cliff, whel
/ became aware that an unusual com
Imotion reigned amongst my friends
the monkeys, which had by this time
got.so familiarised with my appear
ance, that they seldom condescendet
to honor me with a snarl or a bougf
flung towards me in sport. Creeping
around rock behind which they ap-
peared to congregate, and on which
grew large gum arabic tree complete.
ly golden with the abundance of yellow
blossoms which covered it, | at once
found myself on the stage of strange
tragedy in Simian life. In the volu-
minous folds of a boa constructor, was
being slowly enwrapped beautiful
brown monkey, whose last cries and
struggles denoted that / came too late,
even had | been prepared to do battle
with the reptile, in the cause of OPP
pressed innocence. The monkeys, in
evident alarm, ran hither and thither,
mobbing and mewing, and chattering;
but not one advanced near the spot,
where presently their poor companion
became almost quite hidden from
view in the embrace of its destroyer.
Determined to watch the process of
the affair, I quietly sat down, until
gradually The monkey had been mould
ed, as it were, into a proper condition
for deglutition, for | could hear the
bones crack as they broke beneath
the pressure to which they were SUBJ
jected; and ere long, as the serpent
began to untwist its folds, | could adj
mire at leisure the magnifcence of its
glittering scales, that shone like some
richly variegated metallic substance.
| shuddered as j beheld its grand and
awful head-the prominent orbits of
the eyes-and the eyes themselves
large and luminous, with fiery light.
The creature was at least twenty feet
in length, and was apparently famished
by long fast. Perfectly needless of
the noise made by the monkeys, it
its coils till the victim, now
an unrecognisable mass, lay before it,
fabricated, and fit to be received into
the destroyer's stomach. When the
reptile had fairly commenced its re-
past, and the before faecid body be-
gan to fill and swell, retired from
the arena of conflict and hall of BAN
1uet, desirousof summoning my friend
to aid me in capturing the sated giant,
knew that when gorged to repletion,
here would be no difficulty in making
4 prize of the serpent; and he entered
nto my plans most willingly.
Accompanied by astout lascar, bear
NC strong cudgel and sharp knife,
or slaughter and skinning, we lost lit
lie time in reaching the scene, where,
however, fresh marvels were being
enacted, proving that the passion of
'evenge is not confined to the human
oreast. Keeping aloof we determined
not to mar by any interference or
means the mystifying operations in
which the monkeys were engaged
The boa constructor lay, thoroughly
Forged, and like a log of wood, be-
heath the same projecting mass of
,liff where l had left it. On the sum-
nit of this rock a troop of monkeys
lad assembled, and three or four of
he largest and strongest were occu-
lied in displacing an immense fag-
nent of the massive stone, already
oosened by time and the elements,
rom the rest of the ledge. This
mass overshadowed the reptile. By
enormous exertiens, made in a silence
hat was rare with them, they at last
in pushing it onwards until
t hung over the 5oa's head,whenutter-
ng afierce YELL in which every separate
5oice mingled, by vigorous move
nent they showed it sheer down. The
,eavy mass fell right on the serpent's
nead, crushing it as if it were a cocoa
nut; aud as the reptile lashed its fear
iul tail about in the final struggles for
ife, we could not refrain from joining
n the singular chorus Of rejoicing
With which the monkeys now celebra- |,
led their accomplished vengeance.