Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-05-02
The Boa and the Monkey.

In the year 1923, an English officer who was
stationed with his regiment in the neIghborbood
of Kulladgee, in India-a region in which mon
KEYS abound in numberiess quantities, and whose
wells, shreks, and hootlngs were indescrbably
wld-was awitness of mast extraordinary scene,
which he has thus sketched: Il was one day
with native for a companion climbing one ct the
slantinq ascents of the Runmuddle cliff when
became aware that an unusual commolion reigned
amonqst my friends the monkeys, which had by
this time qu, 50 famiarized with my appearance,
that they seldom eondescended TO honor me- with
a suarl or a bow flung towards me in sport
Creeping round.a rock, behind which they ap-
peared to congregate. and on which grew. large
gumarabic tree, completely golded with The abun-
tance OF yellow blossoms which covered 1t, at
once found myself on the stage Of a strange trag-
edv in Simian life. In the vulumnous folds of a
bua constructor was being slowly enwrapped a
beautiful brown monkey, while lis last cries and
struggles denoted that came too late, even had
Isbeen prepared to do battle with the reptile. In
the cause of oppressed innocence The e.monkevs S
in evident alarm, ran hiiher and thther, mob
bng and mewing and chattering bnt not one adj
vanced near the spot, where presently their poor
companion became almost quite hidden from their
view in the embrace of lis destroyer.
Determined 10 watch the process of the affair
quietly sal down until gradually the monkey
had been moulded as it were into a proper condi-
ton for deglutition, for could hear the bones
crack as they broke beneath the pressure to which
they were subjected and ere long as the serpent
began to untwist its folds, could admire at leis-
ure the magnifcence of its glitering scales, that
shone like some richly variegaied metallic sub
stance, | shuddered as belleld lis 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 a
long fast. Perfectly needless ofIhe noise made
by the monkeys. it unwound lis cQils till the VIC
tim, now an unreccgnizable mass, LAY before it lu-
bricaed and fit to be received into the destroyers
stomach. When the reptile had fairly commenc
ed its repast. and the before iaccid body bega- TO
fill and swell, retired from the arena of conflict.
and hall of banquet, desirous of summoning my
friend to aid me in capturing the sated giant. !
knew that when gorged to repletion, there would
be no difficulty in making prize of this serpent;
and he entered into my plans most willingly.
Accompanied by stout fascal, bearing strong
cudgeI and sharp knife for slaugter and skinning
we lost little time in reaching the scene. where.
however, fresh marvels were being enacted. pro-
wing that the passion of revenge is not confined
to the human breast. Keeping aoof, we resolved
not to mar by any Interference the by no means
nystifyng operations in which the monkeys were
engaged The boa constructor lay. thoroughly
gorged. and like a log of wood. beneath the same
projecting mass of cliff where had left it. On
the summit Of this rock troop of monkeys had
assembled, and three or four Of the largest and
strongest were occupied in displacing an immense
fragment of the massive stone, already locsened
by time and the elements, from the rest of the
ledge. This mass almost overshadowed the reptile.
By enormous exertions, made in a silence that
was rare with them, they at last succeeded on
pushing it onwards until it hung over the boa's
head, when uttering fierce yell, in which every
separate voice mingled, by vigorous movement
they showed it sheer down. The heavy mass
fell right on the serpcnts head, crushing it as if
it were cocoa nut; and as the reptile lashed lis
fearful tail about in the final struggles for life,
we could not refrain from joining in the singular
chorus of rejoicing with which the monkeys BOW
celebrated their accomplished vengeance.