Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-21
STAR.
A SNAKE TALE.

cinating, thrilling, entertaining, absorbing,
crushing, almost devouring interest. Those
who like such things-and almost everybody
is fond of Snaix will be hugely entertained
with the noble and agreeable animal, and
with the novel and original expedients in ser
pent hunting which this tale unfOlds. Il is
told by that iudomitable sportsman Of the
jungles, Capt N1ayne Reid. "Groot Willem, 3"
or Big William, is a Dutch Door of Southern
Africa, and is one of a party of six whose
hunting expedition into the interior is related
in most veritsble and graphic manner by
the Captain. This adventure besides deeply
interesting, to The reader, and diverting his
attention from the discomforts Of the eason
by fixing it on the Boa and the hot plains of
Africa, enables us TO Gil up a space which, in
the absence Of all news, we find it hard to fill
in any other way:
ORooT WILLsM AND THE PYTHON.
Groot Rillem awoke from his nap lin camp)
before the others. 1t still wanted nearly two
hours Of sureet, and the hunter observing e.
reddish object at distance that looked like
some animal, shouldcred his roer large Dutch
gum and proceeded towards it He took with
him one of the buck dogs we'll trained and
fayoJite hound, that usually accompanied him
even On stalkilg expedition.
The red object which he had seen was near
the edge OF the valley, and at the bottom of q
There were some trees growing along the foot
of tho cliff, and the hunter calculated on bo-
ing able TO get shot at the animal, whatever
it was, from behind the cover of these trees
He continued or up the valley, and Mt length
got near enough TO tell what nc was stalk
ing at
1t was small antelope, With little erect
horns four inches in length TIE upper parts
CT its body were deep red and underneath
whlt9 while IT'S Prt ar1
The little creature WAS higher at the Group
than at the withers, and entirely without a
tail, or with tail only enc inch long that
wore the appearance Of 4 stump. Gro0t VIII
lem was intent on stalking it, and having It's
ribs for roast ut supper. He was able to
approach it without any difficulty, as it was
close to the bushes, and appeared not to be
very shy.
There was but the creature it5e!f-a little
buck; and rarely is more than one. Or at most
two OF these antclopes seen together
OIoot Nlilem Wds at length within range
and was about to level his roer on the game
when the movements Of the little animal
caused him to hold his hand It's actions were
very cdd indeed. 1t was not brousing-it
was not standing still it was not running
away from the ground-and yet it was in coz.
slant motion
AS already stated, it was close in to the
edge OF the timber, where a number of small
clean trees stood thinly over the ground In
front Of these the little buck was darcing
about II very original manner. Now il ran
to the Iight-anon to the left--now zigzag-
now it started suddenly backwards-then ran
forwards agaln--all the while its eyes turning
IN q particular di,e:tior ard shining brilliant.
ly, as if the animal itself was in a state Of un-
usual cx-itement.
Groot Willem looked to discover the cause
Oh TINS odd maneuverlog On the part Of the au-
telope; something among the olean trees
seemed to attract the notice Cf the animal
On this something the eyes Of the hunter rest
Ell with wonderment; and for scme moments
he was unable to make out what il vas lie
could perceive large glittering mass near the
bottom OF one Of the trees, but this mass at
hrst sight appeared without any particular
form, and lay perfectly mOtiOnless.
As GroOt Willem continued to gaze upon IT,
however, it gradually assumed form, or
rather his eyes gradually traced one, for the
mass had not yet moved
EIdeOGs form il was = though smooth and
Of regular propOrtions--it was the form of
reptle--a serpent
a serpent OF enormous size Tor the mass Of
its body, gathered up in a sort Of irregular
COL, covered the ground for space OF several
square feet, while the body itself seemed
thicker than the thighs of full grown man
The head of the reptile rested upon the top of
u II
the mottled and giistening outlines, Groot
WilIem perceived that its tail was doubled
around the stem Of the clean wood, and held it
with firm grasp; for the serpent belonged
t. family whose tails are furnished with
horny claws like hooks, giving them a power
Of prehension in this mem Der equal to that of
Il hand This is the family Of the B0tdGe or
d" bOss," to which the one il question was
generally related. 1t was pyth0n-the Py-
thon NatatsnSts.
GrOot Willem only knew it as the crock
snake, and that is its ordinary designation,
given it on account Of the fact of its being q
dweller among rocks and stony places 1t
might very properly be called /" rock boa,"
which would distinguish it from its cousins Of
America, the ARacoHdG, or water boa" AMI
the true bOs, which Is = denizen Of the forest,
and which would therefore merit the title If
- tree boa f"
Notwithstanding the difference Of the dwell
ing place Of tho bOas and pythOnS1 their habits
are very similar. They lie in wait for their
prey, capture ii with their strong retractiie
teeth, and, crushing it TO death by oonstric-
ti0n, swallow it whole, though often the ami
mat swallowed q much larger than the dIamc-
ter Of their own bodies Their elastic muscles,
however, enable them TO elect their purpose,
aided by tbs slippery saliva which l. cOpinuS-
ly supplied from their glands
When Groot Willem first saw this gred t
python, its head was lying over the coils Of it's
body, and mOtiOnless. Presently the heal
was raised Bp with the neck, and several fee.
Of the body; and the parts thus erected moved
gently from side to side, with sort of yibra-
tory motion The Jaws were widely extended,
SO that the sharp retraotie teeth were plainly
visible, and the forkei tongue at intervals
shot forward and cleaned in the sun. The
eyes of The reptile sparkled like fire.
1t was fearful object to look upon! And
yet the antelope did not appear TO dread it
On the contrary, it kept drawing nearer and
nearer, excited either by curiosity or fascino-
HOn
There are those who ridicule the idea Of
fascination on the part of serpents Blu.
whether we are to believe in sIoh power or
not, we cannot deny the fact Certain it is,
that whether it be curiosity, fear, or fascina-
tion, both birds and animals a re moved to ap-
proach not only serpents but crocodiles, until
within reach of the jaws that are opened to
devour them. Certain is this, and vouched
for by the testimony of many a correct OBJ