The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-01-23

feoie raptdtty, they can by NO moaua no N fas
y :. =, man and in less than dozen seconds Groo
Wiilen had overtaken tho python, and for tha
matter might have trodden upon its tail
There he was. close beside the fearful lookine
monster, but without the knowledge how to as
tack IT,
He besan, by striking At its body with the bu
OF bis gum but although his blows were delivered
fairly enough, the metashod heel of bis roer only
glanced from the slippery skin of the snake, with
out harming 1t In the least or even retardipq IL,
progress towards the cliff 1t made no attempt e
Tetahate, but only seemed bent on escaping to IL,
lair.
Il was almost successful, for although Groo,
Willem pounded away with all his might, Il
reached the rocks In spite of him, and bad
buried half Of its long body within crevice--nc
douot the entrance to its den-before the hunter
thought Of changing his tactics
II was now critical moment with Groot VII
lem. Another instant, and the remaining half OIL
the snake would slip out of sight, and then good
nye to 1t. A new determination to succeed came
over the hunter. The snake was not poisonous
one, and therefore the encounter could net be We
ry dangerous. 1t might bite him, but be had bat.
tied with many biting creature before now and
conquered them too. He would try his strength
upon the snake. Casting bis roer aside he stopped
and caught the python by the tail and commenced
hauling upon It'll
At the first pluck he drew the reptile several
feet outward but, to his SURPRISE 1t then held
ard notwithstanding bis great strength-Groot
Willem was powerful mamie was unable to
draw it foot farther. The creature had, no
doubt, got the forepart of its body around an
angle in the rocks, and aided by its scaly skin.
was enabled to hold fast
Groot Willem pulled with all his might A sailor
IN . storm could not have hauled harder upon the
main brace; but all to no purpose. as not another
toot OF that part of the python that was still visi
BILE, could be heightened. About the half of II
was still outside; but the other ten feet were bu
rled within the dark recesses of the rocks
For several mioutes Groot Willem continued to
exert bis strength, dragging the long cylinder
until ne could hear its vertebrI crack, but with
out gaining an inch! On the contrary, he had
already lost several inches Every time that be
relaxed bis hold, the python was enabled to move
forward q bit, and this ground it never gave up
again. If Groot Willem allowed it an inch It W as
sure to struggle for ell 1t had all the adyarr
tage on its side as it pulled Nth the grain, while
its antagonist was exertipg bis strength against il
Groot WiIlem felt confident he could hold, tho
python In this position, as long as he could stand
upon his feet; but what good would there be in so
doing He could not kill i. in that way If he
were to 'let 60" for but an instant, he very well
knew that the next instant would shew him the
astinch Of the tail disappearing into the crevice
No. he could not let 60, and he was resolved not to
let CO. until he should at least try the patience of
his opponent. Maybe it would tire of being thus
held upon the " stretch" he would let him pull it
out again.
If there had only been some one with him to
administer few smart blows upon the creatures
body, it would have been all well but the camp
was at very long distance off, and behind the
trees. His companions could neither see nor hear
him.
After standing on the strain considerable time,
a bright idea entered the brain of the hunter.
There grew a small tree beside him-in fact he was
close by its trunk. The thought occurred, that if
by any means he could fasten the tail to the tree,
he could then 60 to W ork with sapling and beat
the snake to death at his pleasure.
He was a ready fellow, Groot Willem, and few
moments suficed him to mature his plans. He
CHANGED to have strong cord" in the ample
pocket of his jacket, which would serve to effect
make it fast to the tail. This he proceeded to do
at once.
SsraddiDg the snake so as to hold it partly be.
tween his knees, he was enabled to loop the cord
tightly around it, and the thing was done. In q
minute more the other end of the cord was tightly
knotted around the trunk of the tree
Groot Wiem now broke off q sapling, deter.
mined either to beat the hinder half of the python
to a jelly, or make it surrender and shew its
headl
He had not delivered the third blow when il
adopted the latter alternative; and the whole of
Its body now glided rapidly back out of the ere.
vce-so rapidly that Groot Willem was not abIe
to avoid the onse: of the enraged REPTILE and the
next moment he was gathered within its coils
So quick was the act, that he scarce knew how
its open jaws extended, dart towards him, 6e
sprang to one side, but felt the cold scaIy body
against his limbs if pulling him towards the tree
and the moment after, he was swept close up to
the trunk, and pressed tightly againstit
He had just time to perceive that the folds of the
serpent were around his limbs and also around the
trunk of the tree-ust time to feel that they were
gradually tightening upon him-when the head
with its extended jaws and terrible teeth, came
right opposite his face and the eyes of the men
ster cleaned right into his
horrid spectacle it was--a horrid situation he
was in! but Groot Willem was not the boy to lose
either courage or presence of mind; and frdng
his arms still free, he cutched forward and seized
the reptile by the throat To hold its head we
just as much as he was able to do with both hands
and with all bis strength; but he held with the
grasp of despair. FOigunate it was for him that
the tail of the python was secured by the rheim !;
and it was thus held fast at both ends! Had 1t
been otherwise-had either tail or head been free,
so it could have used its powers OF constriction-
in few seconds more, Gro0t Wiiem wsuld have
now that both tail and head were fxed-the one by
the cord the other In the strong grasp of the hun.
ter-the serpent was unable to exert its terrible
power; and its folds remained loose around the
limbs of its intended victim
1t writhed its neck, and wriggled its body, and
changed the spiral rings from one part to another
but all in vain. Il could do him no harm!
How long this terrible struggle might have last
ed, would have depended upon how long the
strength tf the two could have held out. Groot
Willem could not free himself from the folds OF
his antagonist, both his legs were bound to the
tree and had he dropped the head of the pythou
for moment, he knew it would crush him to
death. The snake, on the other hand, could not
free ITSELF as 1t was held fast at both extremitIes
What was to be the result9 Which would be
the conquerei7
The serpent must have conquered In the end
though 1t might not have been able to free itse!f
as its tail was fastened to the tree. But Groot
Willem was not able to strangle It, with all the
compression he was exercising upon its throat,
and his strength would have yielded in time -
Most certainly would he have fallen victim, but
for plan that he at length adopted to set himself
free.
During all the continuance of the fight between
him and the serpent, hehad not attempted to use
his knife. He had not thought of such q weapon
against such an enemy. Not dreaming that he
would be brought into ciode quarters, he had al
mos. forgotten that he carried . knife. By good
fortune he had one and 1t was in his belt. Even
though one or TWO folds of the snake were around
his breast, be could see the handle of the knife
bold of 1t, ana drew it forth.
razor; and although the serpent now succeeded in
tighten It's fold the sharp edge Of the knife had
baif severed Its body ia twain
A second gaah was made Ia another part, and
then third and still deeper one; and the resolute
hunter had the qualification to see the spiral
rounds that threatened his destruction fall of and
drop heavily at his feet
In n .hnrt -h;t> tha uvthov daaA unoyt the