Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-11-12
Capt. Speake's Adventure with
a Boa CONSTRUCTOR.

"thc atcb" There were no animals
there when We arrived, except few hip
popottami, and we were, therefore, obliged
to await the coming of some more palata-
bic game. Our patience, however, Vas
severely taxed, and, after long delay,
We were about to bag bippopotamus,
when an att bdant perched in tree about
q half a mile distant began waving his
blanket. This was signal that game
was approaching. We Immediately drew
into cover, and awaited tie coming of the
latter.
We were not long delayed, for pressn.
tly long column Of animal., from the
elephant TO the hoodoo, appeared in view,
trot,iug at a good pace to The river, Their
tanks were soon presented to us, and each
selecting Ills object, fired NJ Coll shot
fine you g buffalo, whilst Captain Grant
was equally successful with hoodoo, and
several spears, cast by our attendants,
stopped the career Of one or two different
animals Of the herd.
At this jnncture, however, occurred an
unexpected adventure, that finished our
sport, at least for that day. had sprung
forward Immediately after firing iu order
to obtain a fair shot at huge elephant
that | wanted to bring down OH acc count OF
his immense tusks. gct the desired aim,
and pulled the trigger of my second bar
rel At the moment OF my doing so a
wild cry of alarm, uttered by ons OF the
blacks, called my attention. Glanciug
nronnd, my eye chanced to range up in
the foliage of the tree beneath which Capt
Grant and myself had lain for several
hours previous. My feelings may posi-
bly, be imagined, as beheId an enormous
boa constructor, whose head and neck pro-
ljecting some distance into view, showed
that he was about to make fatal spring
His direction was certainly towards me
and as he flashed from his position like 0
thunder.bolt, I gave myself up, for ere
aid could reach me, the folds of the mon
ser would have crushed my strong frame
into quivering pulp. l fell, seemingly >
caught in whirlwind of dust, and Q
strange ndescrba6le scuffle cnsued,
In the midst of this strife L suddenly
became conscious Of the presence of ;
second victim, and even after the time
that has elapsed since then, | still recol
lect with what q vividness the though
shot across my mind that this second vic
tim was Captain Grant, my noble com
panion. At last, after being whirlec
{ about for several seconds, each seconc
, seeming to be intermnable, there ensue'
a lull, Stiffness as Of death and | open
! ed MY eyes, expecting 10 loos upon thos
: uuexplored landscapes which are see
r only in the country beyond the tomb
l Instead of chat ! saw Captain Grant lev
, elip his rife towards me, while standn
, beside and behind him were the blacks i
every conceivable attitude and most in
q tense suspense.
b. But in q moment comprehendcd al
The huge serpent had struck young bul
e faio COW, between him and which ha
:. unluckIy placed myself at the moment G
q firing upon the elephant. a most singu
b, lar good fortune had attended me, how
- ever, ior instead Of being crushed into
4 maugIed mass with the unfortunate COW
o my left forearm only bad been caught
n between the brffalo's body, and sing
n fold OF the constructor. The limb lsi
Q Just in front OF Tie shouider at the root c
d the neck, and thus had soft bed of aesl
C into which ii was jammcd as it were, b
o the immense pressure of the serpent
!. body, that it was like iron in harness
r As saw Grant about to shoot terrc
h possessed me, for if he refraned L mgi
y possibly escape, after the boa release
d his folds from tho dead COW. But shoul
/. hc FIRE and strike TIE reptile, it woul
in its couvulsions, crush or drag me
is pieces Even as thus idea came to me,
IS beheld Grant pause, He appeared
1t comprehend all. He could see how Iw
At situated, that was still living, and th
,e my life depended on the will of tho co
ut strictor. We cohld see every line of ea'
sr others face, SO close were we,and l wou
y, have shouted or spoken, or even whiSpe
er ed to him, had / dared. But. the boz
70 head was reared within few inches
re mine, and the wink of an eyelid won
le perhaps settle my doom so stared ,sti
a. ed like a dead man at Grant and at t
blacks.
a Presently the serpent began very gr'
uslly to relax his folds, and after tig