The Portland daily press., 1864-10-07
Friday Morning, Oct. z, 1864.
Captain Speke's Adventure with Boa Con
gtrictor


strictor.
At the earliest possible moment after
our camp had been pitched, hunt was set
atoot, and Captain Grant, myself and some
attendants were soon making our way to :" the
path. There were no animals there when
we arrived, except few hippopotami and we
were obliged to wait the coming Of some
more palatabe game. Our patience, howev-
er, was severely taxed; and after long de-
lay, we were about to bag" hippopotamus,
when one OF our attendants, perchedin tree
about half a mile distant, began waving his
blanket. This was signal that game was
approaching. We Immediately drew into cov-
er, and awaited the coming up of the latter.
We were not delayed long, for presently
long column of animals, from the elephant to
the hoo-doO, appeared in view, trottiDg at a
good pace to the river. Their tianks were
soon presented to us, and each selecting his
object, fred. McColl shot fine young buffa-
10 COW, whilst Capt Grant was equally sue
cessful with a hoo-doo, and several spears,
cast by our attendants, stopped the career OF
one or two different animals of the herd
At this juncture, however, occurred an un-
expected adventure, that finished our sport, at
least for that day, ! had sprung forward, i'm
mediately after firing, in order to obtain fair
shot at huge elephant that wanted to bring
down ON account of his immense tusks. |
got the desired aim, and pulled the trigger of
the second barrel. At the moment of my do
ing so wild cry of alarm, uttered by one of
the blacks, called my attention. CHANGING
around, my eye chanced to range up into the
foliage of the tree beneath which Capt. Grant
and myself had lain for several hours preVi-
GUS,
My feellngs,may possibly be imagined, as !
beheld an enormous boa constructor, whose
linpOuG head and UQQk nrninptpd dis
tapce into view, showing that he was about
to make fatal spring. His direction was
certainly toward me; and as he flashed from
his position like thunderbot, gave myself
up, Tor ere aid could reach me, fold after fold
Of the monster would have crushed my strong
frame into quivering pulp. fell, seemingly
caught in whirlwind OF dust, and strange,
indescribable scutfie ensued. In the midst of
this terrible strife, ! suddenly became CON
scious OF the presence of a second victim, and
even alter the time that has elapsed since
then, / still recollect with what yiVidness the
thought shot across my mind that this second
victim was Captain Grant, my noble compan-
ion.
At last, after being thus whirled about for
several seconds, each second seeming to be in
termlnable, there ensued lull, q stiffness as
of death, ard ofAEnd- pan1izA5 TO
look upon those unexplored landscapes which
Instead of that, l saw Captain Grant level
ing his rife toward me, while standing be-
side and behind him were the blacks, in every
conceivable attitude of the most intense sus-
pense.
In moment comprehended all. The huge
serpent had struck young buffalo COW, be-
tween which and him | had unluckily placed
myself at the moment of firing upon the ele-
phant. A most singular good fortune had at
fopdad pnn instead of hninp
crushed into manged mass with the unfor-
tunate COW, my left forearm only had been
caught in between the butialo's body and sin
gle fold OF the constructor. The limb laid just
In front of the shoulder at the root of the neck,
and thus had soft bed of flesh, into which it
was jammed, as it were, by the immense pres
sure of the serpent's body, that was like iron
in hardness As saw Grant was about to
shoot, terror took possession of me, for if be
refrained might possibly escape, after the
boa released his folds from the dead COW. But
should he fire and strike the reptile, it would
in its convulsioDs, crush or drag me to pieces.
Even as the idea came to me, beheld Grant
pause. He appeared to fully comprehend all.
He could see how was situated, that / was
still living, and that my delivery depended on
the will Of the constructor. We could see ev-
cry line on each others face, so close were we,
and would have shouted or spoken, or even
head was reared within a few inches of mine,
and the wink of an eyelid would perhaps set
tie my doom; SO | stared stared like a dead
man at Grant and at the blacks.
Presently the serpent began very gradually
to relax his folds, and retightening them seve-
raj times as the crushed buffalo quivered, he
unwound one fold entirely. Then he paused.
The next iron-like band was the one which
held me prisoner, and as felt it little by lit
Al. IL hon mt afr a4sn
and fear. Perhaps upon beiug freed the be-
num5ed arm uncontrolled by my will, might
fall from the cushion-like bed in which it lay.
And such mishap might bring the spare fold
around hy neck or chest, aud then farewell to
the sources of the Nile, Oh, how hardly, how
desperately struggled to command myself
glanced at Grant and saw him handling his
rife anxiously. | glanced at the negroes and
saw them still gazing, as though petrifed with
astonishment. glanced at the serpent's loath-
some head and saw Its bright, deadly eyes,
watching for the least sign of life in It's prey.
Now, the reptile loosened its fold on my arm
hairs breadth, and now, little more until
half an inch OF space separated my arm and its
mottled skin. / could have whipped out nv
hand but dared not take the risk. Atoms OF
time dragged themselves into ages, and min
ute seemed eternity itself Tie second fold
was removed entirely, and the next one was
easing. SlOulQ udSu away uOW, VI wall
more favorable movementp decided upon
the former; and, with lightning speed bound
ed away toward Grant, the crack of whose
piece | heard at the same instant. For th'
first time in my life | was thoroughly over
come; and sinking down, ! remsined in a semi
conscious state for several minutes.
When fully recovered, Grant and the over
joyed negroes held me up, and pointed out thu
boa who was still writhlng in his death ago
nies. l shuddered as Hooked upon the efect
OF bis tremendous dying strength. For yard
around where he lay, grass and bushes ant
sapplings, and in fact everything except thu
more iuny grown trees, were cut clean off, al
though they had been trimmed with an i'm
mense scythe. This monster, when measured
was nisy-one ieet two inches and half in ex
treme length, while round the thickest portion
Of lls Dooy, tne glrth was nearly three feet
pent that was ever authentically heard Of