East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-03-16

= - 49,
"I don't know, / replied; "neithel
of us has seen 1.-THE grass being
too long to admit of our doing SO at 0
glance. tspsc r9it4 sll la So
Yes" replied the KaAir; "but a
snake always gldes over tha grass
never through it near the roots, whilst
a lizard glides between the roots, low
down. Only a lizard" siss ,if
Having repeatedly heard of a very
large snake, which was said to live on
the banks of the Unganie River fire.
quently went in search of it. The
Kafiirs who had seen the creature es-
timated its length to be about thirty
or thirty-fve Extraordinarily above
the average length of the Natal Rock
snake. While searching for this
giant among his fellows, had inter
views vt different times with three
members of tho same family, one oi
which was twonty-two feet in length
Powder and shot are far too much TO,
these reptiles, and on case of, emer.
gency i am convinced that an active
man with a sharp knife would prove
too much for a Python Of twenty feet
in length. d- ~
One of the Pythons slain gave me
great trouble in skinning as / was at
the time unaoquainted with the ortho-
dox way Of divesting snake, of Its
hide. My attempt consisted in pass
ing knife under a portion Of the
skin end ripping it up in the same
manner that a rabits skin is taken off.
This was the wrong method entirely.
The correct plan is as follows
Get the skin cleared off the head
and few inches off tho neck, and
turn the skin thus separated inside
out. Then fasten the snakes head
firmly up to high branch, SO that
the snake is hung clear Of the ground.
Eithendby the aid of the branch, or of
the snake, cling to the animal in the
sa,ne manner as sailors grasp by a
rope. Keep the legs firmly hold of
the snakes body and grasp the sopa-
rated skin with the hands; then by
gradually allowing the hands to bear
the weight of the body, the skin is
dragged off clean from the snake and
comes down inside out.
Snakes as a rule retire during the
night to some secure retreat but,
when the heat is very intense, even at
night they will make q journey fiom
their holes in search Of food, or for
some other reason. 1t is then that
they are particularly dangerous, for
they can not be seen, in consequence
of the darkness, and thus they may
be approached or trodden on uncon-
ciously. They may also find them
selves chilly and may endeavor to OBJ
tain warmth by nesting close to a
sleeper, who, upon waking, may by
accident squeeze the reptile, and thus
cause it to bite. a47i an,oad
My nerves were once somewhat Sc
veroly tried during the night. The
were as follows: isTG
Having joined two friends who
were combining Gland shooting and |,
the examination of tho supposed res
idenco of a predatory tribe Of Bush
men, we had encamped for the night,
and retired TO rest in bell tent. Nv i
two companions were soon asleep,
whilst ] could only obtain q temporary
ioze-the distant howl of hyena
and some other similar noises, being
sufficient to prevent me from sleeping
More than once / fancied
hat there was listening intently, and /,
believed tho wind was sufficient to
lave caused it. After some time had
Elapsed, however, / became convinced
hat something was moving on the /,
'lanket which served mo for pillow.
dy first intention was to put out my !
land and feel what was there but re-
nembering that snakes were common
n the neighborhood, fortunately re-
named quiet. lo 4om
Agaig. ppd aoain tho grooming poiso
Tas audible, and thcn oil would 90 !
till and quiet. L knew that unless /
Harmed or in self defense, poisonous
make wonld, in nearly every instance
ather avoid than attack a person !.
nd therefore, as long as i remained
uiet, so long was safe--whilst if / ]
moved 1 might put my hand on the
cry animal was trying to avoid i
my doubts that / might have as re- I
ardcd the cause of tho noise were
ct at rest by my feeling cold object J
ust touch the top of my head as it i
.lided past me, and seemed to halt by
he side of my pillow / was now per s
octly aware that if the snake were {
enomous was in extreme danger of
eing bitten; for to move even might
-itato the creature which was now go
lose to me. TO wait, therefore, ap- {
cared most prudent, although it was ]
severe trial to my nerves and when {
stening to the long drawn breaths of |
" companions, could not but envy i
leir safe and uncondious condition. 4
1t might have been an hour--it s
right have been ten minutes---that / /
~ almost fearing to breathe, when {
heard one of my companions cease q
, snore, and begin to turn in his $
lanket. 1t required coruage to break I
lc silence, but 1 fancied there was a b
nance of release. Scarcely moving v
y lips, asked in low tone if he D
ero awake. 3a1 m 6s i,
"Yes why Z" he answered, in the n
liclx yet perfectly awake manner b
at light sleeper usually adopts Ii
hen suddenly aroused. M lola O
!" Don't move much,' I repeated, n
At strike light if you can, for there h
snake close to my head and i "
"Good God ~ he exclaimed, and II
with his box Of lucifere to fc
tain light They were damp how
er, and it was some time before
ey would yield tho much longed for a,
,ht. bl