The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-11-16
cant. sp,lss.---A n.a Co.,fr,stor !.

wher we arrived, except a COW hippopotami
and we were, therefore, obliged to wait the
coming of some more palatable game, Our
patience, however, was severely taxed
and after long delay, we were about tc
bag q hippopotamus, when one of our
attendants, pcrehad in tree about half a
mile distant, bagan waving his blanket
This was signal that game was approach
ing. We i'm Eediatsly drew inta cover, and
awaited the coming up of the latter.
We :wers not delayed long, for presently
a long column Of animals, from the elephan,
to the doc doc, appeared in view, trotting
at good pace to the river. Their TANKS
were soon presented to us, and each select
ing his object, fired. .McCol shot fine
young buffalo COW, whilst Capt Grant was
equally successful with a doo.d oo, and
several spears, cast by our attendants,
stopped the career Of one or two different
animals Of the head.
At this juacture, however, occurred an
unexpected adventure, that finished our
sport for that day. had sprung forward,
Immediately after firing, in order to obtain
a fair shot at a huge elephant that want.
ed to bring down on account Of his i'm.
mense tusks. got the desired aim. and
pulled the trigger Of my second barrel. At
the moment Of niy doing SO wild cry Of
alarm, uttered by one Of the blacks, called
my attention. CHANGING round, my eve
CHANGED to range up into the foliage of the
tree beneath which Capt. Grant and myself
had lain for several hours previous.
Ny feelings may possibly be imagined
AS behold an enormous boa constructor,
whose hideous head aud neck projected
some distance into view, showing that he
was to make fatal spring His direction
was certainly toward me and as he flashed
from his position Ikea thunderbolt, gave
myself up, for ereg aid could have reached
me, fold after fold Of The monster would
have crushed my strong frame, into a
Quiyering pulp. l fell, seemingly caught
in a whirlwind of dust, and strange. in.
describable scufiia ensued. In the midst
o. this terrible strife. / suddenly became
conscious Of the presence Of second
victim, and even after the time that has
elapsed since then, / still recollect with
what vividness the thought shot across my
mind; that this second victim was Capt.
Grant, my noble companion. Al last, after
being thus whirled about for several sec
onds, each second seeming to be lnterminc-
BILE, there ensued a lull, stiffness as of
death, and l opened my eyes, expecting to
look upon those unexplored landscapes
which are seen only in the country beyond
this tomb. Instead Of that, I saw Capt.
Grant leveling his rife towards me, while,
standing beside and behind him, were the
blacks, in every conceivable attitude Of
the most intense suspense.
ina ,t"rnent comprehended all. The
huge se.pent had struck young buffalo
cow, between which and him | had un-
luckily placed myself at the moment o.!
firing upon the elephant. A most singular
good fortune had attended me, however,
for, instead of being crushed into mangled
mass with the unfortunate COW, my left
forearm only had been caught in between
the buffalo's body and q single fyld Of the
constructor. The limb laid just in front
Of the shoulder at the root of the neck
and thus had soft bed o! flesh into which
it was jammed, as it were, by the immense
pressure of the serpsnts body tina, was
iroElke in hardness.
As l saw Grant about TO shoot, terror
took possession Of me, for if he RETAINED
| 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 commissions, crush or drag me
to pieces. Even as the idea came to me
beheld Grant pause. lie appeared to fully
comprehend all. He could see how was
situated. that was still living, and that
my delivery depended Oh the will of the
constructor. We could see every line on
each. others face, so close were we, and |
would have shouted or spoken, or even
whispered at him, had l dared, but the
boa's head was within few inches of
mine, and the wink of an eyelid would
perhaps settle my doom; 50 | stared, like
a dead man, at Grant and at the blacks.
Presently the serpent began gradually to
relax his folds, and after r. frightening them
several times as the crushed buffalo quiy-
cred, he unwound one fold entirely. Then
he paused. The next iron like band was
the one that held nae prisoner; and as
f.ltit little by little unclasp' ng, my heart
stood still with hope AMI fear. Perhaps,
upon being freed, the benumbed arm
uncontrolled by my will might fall from
the cushion like bed in which it lay. And
such mishap Nigh. bring the spare fold
around my neck or chest, and then fare.
well to the sources Of the Nile. Oh, how
hardly, how desperately struggled to
com hand myself! glanc, d at Grant and
saw him handling his rifle anxiously.
glanced at the negroes and saw them still
gazing as though petritied with astonish.
ment. glanced at tie serpent's loathsome
head and saw its bright, deadly eyes
watching for the least sign Of life in its
prey.
Now, then, the reptile loosencd its fo.d
on my arm hairs breadth, and now, a
little more, until half an inch Of space
separated my arm and its mottled skin.
could have whipped out my hand, but
dared not take the risk. Atoms &C time
dragged themselves into ages, and minute
seemed Eternity, and the next one was
easing. Should I dash away now or wait
q more favorable movement? | decided
upon the former; and, with lightning speed,
bounded away toward Grant, the crack
of whose piece heard at the same instant.
For the first line in my life, was thor
oughly overcome; and, sinking down, /
remained in a semi conscious state for
several minutes.
When fully recovered, Grant and Tie
oveIjoyed negroes held me up, and pointed
out the boa, who was still writing in his
death agonies. | shuddered as | looked
upon the eff cts Of his tremendous dying
strength. For yards around where he lay,
grass, bushes and saplngs, and in fact
everything except the more fully grown
trees, were cut clean of, as though they
had been trimmed with an immense scytae.
This monster, when measured, was fifty
one feet two inches and half 10 extreme
length, while round the thickest part OF
the bodyits girth was nearly three feet,
thus proving, | believe, to be the largest
serpent that vas ever authenticity heard of.
The PRoPosED CANADIAN FEDERATIoN.-The
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Grafton of the British North American pro.