The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-11-23
Captain Speke's Adventure
with q Boa CONSTRUCTOR,


At the earliest possible moment after
our camp had been pitched, a hunt was
set afoot and Captain Grant, myself and
some attendants were soon making our
way to 1.-The path. There were no ami
mails there when we arrived. except few
hippopotami,, and We were. therefore,
obliged to await the coming of some more
palatable game. Our patience, however,
was severely taxed; andafter a long delay,
we were about to bag a hippopotamus,
when one of our attendants, perched in a
tree about a hall a mile distant began
waving his blanket. This was signal
that game, was approaching. We imme-f
diately drew into cover, and awaited the
comiDg of the latter, i, s,,,.s.-ss,....
3 We we're not delayed long, for present
" a column of animals, from the elephant
TO, the hoo doc, appeared in view, trotting
at a good pace to the river Their tanks
were soon, presented to us, and each Sc
tJecting his object, fred McColl shot q
,6ne young Buffalo COW, whilst Captain
Grant was equally successful with hoo
doc. and several spe; rs cast by our sttent
dants, stopped tie career ,oi one or two
y
L Atsthis juuctuie, however, occurred an
| unex pected adventure, that flushed the
sportior that day, had sprung forward,
| Immediately after firing, in order to OBJ
tainsa iairssnot at u huge elephant that l
4 wantedto bring down On account OF his
i.umense tusks | got the desired aim,
and pulled the trigger with my second
barrel At the moment OF my doing SO
avid cry of alarm, altered by one of the
/ blaeks. called my attention; Glancing
Isroukd, my eye chauced to range up lEto
1.-THE sfu liage OF the tree beneath Which
itGaptaip Glant and myself had lain for
! lseyera huurs previous,
jsaA My lee .ingss may possibly be imagined
as 4 behotd an enormous boa constructor,
I whose ohidsous head aud ueck projected
.tsoaae Nis ance iu:p View showing he was
/ a boui 10 make fatal spring lis direc-
lion was eeitaiuiy toward ne; aud as he
. h.4sLe from his position like thunder
iboli / gave my sell up, Tor ere aid could
have raa he'd me, fUiu after fud of the
munster would have crushed my strong
ira,ne into qu.verns pulp, ieil. seenI
iine1v caught IN a whIiwtnd oi dust, aht
La strange, lndescrlDie struggle enaued
i La the midst of this terrible strife. | sud
denly became conscious OF the presence
iof another victTm, and even after the tlm'
that has elapsed since then still recoi
lee; with what yividness the thought sho
across my mind, that this second victim
was Captain Grant, my noble companion
, Al last. airer being thus whirleo abou
/, FOR several seconds, each second seeming
! TO be intei minable, there eusued luli,
st.hucss as of death, and | opened III
eles, ex pecting TO look upoD.:hose uneA
plored landscapes v hieh are seen only /
the country hey yond the tomb lbstea
Of that. = saw Captain Grant leyellin
) his rifle toward me- while standing besld
land behind him. were the blacks, in ever
/. lconceivabte attitude OF the most intens
suspense. ~
s In a moment / comprehended ALL Tt
= huge serpent had struck young buffa
acow, between which and him l had III
IS luckily placed myself at the moment
III firing upon the elephant. A most sing'
'e lar good fortune had attended me, hoy
= ever for instead OF being crushed into
s. nangled mass with the unfortunate CO..
imyrleft forearm had only been. caught
rs between the buffalo's body andone'sing
: fold of the constructor. The limb la
lust insfront OF the shoulder at the re
a of. the neck, and thus had soft bed
II flesh, into which itwas jammed, as it We
II by. the immense pressure of the serpent
+ ! bedy that was iren.like in hardness. q
III As SAW Grant about to shoot terri
j took possession of me. for if he refraiss
= j / n,gats pessfhly escape, after the b