Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-04-28
Combat with an Anaconda.

At the earliest possible moment after
camp had been pitched, says the late
Captain Speke, hunt was set, and
afoot, Capt. Grant, myself and some at
tendants were soon making our way to
''the patch" There were no animals
there when We arrived, except few
hippopotami, and We were, therefore,
obliged to wait the coming of some more
palatable game. Our patience, howev-
er, was severely taxed, and, after long
delay, We were about to "bag' hippo
potamus, when an attendant, perched
in tree about half mile distant, be-
gan waving his blanket. This was
signal that game was approaching. We
Immediately drew into cover, and await
ed the coming of the latter.
We were not long delayed, for pres
emily long column of animals, from the
elephant to the hoodoo, appeared in
view, trotting at good pace to the
river. Their tanks were soon present
ed to ue, and each selecting his object,
fired. McColl shot fine young buffalo
cow, whilst Capt. Grant was equally
successful with a hoodoo. and several
spears, cast by our attendants, stopped
the career of one or two different ami
mails of the herd.
At this juncture, however, occurred
an unexpected adventure, that finished
our sport at least for that day. 1 had
sprung forward Immediately after firing
in order to obtain fair shot at huge
elephant, that 1 wanted to bring down
on account of his immense tusks. 1 got
the desired aim, and pulled the trigger
of my second barrel. At the moment
of my doing SO, wild cry of alarm, ut
tered by one of the blacks, called my
attention. Glancing around my eye
CHANGED to range up into the foliage of
the tree beneath which Capt. Grant and
myself had lain for several hours pre-
vious. My feelings may possibly be
imagined, as I beheld an enormous boa
constructor, whose head and neck pro-
jected some distance into view, showed
that be was about to make a fatal
spring.
His direction was certainly towards
me; and as be flashed from his position
like thunderbolt, I gave myself up,
for ere aid could reach me, the folds of
the monster would have crushed my
strong frame into quivering pulp. 1
felt seemingly caught in whirlwind of
dust, and strange indescribable scuf-
file ensued.
In the midst of this strife suddenly
became conscious of the presence of a
second victim, and even after the time
that has elapsed since then, I still rec
ollect with what vividness the thought
that this second victim was Capt. Grant
my noble companion. At last, after
being whirled about for several seconds,
each second seeming to be interminable
there ensued lull, a stiffness as of
death, and l opened my eyes, expecting
to look upon those unexplored land
scapes which are seen only in the coun.
try beyond the tomb. Instead of that
saw Capt. Grant leveling his rifle to-
ward me, while standing behind him
were the blacks, in every conceivable
attitude of the most intense suspense.
But in moment 1 comprehended
all. The huge serpent had struck
young buffalo COW between him and
which had unlu,kily placed myself, at
the moment of firing upon the elephant
A most singular good fortune had at
tended me, however, for instead of being
crushed into mangled mass with the
unfortunate COW, my forearm only had
been caught in between the buffalo's
body and single fold of the boa con-
strictor.
The limb laid just in front of the
shoulder, at the root of the neck, and
thus had a soft bed of flesh, into which
it was jammed, as it were, by the i'm.
mense pressure of the serpent's body, SO
that it was like iron in harness.
As I saw Grant about to shoot, ter
ror possessed me, for if be refrained 1
might possibly escape after the boa re-
leased his folds from the dead COW. But
should he fire and strike the reptile, it
would, in its convulsions, crush or drag
me to pieces. Even as this idea came
to me, | beheld Grant pause. He ap-
peared to comprehend all. He could
see how was situated, that 1 was still
living, and that my delivery depended
on the will of the constructor. We could
see every line on each others face 80
close were we, and I would have shout.
ed, or spoken, or even whispered to him
had dared. But the boa's head was
reared within few inches of mine. and
the wink of an -eyelid would perhaps
settle my doom SO stared-stared- :
stared like dead man, at Grant, and at
the blacks.
Presently the serpent began very
gradually to relax his folds, and after