The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1866-05-24
Combat with an Anaconda

ComDaC WIN an Anaconda
At the earliest possible moment after
camp had been pitched, says the late Capt
Spoke, hunt was set afoot, and Captain
Grant, myself and some attendants were
seen making our way to "the patcp.'-
There were no animals there when we ar
rived, except few hippopotami, and we
were, therefore, Obliged to await the com
ing OF some palatable game. Our patience
however, was severely taxed and after a
long delay we were about to "bag'' ffip-
popotamus, when an attendant, perched
on tree about half mile distant began
waiving his blanket. This was II signal
that game was approaching. We imme-
diately drew into cover, and awaited the
coming Of the latter.
! We were not long delayed, for presently
81 long column of animals, from the ele-
phant to the koodoo, appeared trotting at
u good pace to the river. Their hanks
were soon presented to MS, and each select
ing his object, fired. McCool shot fine
young buffalo COW, while Capt. Grant was
equally successful with koodoo, and sew
eral spears cast by our attendants, stopped
the career of one or two different animals
of the herd.
Atthis iuncture, however, occurred an
unexpected adventure that finished our
sport at least for that day. 1 had sprung
forward immediately after firing, i'm order
to obtain a fair shot al huge eleghant that
| wanted to bring down on account of his
immense tusks. got the desired aim and
pulled the trigger of my second BARREL
At the moment of my doing so Il wild cry
of alarm, uttered by one of the blacks,
called my attention. Glancing around,
my eve chanced to range up in the foliage
of the tree beneath which Capt. Grant and
myself had lain for several hours previous.
My feelings may possibly be imagined, as
DciIciu am euornous boa CONSTRUCTOR
whose head and neck projected some dis
tance into view showed that he was about
to make ii fatal spring.
His direction was certainly toward me,
and as he flashed from his position like
thunderbolt, gave myself up. for ere aid
could reach me, TIE folds of the monster
twould have crushed my strong frame into
a quivering pulp. l felt caught i'm whirl-
wind of du>t, and n strange indeseribsble
scuflile cnsued.
In the midst of this strife suddenly be-
came conscious of the preserve Of II second
victim, and even after the time that has
elapsed since then, 1 still recoilect with
what vividness the thought shot across my
mind that this second victim was Captain
Grant--my noble companion. At last,
after being whirled about for several sec
onds, each second seeming to be intermip
able, there ensued a lull, a stiffness as of
death, and l opened my eyes, expecting to
look upon those unex plored landscapes
which are seen only in that country be-
yond the tomb. Instead of that | saw
Captain Grant leveling has rifle towards
me, while standing beside him
blacks in every conceivabie " N'~
mt =, :, -, s.Iient comprehende0 all
The huge serpent had struck II young buff
falo cow, between him and which l had
unluckily placed myself at the moment of
firing upon the elephant. A most singu-
lar good fortune had attended me, howev-
or, for instead of being crushed into IA man
gied mass with the unfortunate COW, my
forearm only had been caught in between
the butfalo's body and a single fold Of the
constructor.
The limb laid just in front OF the shonl-
der, at the root of the neck. and thus had a
soft bed of flesh into which it was jammed;
49, IL wcrc-by The innense pressure of the
serpenl's body, SO that it WAS like iron in
harness.
AS saw Grant about to shoot, terror
possessed me; tor, if he refrained, L might
possibly escape after the boa released his
fold, from the dead COW. But should he
tlre 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 appeared to comprehend
all. lie could see how was situated, that
was still living, and my delivery de-
pended on the will of the constructor. We
could see every line of each others face,
so close were we, and would have shout
ed or spoken, or even whispered to him,
had dared. But the boa s head was rear
ed within Il few inches OF mine, and the
wink Of an eye lid would, perhaps, settle
my doom, so stared like dead man at
| Grant and tho blacks.
| Presently the serpent began very leisure
ly to relax his folds, and after tightening
them several times, as ,Se crushing buffa-
10 quivered, he unwound one fold COM
pletely. Thus he paused. The next irsn
like band was the one that held me pris-
oner; and as felt it little by little unelasp-
ing, my heart stood still with hope ard
| fear.
Perhaps upon being freed, the benumed
arm, uncontrolled by my will, may fall
from the cushioned-bed in which it lay.
And such a mishap might bring the spare
fold around my neck or chest, and then
farewell to the source of the Nile. oh,
how hardly, how desperately I struggled
to command myself! Iglanced at Grant;
and saw him handling his rifle anxiously-
glanced at the negroes, and saw them
still gazing as though petrified with aston
ishment. glanced at the serpents loath-
some head, and saw its bright deadly eyes
} watching for the least sign of lie in its
prey.
Now, then. the reptile loosened the folG
, on my arm hairs breadth, and now 4