Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1866-09-14
VI sc ELI.AN NY.
Combat with an Anaeosda-

1t~+ttt ~ 80 aA4 toNAc htteu4Alll.s Aoro
soon making our way 20 "tbe patch
There we're no animals there ~hen We A.
rived. exeept a Few hipPoPos.mi. and ne
we're therefore obliged to Wait the eouaing
Of some more PslAtable game. Our pa
tisnes. however. vAs severely taxed. and
after a long delay. ne we're about 20 = bag~
a hippopotamu-. ~heu an attendant. rerch-
ed IN . tree about half a mile distant. began
waving his blanket. Tbs vas q sigoal that
game vss approaching. We imnediafelv
drew INTO cover. and awaited The coming Of
the latter.
We were not long delayed. for presently
long column Of animals. from the elephant
20 the hOOdOo. appeared in view. troiting
~ . good place 20 the river. Their tanks
we're soon presented 70 us. ard each select
ing his object. fred. McCon sbot 6ne
young buffalo COW. whilst Capt. Grant ~as
equally suooessful with hOOdoo. sud sew
eral spears cast BY our attendants. stopped
The career Of one or t~0 dif~r~nt animals
Of the herd.
A. tbs junction. however. occurred an
unexpected adventure. that hnished oar
sport AZ least for that day. had sprung
forward Immediately after 6rinr. IN order
20 obtain a fair shO, At a huge elephant. that
wanted TO bring down on accent Of his
immense tusks. got the desired ain. an
pulled the trigger Of my second barrel Al
the moment Of my dong 80. a Wild CRY o.
alarm. uttered BY one Of The blacks. called
my attention Glaneing around. nv eve
Glanced TO range ~ in the foliage Of ibe
tree beneath which Capt Grant and myself
had lain for several hours previous Nv
feelings may possibly be imagined. a. BE-
held an enOrmoss boa eonstriCtor. whose
bad and neck projected some distance into
view, showed that be vas about to make
fatal spring
HIS direction vas certainly toward ne
and a. be flashed fron bis position Ike a
th0nderboli. I gave myself up. for ere all
could reach me. tbe folds Of the monster
would have crushed my strong frame into a
guivering pulp. ] felt seemingly caught 10
whirlw md OF dust. and a strange. ind
seribAble seufas ensoed.
In the midst q tbs ssrlie .uddenly be-
came conscious Of -. presence ofa second
victim. and even sfier the time that has
elapsed since then. I stiI recoliect With
whar q Visidness The ihoughi shoi across nv
mind thar ihis second victim ~as Capt.
Grant. uy noble conpanion. Atlas. alter
being wbirl-d about ior several scoot.i..
each second seeming 10 be iatcruiraLlc.
there ensued lall. = Stiffness A. Of death.
and opened ms eyes. expecting 10 look
upon those une1plort9 Landscapes uhich
are seen only in the country bevoud tie
tomb Instead Of thaf sa- Capt. GRAFT
leVeiling bis rife toward me. While standing
beside kim we're the blacks. IN ever con-
ceivable atiilude ct he most Intense IS.
Psnse.
But. IN a moment. ] co-np-chended al
The buge serpent ksa struck a Young buf-
falo Gov. between him AM Which bad On
luckily placed mys-h. a. the moment Of fr-
ing upon the ELEPHANT. A most singular
good fortune bad attended me-. however.
for iassead Of being crushed Ito = usancicd
mass With the unfortunate Gov. ny forearm
only bad been caught in bci~ecn the LsHa.
los BODY and single fold q the couuric.
tor.
The limb lay jusi IN front Of tbe shos Der
A. The root q he neck. and iLus bad a .of,
bed Of aesh INTO whi1h IL was janirBei. a. it
werc. BY the immense pressure Of the ser.
peniis body. % that ii vas Ike iron in LAP.
ness.
A. sau Grant sbost % shoot. q terror
possessed NE. Coz II he RETAINED. n,irhf
possibly escape after fbe boa released h.,
folds from the dead ccw Bar should BE-
hre and sirike iLe reptile. Is wouid ia rs
eonsulsious. crush or drag me % pieces.
Even a. this idea cane 90 me. betefI
Grant pause. lie spp-arcd 90 comprehend
al lie could SEE bo- I a. sitosted. thsf
vas stili living. ard tbat ny de'iserg De-
pended on the al o. TIE oosari-or. N.
could see every liu- on each othrr's FACE ,r
close we're we. and EoaiI have rbs.f..f o.
spoken. Or even -hispered 90 hin. hal 4
dared. Bot The boas head uas reared
within . ie- inches q u,ine. and TIE visk
Of an eyeiid would perhans ssttie r, doom,
90 sfared-starei. lise a. dsst --,- 81.
Grant and 90 tbe biarks.
Present.y d. serpent began very r-sds-
ailF % relax BIZ folds. and after nri.,rir-
then several times. AZ che crashsd bsftI.
qaiscred. IT, unrorni one fold ensf-rir
Then b. paussd. Tie reat .ran-Eke land
vas the oniy ore ttat Ltil ore rr..o-e-
ard e. I frff Il rffIr be- r..f. r.