The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-01-19

Fight Between an IchneumOn and a
Cobra.

$780, OOUIds
In letter to the Madras Times,
dated Trichinopoly. signed by three
officers of the Indian service, we find
the following interesting account of a
fight between a mongoose or iehneu-
mon, and cobra: ossi3 dss-.g ..-s@
We think the long vexed question,
whether the mongoose on being bitten
by the cobra, retires into the jungle
and finds some herb as an antidote for
the poison, or whether the venom of
the serpent produces no effect upon
the animal, has been at last settled
On Saturday last, while seated in the
mess-house, with several officers of
the regiment, a servant came and
stated that snake had been seen to
enter hole in the ground close to
where the guard was. We immed-
lately sent for a mongoose Ca tame
one, and the property of an officer,
and put him to the hole. 3. ~
He soon began to scratch away the
earth, and in half an hour fine CO.
bra, about yard long, came forward,
with head erect and hood distended,
to attack the mongoose, who seemed
to care nothing for the reptile, but
merely jumped out of the way to
avoid the blows which the snake
struck at him. The mongoose unfor-
tunately had just fed, consequently did
not show sufficient inclination to get
at him; so we secured the snake and
carried him over to one of the officers
to have the contest carried on there,
after the mongoose should have had
some little time to get over his break
fast. After couple of hours rest,
we placed the CORA in room with
closed door, the mongoose was let in,
and the fight commenced.
The mOngoose approached the CO.
bra with caution, but devoid of any
appearance of fear. The cobra, with
head erect and body vibrating, watch
ed his opponent with evident signs of
being aware of how deadly an enemy
he had to deal with. The mongoose
was soon within easy striking distance
of the snake, who, suddenly throwing
back his head, struck at the mongoose
with tremendous force. The mon
goose, as quick as thought, sprung
back out of reach, uttering at the
time, savage growls. Again the hood
ed reptile rose on the defensive, and
the mongoose, nothing daunted by the
distended jaws and glaring eyes of his
antagonist, approached so near to the
snake that he was forced, not relish
ing such close proximity, to draw his
head back considerably. This lessen
ed considerably his distance from the
ground. The mongoose, at once see
ing the advantageous opportunity,
sprang at the cobra's head, and APP
peared to infict as well as receive a
wound. Again the combatants put
themselves in a position to renew the
encounter; again the snake struck at
his willy opponent, and again the lat
ter S agility saved him. s
The fight lasted some three-quar-
tiers of an hour, and both combatants
seemed to nerve themselves for a
inaf encounter. The cobra, changing
his position of defence for that Of
attack, seemed determined now to do
or die. Slowly on his watchful enemy
the cobra advanced; with equal cour-
age the mongoose awaited the advance
of his still unvanquished foe. Thu
cobra had now approached so clos
that the mongoose, owing to want d
space behind, was unable to sprig
out of reach by jumping backward, s
he had done in the previous encout-
ers, nimbly bounded straight up N
the air. The cobra missed his objet,
and struck the ground under him.
Immediately on the mongose
the cobra, quick as thought,
struck again, and to all appearance !
liked his fangs in the head of he
mongoose. The mongoose, as theco-
bra was withdrawing his head fter
having inflicted the bite. instautl- re-
taliated by fixing his teeth in the lead {
of the cobra. This seemed to con-
vince the cobra that he was no match
for his watchful antagonist. and now no
longer exhibiting a head erect md a
defiant eye, unfolded his coil AMI ig-
ANONYMOUSLY skunk away. Insanity
the mongoose was on the retrating !
foe, and burying his teeth in th brain
at once ended the contest. Th mon
goose now set to work to depur his
victim, and in few minutes had eaten
the head and two or three inhes of
the body, including the veiom so
dreaded by all, We shouH have
mentioned before, that, previous to
this encounter, the snake hal struck
IN owl, which died within half an
hour of the infiction of he bite,
showing beyond doubt its c.pability
If inficting death-wound. ,
After the mongoose had satisfied
lis appetite, we proceeded toexamine
With pocket lens the wounds which ]
lie received from the cobra and in
away the blood from one of :
hese places, the lens discovered the
broken fang of the cobra, imbedded
n the head of the moneoose. 70