Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-05-30
For the Essex County Herald
A Tragic Incident,

A Tragic Incident .
1t has been several years since
the following occurrence took place
ami l copy it from log book kept
at the time:.
Day before yesterday our ship
dropped anchor in the Bay of Caro-, on
the east side Of small Island on the
coast Of Africa, for the purpose of
taking on fresh water. Mr.. Carew,
the first mate, in whose boat I was
stroke oarsman, had taken his crew
and gone ashore to Gil the casks.
After fipding a spring of sparkling
cold water he took his gun and went
into the bush for the sport of shoot
ing birds which were very numerous.
We had been engaged for a couple
Of hours drawing the water and had
finished our task when we heard the
report of the mates gun about half a
mile to windward. Our ship was lay
ing some distance from land and be-
ing nearly night, Randall, one of our
crew, said he would go and find the
mate lie had been gone but few
moments when the mate came in sioht
running with all'his might and mo-
tioning for US to man the boat, which
we did instantly, fear lending haste TO
our actions as we saw he was follow
ed by Il huge python. He jumped in
to the boat and we pushed off and
roWed out for short c. stance, then
rested our oars and watched the
snake. He came down to the water
as it about to keep up the pursuit,
tlien stopped for moment and gIided
from our sight, hiding himself in the
branches Of the very tree under
which we had made our boat fast.
But where was Randall, the thought
was soon answered by his appearance
from the wood, coming down, to, the
beach where the sEnlia' Uas still hid /;
with frantic haste the mate signaled
Linn to keep back, for we were out OF
speaking distance, but he did not
seem TO understand the gesture and
still kept on toward the fatal spot.
Affairs wore q very serious face and
the mate ordered us to row toward
shore that we might perhaps get q
shot at tie snake before he was upon
poor Randall, with the gun used for
shooting bomb lanccs : this was oul
only hope as rife ball would do but
little good. The lance is a cone. OF
rather pointed cylinder, Of cast iron,
containing heavy charge Of 'powder
with which fuse is connectel; the
freing Of the gun ignites the fuse
which explodes the bomb'3 this we
knew would be fatal to anything. 1t
was most critical time for Randall
who now stood beneath the tree. We
were rowing with all our might back
towards the shore, whsn Mr.. Carew
cried, My God, the suake has him
we looked over our shoulders and
could see through the dust, which
arose from the ground, the huge mon
ster wound around the mans body.
Our bows now touched the beac
and every man grabbing q weapon O
some kind, rushed on shore, but too
late to save the mans life. A wei
directed lance from the bomb gun in
stantly killed the snake and we loss
erred the man from the horrd, embrac,
of the monster only to find every bon,
in his body crushed topowder. Yes
terday our ship had its flag at hall
mast and its top-sails hung in mourn
ing festoons, ard the whole crew as
sembled on tbs main deck to pay tn
last sad Offices to the mangled bod,
of young Randle. With bowed head
we joined in the rude services per
tanning. to sail or's burial by hi
shipmatcs and then turned away t,
our duties, the same rough adventur
eFs as before, though little chasten
ed az heart for the time being.
II. W. J.
Gov. Moses ard cX-Treasurer Hum