The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1875-02-06
Fight Between a Cobra and a Mon
goose.

liable cobra / have seen. lie wal
turned into an enclosed outer room
or verandah, about 20 it. by r., aud
at once coiled himself up, with hea6
erect, about ten or twelve inches from
the ground, and began to hiss loudly
The mongoose was small one Of its
kind, very tame and quiet, but ex
ceedingly active.
When the mongoose was put into
the retangle, it seemed scarcely to
notice the cobra but the latter, on
the contrary, appeared at once to re-
cognize its enemy. It became ex-
cited, and no longer seemed to pay
any attention to the bystanders, but
kept constantly looking at the mon
goose. The mongoose began to go
round and round the enclosure, &C.
casionally venturing up to the cobra,
apparently quite uncoucerned.
Some eggs being laid on the
ground, it rolled them near the cobra
and began to suck them. Occasion
ally it left the eggs, and went up to
cobra, within an inch Of its neck. as
the latter reared up; but when the
cobra struck out, the mongoose was
away with extraordinary activity.
At length the mongoose began to
bite the cobra's tail, and it looked as
if the fight would commence in earn
est. Neither, however, seem e d
anxious for close quarters, so the
enclosure was narrowed.
The mongoose then began to give
the cobra some very severe bites
but the cobra after some fencing
forced the mongoose into a corner,
and struck it with full strength on
the upper part Of the hind leg. We
were sorry for the mopgoose, as but
for the enclosure it would have es-
capped. It was clear that on open
ground the cobra could not have bit
ten it at all while it was the policy
Of the moDgoose to exhaust the cobra
before making close attack. The
bite of the cobra evidently caused
the mongoose great pain, for it
repeatedly stretched out its leg, and
shook it, as if painful, for some
minutes. The cobra seemed exhaust
ed by its efforts, and putting down
its head, tried hard to escape, and
kept itself in a corner. The mon
goose then went up to it and drew it
out, by swapping at its tail, and when
it was out, began to bite it's body,
while the cobra kept turning round
and round, striking desperately at
the mongoose, but in vain.
When this had continued for some
time, the moneoose came at length
right in front Of the c bra, and az
Ter some lodging and fencing, when
the cobra was in the act of striking,
or rather, ready to strike ont, the
mongoose, to the surprise of all, made
a sudden spring at tie cobra, and bit
1t in the inside of the upper jaw,
about the fang, and instantly jumped
back again. Blood flowed in large
drops from the mouth Of the cobra,
ana it seemed much weakened. 1t
was easy now to see how the fight
wo,,ld end, as the mongoose became
more eager for the Struggle. 1t con
timed to bite the body Of the cobra,
going round it as before, and soon
came again in front, and bit it in tie
upper jaw, when more blood flowed
This continued for some time, until
Mt last, the cobra being very weak,
tie mongoose caught it's upper jaw
firmly, and holding down its head,
began to crunch it. The cobra, how
eves, being very strong one, often
get up again, and tired feebly to
strike the mongoose but the latter
now bit its head and body as it
pleased ; and when the cobra became
motioncless and dead, the mongoose
left it, and ran to the jungle.
The natives said that the mon
goose went to the jungle to eat : ONE
leaves to cure itself. We did not
wish to prevent it, and we expected
it would die, as it was severely Bit
ten. O
In the evening, some hours after
the fight, it returned, apparently
quite well, and is nov as well as ever
It follows either that tie bite of
..>b,.o - ,,ot fatal &o . ,,orco,co ,,,,,