The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-08-22
THE TERRrBIH sNiKEs or INDIA.
Where the IiorsewhIp ~ Most Uscfui-What
Dumbfoundcd MIR. towie.

Ffun ne iopsiV Grerfr
Tho fatal rnpidity with which the venom
imprcgnatcs the blood is eXcmpilled by the
following story, told to mo years AGO as having
occurred at Mahablcshwur. A native gardener
at work in garden ut That place was bitten by
snake on one Of his fingers. The man. with
great presence OF mind and determination.
Immediately chopped of the bitten finger with
his gardening knife. But it was too late, tho
poison had already passed M tho hand beyond
he P l%e Of bS smEgSPib ab 3d. tho poor malice
A party of friends were one evening sitting ut
q whist table. some PLAYING others watching
the game. Ono of the players happened TO look
down on the ground and was Mortified by dis
cv9ycfing cobra golleSd round one OF ms Legs
death. and ali that the man thus strangely
shncklcd could do was to sit perfectly still and
call the attention of his ircnds to his dangerous
t. have Immediately attacked the snake would
probably have been fatal to their friend BY
what may be almost called inspiration one Of
the non players quietly left the room and or
dorcd in n basin OF milk, which was gently put
down ON the groundn9t far from the snake. In
u few minutes, or perhaps only seconds. which
must have. however, appeared an hour AZ 'ast
to the unhappy captive. the cobra uncoilcd him
sell and won't of 10 the milk. and when once
wnll away from their companions leg. was. of
course. very soon Killed.
II may he objected that a snake would not
venture in among n number of people in the
way above described. How them would the
olJoctors account Tor the danger run 10y IA lady.
room full of peppl"f This lady was reaching
out her arm to draw a cl air toward herself. with
was observed on thr back thereof. How did the
snake got there It's very difficult toll whore
a snake viii not be iouni. hut siill more 80 10
ascertain how ana when II reached the place Of
/ discovery.
Snakes are said to run away from mon. AMI if
the soft football Of the native does not always
srnrc them. the lordly freud oi the booted Eu-
ropcan Is supposed invariably 70 be too much
/ Tor their nerves. and this doubtless IL So MS a
| rule. But We know that there is no rule with
| out an exception, and snakes are very cNccp-
| tiOnal animals. ! was walking one evening
a Dan hat In
] N.nts Tongue Hi, on the other side %! Bombay
| harhor. My friend had n great horror OF snakes.
/ where thoydid not exist; As we were walking
/ along the country road. my companion. who
| had no walking stick or other weapon with MIN.
! suddenly jumped back with a hasty " Here's u
! snake" Nonsense said |. you are always
seeing snakes In another moment a cobra.
with his hood expanded, put his head over the
! side Of the rond. preparatory apparently to
/ cross ing II. On seeing uS. however he seemed
/ dosirous to shun nearer acquaintance. and
/ glided back Into the gutter / lu,kiiy had u
I stick. TO which "suectacles " soon su 'rumbcd.
/ lie was the largest robrn have ever Killed
/ once. when out shooting across tho harhor,
| stepped over a live snake ! had put up and
. :. :. -.. .,.- -.- ----- :. nun --In IN
standing. ] WIS walking back with my eyes
/ fixed On the place whore | had seen the bird
on the ground caught the corner Of my eye ns |
/ was thus engaged. ana | lnstlnctively made a
/ long stop over the object and then turned and
! looked down 10 see what II WAS IL wits snake,
/ which | thought at tho moment WIS dead. from
! his not moving. IT, make quite sure. ! touched
| him with the muzze Of my gun. when he gave a
convulsive start and disapp AIRED 30 rapidly into
! the sras- which borierod .hc path ON which ho
| had he.n lying that. though | instantly raised
| and fired nay gun. | merely knocked Of the end
| Of his tail so low down ~ not 70 pAralS2e HIM.
| l. however. caught sight ~ him again some
| yards of. and had the satisfaction Of blowing
! on his head with my second barrel. On drag
ging the snake out into the open air, the natives
with me declared he was a.most deadly. reptile
| and have since seen his " counterfeit in Dr.
Fayrer,s Thanatophidia.
An old friend Of mine came across a whip
| snake in his house when he had moth ing In hls
hand wherewith 10 KILT. He did not wish 10
let the little piece OF mischief escape. so. seeing
no other way Of securing i. he Jumped upon
killing snakes which would not recommend
have killed snakes IA many ways. and have
the Lest weapon for their destruction III q
house. or anywhere whore "A gun cannot with
safety be used til" slightest stroke of II whii
breaks snakes hack, and you cover longer
line OF ground with an 81 astc whip than with Il
stick. and are therefore less likely To- miss youI
blow In the open field on the Jungle must
confess my flWortc weapon for the coup De grac,
L. n gun loaded with small shot.
Mr.. Gilbert COwle was often in the habit OIL
reptiles in his house. A fresh arrival from
England was one STAYING with ar Cowie, anS
%%s S aab ssE 70 sn wos "rss req
however, that the unwelcomc intruder was per
fectly harmless by nature. and was moreover
quite tanned and dom"-ticatel. SO far SO good
but on coming down t. breakfast with his host
the now arrival was Disguised t. see dom
tanned cobras ganbolng about the room. Mr.
Cowic assured his guest that the cobras had al
had their venOmOus iangs extracted. and were
quite innocuous. This was all very, well. but
Mr.. Cowlo himself WINS nstonished when
thirtcenth cobra, not belonging 10 the establish
ment and consequently still dangerous. crcp
into the room, probably attracted 10y his fel
lows and Joined in their games, The guest III,
not aIprc late this curious Introduction g
playful indian ways, and took his departure L
another house.