The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-01-09
4 Terrible Combat.

The ship Prosperity, from London,
reached one Of the West India islands, in
May, 1856 One of the seamen named
Jaryas, having left the vessel, wandered
about the island on a sultry day, such as
are frequent i'll that part Of the globe.
Being oppressed by the intense heat,
inconsiderately laid himself down to Sleep
reclining his head On small bullock,
oppaslte rock about ten feet high. He
lay on his back; and his eyes after he
had slept a little, were directed, as the
first object that met them to the perpen-
dicular height between them. What was
his horror to discover on the top of it All
enormous rattlesnale, with its keen and
beautiful, yet malignant eyes, steadily
fixed on him.
He felt as if charmed to the spot. The
Witchery of the serpent's eyes So irresisti-
bly, rooted him to the ground, that for the
moment he did not wish to remove them
from his formidable opponent The huge
reptile gradually and slowly uncoiled it's
body, all the while steadily keeping its
eyes fixed on those of its intended victim.
Jargas now cried out, without being
able to move:
He'll bite me. Take him away! take
him away!n
The snake now began to writhe its body
down tissure in the rock, keeping its
head elevated more than foot from the
ground. It's rattles made very little noise.
It every moment darted out it's forked
tongue, its eyes became reddish and in
famed, and it moved rather quicker than
at first. It was now within two yards of
its intended victim, WHO by some means
had dlssipated the charm, and, reused by
sense OF his awful danger, determined
to stand on the defensive.
To run away from it, Jarvis knew
would be impraeticable, as the snake
would instantly dart Its whole body after
him. He therefore resolutely stood up,
and put strong glove which he hap
pened to have with him on his right
hand.
He stretched out his arm. The snake
approached slowly and cautiously toward
him, darling out its tongue still more fre-
quently, and when about a yard distant
made violent spring.
Jarvis caught it in his right, hand
directly under its head, and squeezed 1t
with all his power. It's eyes almost
started out of its head; it dashed its, body
on the ground, at the same time rafting
loudly. He watched an opportunity, and
suddenly holding the animals head while
for a moment it drew in its tongue, he, by
violent contraction of all the muscles of
his hand, contrived to close effectuall y its
jaws. ..D
Much was now dcne, but much more
was to be done. He had avoided much
danger, but he was still in very perilous
circumstances. If he moved Ills right
hand from its neck for d moment, the
snake, by avoiding sutfocation, could
easily muster sufficient power to force its
head out Of his hand; and if he withdrew
his hand from its jaws, he would be in
the power Of its most dreaded fangs. He
retained, therefore, his hold with both his
hands. He drew its body between his
thighs IN order to aid the compression
and hasten suffocation.
Suddenly the snake which had remain
ed qniescent fora few minutes, brought
up it's tail, hit him violently Oh the head,
and then darted its body several times
very tightly around his waist Now was
LIZ tASiiiS VI titClG
fore, that he had sufficient power over its
body, he withdrew his right hand from
its neck, and took (the work of a mo-
ment) his large sailors knife out of his
pocket. he bent his head on his knee,
and cut Its head from its body, throwing
the head toa great distance.
The blood spouted Violently out; the
snake compressed It's body still tighter,
and JARVIS, growing black in the. face,
thought he should be suffoeated on the
spot, and laid himself down. The snake
again ratified its tail and lashcd his feet
with it. Gradually, however, he found
the animal relax its hold; it soon felt
slack around him, and, untwisting it and
throwing it from him as far as he was
able, he sank down and swooned upon
the bank.