The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-10-28

other trustworthy weapon among us, and
as for trusting ourselves on deck with
iron bolts, Delaying pins, or weapons Of
that sort, was a matter not to be thought
of. After VIC had counted noses, we
found that the Captain, two mates, cook,
steward, and two foremast hands must
be aft. The ship had few muskets
and cutlasses, and the officers had re-
volvcrs. If the scrpents were to be
driven off the first move must be made
by the officers. We took turns going
up the ladder to get view of the deck,
and the sight was one to affect every
man. There were serpents from three
to twenty feet long, racing about the
deck, and there was one with body
fully as large as common nail kcg.
None of them was still for moment,
and the noise of their movements was
plainly heard in the forecastle.
at was fully an hour before the men
aft made move, and then VIC heard the
report of firearms. This was followed,
as the man on the ladder reported, by
the discharge of half a dozen skyrockets,
which had been aimed to fly along the
decks. Soon after that wo heard men
astir on the decks, and we opened tho
scuttlc and rushed up. The scrpents had
apparently disappeared, being frightened
by the noise and flames, and as we
looked over the starboard side We saw
score of them making off. The monster
of whom l told you had been hit by a
bullet from the captains revolver, and
he was swimming about in a circle, head
held four or five feet from the surface,
and making terrible splashing. He
did not seek to come aboard, nor did he
swim away. We had watched him for
three or, four minutes, when shark
dashed in upon him and seized him
about midway of his length. The row
which followed was the widest thing
you ever saw. The snake twisted him.
self about the shark, and struck at him
again and again, and tho water was
churncd up until the foam sometimes hid
both from our sight. We were still
looking after them when shout
from one of the men
drew our attention inboard. He
had discovered snake ten feet
long curled away in one of tho small
boats. The officers began firing at him,
and he ran the whole length of the ship
and took to the water at her bows. We
then began hunt for Others. There
eha93 1nE fee. esocond " on in o cq qab IF
chains, and a third on tho roof..of the
cooks galley. They were spitcful crca-
lures, and were not despatched without
danger.
"When we had carefully examined the
decks we supposed that we were clear OF
our unwclcomc visitors, but in q few
minutes serpent fully ten feet long was
discovered on the main yard. Asa mat
ter of fact seven Of the reptiles had gone
aloft and we did not succeed in hunting
out the last one until the next day, by
which time the smoke began to lift, the
fires on Baly to die out, and we got q puff
of wind to carry us through the passage.
"Our experience was identical with
that of an American ship lying in the
east end of the passage. She was
boarded by a legion of serpents, and was
driving the last one overheard when we
hailed her. She had one man BIT en-
when they first came aboard, and he
died in less than three hours, swelling up
to great size, and suffering the most ter
rible agonics. These incidents were
published in and discussed by many
English newspapers, and perhaps by
American papers as well, and ! never
heard the fact disputed. Why is it,
then, that the person seeing sea SER
pcnt, or serpent at sea, in these days,
is held up to the world as fool or 6
liar9 If scrpents did not pass from island
to island in the tropics, some would b.
overrun and others entirely clear of them
That this is not the case any sailor vii
tell you. have seen, In the Island O.
Java, serpent thirty four feet long, ant
as large around his middle as an average
man. Let that snake be seen at sea
swimming along with his head well up
which is tho way they carry themselves
and it would bc novel and startlin.
sight to people on shipboard. | hav
talked with sailors who have seen plent,
of these serpents of the tropical coasts
and the facts in the story of my own cx
pcricnce are matter of record in Eng
land, having been debated by emincn
naturalists. ."-Ne,c York Sun