Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-11-23

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wear his people had killed and re-
ceived bounty on eight thousand
serpents, but the number had IN
nowise diminished. He gave us
many hints of caution, but we had
been in the country long enough 10
know that the only precaution
man could take was eternal vigil
lance. On the first night OF our
arrival a large snake was killed
while crawling within twenty feet
of a group at camp fire. There
we're but two of us white hunters,
and they gave each of us a hut to
himself. Before we turned IN Tor
the night the place was Thoroughly
searched, the bedding beaten with
sticks. and small fires were built
outside. Soon after breakfast next
morning a boy came running IN
with the news that large snake
had been seen to euter deserted
hut about forty rods away. We
at once set off with our outht,
which consisted mostly OF nets,
and when it was found the hut had
only a single opening-the door
way-we soon had a net drawn
across it. Then some of the men
and boys began pounding on the
hut and making a great row, and
directly the snake made a rush.
He was caught as a fish entraps
himself In a pond net, but lie did
not submit until after terrible
struggle. The natives called him
an indur, but in appearance he
greatly resembled the American
blacksnake. He was nine feet
long, ringed with orange, and was
possessed of great strength and a
terrible temper. After he had
tired himself out we landed him in
a cage, and to prove to US that he
was poisonous a piece of fresh meat
was held out to him on the end of
stick. In fifteen minutes after he
had struck it the meat turned green
and in half an hour it smelled so
horribly that we had TO throw 1t
away.
We did not get through with this
first capture utnil about noon, and
directly after dinner woman came
to tell US that sampur was bask
ing in the sun on a fiat rock
This serpent was as much dreaded
as the African malabar, beng
ready to attack human beings on
sight, and having strength and
temper which render him danger
Gus antagonist. We must find him
asleep and must steal upon him un'
awares or som e of us would forfeit
our lives. A scout was sent out
who came back TO report that his
snakeship was lying in his coil In a
convenient spot for our operations
and we moved upon him. AS an
offset for his dangerous character
istics nature makes the sampur
hard of hearing and a heavy sleep
er. Using the utmost caution, our
head native approached with cast
net, and by a successful throw
made the dangerous fellow prls-
oner. 1t took us three hours OF
hard work to get him into the cage,
and he did not quiet down until he
had thrashed himself.
1t was not much of feat to Sc
cure the serpents we wanted, and
in the course of a fortnight we were
ready to pull stakes. Then occur
red an incident which almost made
an old man Of me in an hour. The
hut occupied had been used as a
storehouse. On each side OF the
single doorway was stout fence
made OF poles running out about
twenty-five feet, thus making lane
about three feet wide. When the
house was filled with grain a senti
mel watched at the mouth Of the
lane. Only one person could 60 OIL
come at a time, and each was thus
under supervision. They hat
slung a hammock for me so that
faced the door and looked dOwI
this lane when lying on my righ
side. Each night fire was bull
Just at the mouth of the lane, ant
there we're so many other fire
scattered about that we felt sal
from tigers or serpents. On thi
night / turned in at about II
O'Clock. Half an hour later it be
gan 70 rain heavily, and in fe'
minutes all the fires we're out. Th
rain continued until after midnigh
and then it cleared up and tn
moon rose. / had slept for an hour
and awoke just as the light of tn
moon came over the jungle. 1t shon
full up the lane, and the first thlnI
my eyes rested on was a larg
cobra making It's way toward me
We had seen none OF them in on
two weeks stay, but knew th
species the instant caught hi
motion. My two guns we're in tn
/ hut. To spring out of the hammOc
and seize one OF them was the wor
of ten seconds. That was my pre-
3 gramme, but as 1 made the frs
! movement / found myself fast.
had not removed my trousers, an
! the buckle had worked itself dow
3 amono the 6bres and become fas