Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-02-02
THE ANACONDA'S BATH.
A Strange Sight Witnessed in a
Bowery Museum.
The Snake-Hunter Discourses on Snakes,
and Relates q Thrilling Experi-
ence with the Creatures on
the AIississippL

bath? Imean one of the big twenty
foot anacondas that are the chief OBJ
jeots of horrible fascination in the
museums. Probably it hasn't occurred
to most persons that snakes take
baths. but they do. Cleanliness is so
essential to their well-being. hideous
and disgusting monsters though they
are. in the estimation of many nerv-
GUS people. that if they miss their
bath by even a few hours they die. I
saw three of the biggest snakes ever
known in captivity given bath the
other day. 1t was in a Bowery mu-
scum, to which leather-lunged
and ragged young man on the side
walk invites the passing throng
to come and sup their full of
horrors. In room upstairs there
was long glass case containing, per-
haps. six or eight anacondas. These
were lolling sleepily about with their
wicked-looking eyes half shut, and
their glossy, notified bodies tied up in
bow-knots together. The hoarse-voiced
gentleman in charge of them descanted
volubly upon their life and habits. 1t
was Il very common mistake to suppose
that snakes in captivity were kept
under the influence of drugs. he said.
They were always sleepy after they had
been fed. and persons who had to
handle them took care that they were
fed often and regularly. That was why
snakes in museums were always seen to
be enjoying 4 sort of dignified ease.
instead of getting up and smashing
things TO pieces. as they might do if
they could get their muscular bodies
around any thing. That was the
reason why snake-charmers could ham
die their snakes with impunity. he said.
and then he wound up with encyclope-
die facts about the home of the ANA
Conda and its habits of crushing cows
and Eorses into shapeless masses.
When the crowd had wandered off to
see the Circass an Princess with the
bleached hair and the rich Ulster ac-
cent, the hoarse-voiced gentleman got
down from his perch. and carefully
shutting the doors of his domain,
wanted to know if l wanted to see the
snakes take their baths. He said there
was not particle of danger and it
was very interesting sight. and when
/ had secured q safe line of retreat by
getting part way downstairs l told
him to 60 ahead. Two assistants
brought in big tub. bigger than
Harlem wash-tub. and put about three
feet of water in. They tried the tenn
pera:ure several times with Their
r,ometers. and when they had made it
at seventy degrees they told the chief
of the lavatory that they were ready.
I'VE heat the water to seventy de-
grees. so that it will be exactly the
same as the temperature of their cage"
said he. "You see that the bottom of
the cage is carefully lined with thick
flannel. Under it are lot of oil
lamps. which are kept always burning.
Their heat is distributed by pipes all
over the bottom of the cage. The
snakes are SO very sensitive to cold
$u"s INV oAiHss TIC tcW scI atutc ten Oe.
grees would kill them. That is why
snakes are the hardest of all animals
to be kept alive in captivity. 1t re-
quires incessant watchf;,lness to see
that the temperature is just right for
them" With that he beckoned to one
of his assistants and approached the
cage. In ono side was little sliding
door. He knocked that back noise
lessly and slowly advanced both hands
in the cage.
One of the biggest Of the snakes was
lying alone in the center. with its long
tail twisted about in curious fashion.
The chiefs right hand moved slowly
until it was right over the head of the
creature. Then it made . sudden de-
scent and clntched the snake firmly
about the slender neck. jus behind
where its oars would be If it had ears.
The anaconda gave squirm Of indig-
nant surprise sad reared up its tail as
though it was going to fight about it
Before it had time to make any trouble
the chiefs left hand grabbed it about