The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-30
STUCK IN A PIT.
A TRAVELLERS EXPERIENCE IN THE
JUNeLEs or TIGER LAND.

Fight with M Immense Cobra-Horors Of
an impending Death by Drowning--stuck
I'm the Clay and Surrounded by Reptiles
and the shadow Of Death.
A genera, whose name Mr. Ingiis does not
give, tells tho following story OF bis expert
enco in a pit trap in an Indian jungle in
TENT Life in Tiger Land"
was hurrying along a slight track when,
bang, all at once, down went into the con.
cealcd pit But now comes tho curious part
OF the affair went plopl straight down
into deep, dismal hole. and at the bottom
landed right up to my waist in a deposit Of
tenacious clayey mud. Regular "pauk" Il
was. In fact, when ! tried 10 struggle and
free myself found was held as firm as il
had been birdlimed. shuddored as noted
The dismal surroundings. There were several
great. gaunt looking, yellowish green frogs
peering nc me With curious eyes; and then, a.
/ turned my head around a little, made a
discovery that made my very heart cease
beating for q minute, and sent every dror
OF blood in my body bounding back in my
veins
There, right on level with my face, IL,
length half concealed in q creyice in tbs
crumbling sides OF the pit, its hood half ex
panded its forked tongue quivering as il
jerked it out and in, and its eyes glitterina
with a baleful glare, / saw a great cobra
felt utterly helpless and despairing, and foi
a moment my heart whispered 20 me that my
Of NOR .ffs
recklessness suppose it was "the fury Of
despair we read about. know / uttered q
savage curse, and, snatching my bard bel
met, / hit the brute a smashing blow in the
face, and then began a fight for life
4 TERRIBLE BATTLE.
Il was q big, powerful snake. Tho blow
had only maddoned It, It's hood expanded
its Kissing filed the pit, and, swaying anC
rearing its clammy length, it launched iul
az my face. Ny gun was lying choked ul
with dirt and half buried in the 'pank," buf
! had my hunting knife with me, and whil'
/ parried the fierce darts OF the infuriatec
brute with my helmet, I made quick Stab
and slashes Mt it whenever / could get ;
chance, and after q short, exciting strugsl'
lt succumbod and tried 70 withdraw behine
the creyice, but with slice Of my knife
nearly severed les head from It's body AnC
thea Tor ovhllo-you may laugh at me o.
not, as you will--all was a blank. / mus
have tainted.
The weary hours dragged along. IL wa.
intensely still aud sultry above, lconjectured
for even 10 tho deep dark pit the air va
sitting and oppressive, and I could not dc
tect a sound or rustic IN the vegetation tha
overhung the mouth Of my living tomb
could now sec that the day was waning
Tho heat had become, if possible, st.ll mor
suitry and intense, and once or twice / bad
fanciod I heard low, muttering, rIm5ln.
sound as IF Of distant thunder Tho cioua
wero-hunyins up in tremendous solid masses
and soon o big drop or two Of rain began G.
come hustlnc through the Overhauging grass
aud another dread began 10 take possession
og my mind 1 knew what was coming
From a hundred tiny crevices and gaps j.
the edge Of my pIJ the troubled tuFbid rain
water began to trickle down, cIumblug tl'
clay away. and | was soon drauched 20 Ola,
skin, and felt with alarm the water beginning
slowly but surely to mount up the sides o.
tue pit
THOUGHT r1s nOCR had COME
thought then to was oil up with me. car
hardly describe 10 you my thoughts know
thought of home. reviewed my past life
made desperate struggles again and agail
% free myself shouted and screamed fo
help believe prayed and swore. ln fact
for tho time, I believe must have gone de
mentel. but found myself utterly power
less. The miiy clay aud treacherous ''pank
held me lrm, and then again must have lie
npscd inro Inconsistencies.
When came 60 myself it was barely light
70 was still raining heavily and st0iidiy; th
big drops FLASHED down; / could SEQ a dull
leadeu sky above, and knew the 'uuilahs
and Watorcourses would soon be full Th
battle OF the clements had ceased, and but f0l
tho continuous crash OF falling rain all wa
still The water In the pit was nearly up 6
my shoulders / felt was doomed TO die
and n sort of suleu, despairing stupor tool
POSSESSION Of me- bad now given up al
hope when, lorel | thought l heard tl
sound of q human vo.cel With all the agon'
Of despair, 1 raised a cry for help. Tier.
was an awful pause, and then / heard my
faithful Baeka crying in response. Again
cried out and / soon saw his dear, old
wrinkied face peering down at me from tn.
edge of tho pit.
"Well how did they manage to get yo'
0utf asked
"Oh, that was not so easy, but they man
AGED it: some of them cut down saplings anC
managed b. mako a son Of ladder, anl
Baeka came down with a long 'iathee, anC
oosened the panR around my body sulii
GENTLY for me TO do the rest myself Thcr
they tied their 'puggrees' aud hummer
bunds together, and / knotted these rounC
my waist. ana under my armpits, and will
that help, they Juggling away at the fire.
ends, managed 10 Chamber out."-Cincin
natl Enquirer