Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-09-12
THE DEADLY COBRA.

How an Army Onicsr Was relieved o1 =
Poisonous Reptile.
There are innumerable tales told Of
hair-breadth escapes from death people
have had from encounters with cobras
and other ven0mous snakes. Although
snake stories are numerous, will In
dict one of these narrow escapes upon
your readers. I was dining at the off,
GERS mess of regiment stationed at
Tounghoo.
It was during the wet monsoon at the
time. We were sitting over our wine
when a young Lieutenant called out:
Il feel something creeping up my
right leg" may mention that wide
trousers of American drill are worn for
the sake of GOODNESS. An old officer
present told the young fellow for Gods
sake not to stir, but sit perfectly quiet,
adding that It was no doubt snake,
and that II he was to move his position
he might be fatally bitten. The
young fellow behaved with much
nerve. His face became shade
paler, but he took the advice given
and remained quiet. He told us in
low voice that the creature, whatever
1t was, could not get past his knee, and
that it had c0iled itself around his leg.
Not knowing how the affair might
end, the Colonel had sent to the town
for a snake-charmer. Two of these
worthless soon made their appearance,
one with reed pipe somewhat resem-
bling a fageolet, the other bearing a
basket with flaps to it. The basket,
with one flap up, was set down behind
the young officers chair, the bearer
squatting down beside it. The other
officers made room for the charmers.
The musician commenced to play a
low, soft melody on his pipe, monot-
onous but pleasing. In few minutes
the head of the reptile was seen TO
peep out of the bottom of the young
officers trousers. and after nodding it
about little, keeping time with the
cadence of the music, the snake slowly
wriggled itself free from the young
fellows leg and glided toward the
piper.
The music now became fast and wild,
the snake keeping time with it, until
with a rapid, sharp movement the man
on the floor, caught the snake by the
neck, thus forcing his jaws apart.
Producing steel instrument, the oper-
ator pulled the poison bag out with a
dexterous jerk. then threw the snake
into the basket and shut down the flap.
On receiving a few rupees the charm
ers made low obeisance and retired
with their prize. The snake proved to
be cobra-di-capella or nodded snake
about eighteen inches in length. After
the reptile had withdrawn from about
his person the young officer would have
tainted from the reaction, but the ''old
hand" had tumbler of brandy ready,
which he made the youth swallow.
This restorative soon put him to rights,
although don't suppose he forgot the
incident for some time.
Snakes have their use in houses, for
they will chase and devour the rats
and mice that infest the dwellings of
men. Often in the ardor of pursuit
they will fall from the rafters, and it
is rather unpleasant should you happen
to be underneath.
There are many varieties of the SER
pent tribe in the Jungle, the boa-con-
strictor, the python and rock snake
being the largest. These are often as
long as forty feet, with bodies as thick
as a big mans thigh. There is a
small, venomous snake here very fond
of sucking hens eggs. It will bite
little piece out of the shell at the
point or end and suck out the contents
through the hole. I was on visit to
friend one day, when, requiring eggs,
he sent servant into the yard to look
for some. On putting his hand in a
nest in the hollow of tree one of
these snakes bit him on the wrist.
The man died within an hour. There
is no hope in such a case. I never
heard of q snake stone being found in
Burmah. San Francisco Ch7on- |