The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1888-07-06
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er0Nis OF thr jaguAr proved hat con-
fie- was imminent. and thirty seconds
later serpent and beast we're having il
hai aud neaFF along the hurricane deck.
IS T. the EoW MAS going on a second
agaar boarded US over the bows, which
sele open back 20 the pilot house. and
Jock ng ir9m q window il seemed IS Il
~ were be-ei from the river side. Il
was iall bali hour before the panic sub
s.daG and IS that time every crocodile
musi have had square meal and over.
We had shut ourselves ~ when the
serpent came aboard 4 fight certainly
tosk piare ieiWeen the snake aud the
lrsf iaeusr. and shrn the second came
lIlaari, the fight took on new phase.
Miafher the two beasts were attacking
she reptile together, or whether il was e
Lri1uuillar contest We could not tell, but
after tie pane along the river had sub
SIDED Nc carefully opened the cabin
doom lnd looked out. one Of the jaguars
lay dead On the deck, while the other
ana the serpent were gone. An
examination Of the dead beast showed
fhaf BE- had been caught ia the folds Of
the snake. aud that the latter was boa
constructor. The backbone and nearly
81 The ribs were broken
Three Or four days later We had a near
and plain Eiew u q still more singular
combat We had tel up 10 the bank
for the night, and were eating supper.
when q Wild bull came down 80 the
zater by q path only 200 feet above Us.
Tie Nas either very thirsty or very reek-
lc-s for be gave rs no attention. With
D. tel feet Of Where be lowered his head
70 lriuk rss q large tree, and the bull
lad scarcely tastad the water when an
euofmous serpenf flung itself downward
ara outward from a large limb and
seized the bull There VAS a great fuss
instantly. The snake had a tail hold on
tie limb but the bull Was stout and
strong and could not be pulled Of his
fees While taken by surprise, he was
not 10 the least ratfied. and from the
VA De used hoof aud horns. we saw
ti4t tie serpent had undertaken a big
lob Mud and leaves aud grass were
living in showers almost hiding the bull
from 0ur view, when q monster croco-
die came oui Of q bed Of reeds few
rods above, and running along down the
bank. seized the bull by a fore leg. The
defiant roars Il the victim were now
changed 20 bellows Of terror and dismay.
wolfe the snake attempted 20 haul one
Say the crocodile pulled the other.
After fhree or four minutes the saurian
get 40 advantage. and suddenly the ser
peat iei e his hold Of the tree, and then
such d rimpus Was kicked up that We
could see nothing Of the combat. When
she air cleared little the serpent was
escaping into 3 thick fringe Of foliage.
Ne tired our rifles al the bull and cToeo-
die and scared them OF The bull was
ueak and evidently had been badly
hurt
Let one travel on foot through the
most popuious district 10 tie United
states and one would not see a single
loase dog o cat where We saw three
iargars along the Grino6o. There was
rot one hour during day.igh, for a pc
nod q three months that those creatures
were not around Us. and most Of the
t-me one or more were IN sight. When
ever We ran along close 10 the banks We
san them crouched down on food wood
OF mofine through the forest. and when
ever sc came 20 a sandy beach over
Nhich the turtle csawled laguar could
surely be counted on for every half
mile IN the three months We killed up
ward Of 200 OF these animals, and in al
most evere N lance saved the skin In
enlv one casc Was any Of Us in danger
from this cunning and ferociOus beast
The steamer had been tied to the bank
and we had been making excursions
from that spot for three or four days,
rhen one afternoon. when only one OF
the young men was left behind at the fire
% the bank q aguar crept up and
sprarg upon him. II was a wonderful
spr:na. - be alterward discovered. From
the SPOT where the beast crouc he'd 10 the
qiaoe WEene be ziigbted on mis- victim
Ras Just twenty six feet The young
nan was kneciing down and bend
ing over specimen which be was
rsaainlns sad the lsgsag te!l o. bis