The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-12-06

my left hand to feel the taut rim of the boa
/ constructors jaws. They were three full inches
! higher up my body than yester eve. The ex-
| element of the night ] had just passed through
had exhausted my emotions and remember
/ that the sinister discovery awakened in me no
/ sense of uneasiness.
tried to form some plan of putting an end
/ to my existance; but my brain refused TO make
/ connection between my dim, disjOinted flights
| of thought. 1t was no longer equal 10 the con-
i centration of a definite iUea. | was now be-
/ yond all 2stive emotions Once / fancied l
] heard the cry of some animal or human being
near by; but / was too far gone TO pay any at
/ tention.
At last all seemed to be over with me. 1t
was as though the darkness of night had gradu-
ally closed over me again; a roaring noise in
my ears continued for awhile in the darkness,
and then all was silent / had sank into the
I Inconsistencies Of complete exhaustion.
/ remember nothing more until came tony
! senses again IN our camp on the river bank. A
couple of days nursing by Murilla brought
me round SO that / could sit up and listen to
/ his account of my rescue. The cry | fancied
/ heard just before sinking into Inconsistencies
was from Murilla. The effects of the berries
had kept him Supplied until the dawn of the
second day, the close of the night so full of
horrible experiences TO me. He had awakened,
weak and burning with thirst. Rising up, he
beheld not dozen yards away my head and
shoulders pT0truding from the mouth of a mon
ster boa, whose scaly body lay in serpentine
lengths among the debris of decaying forest
fungus.
Taking it for granted that was dead, and
chilled with terror he uttered the Mortified
cry which l had dimly heard, and rushed away
to camp. Being an expert woodman, he had
no difficulty In finding his way. The Indians
had about given us up for lost They had
searched for us, but had never happened TO visit
the right place. Two were out searching when
be reached the camp. Trembling with weak
ness and terror, be told the Indians the fate
that had befalleu us.
Returning with axes and crocodile-spears the
party attacked the boa chopping him COM
pletely in TWO just below the bulge in his body
caused by my feet and legs. before he could
escape. AT the first blow of the AK the monster
made spasmodic efforts to disgorge in order to
attack his assailsnts. He tried hard to eseape.
but the axes were skillfully applied, and he
was rendered powerless
The severed head and neck had to be slit open
Derore / could be released. At first they thought
| was dead, but were soon rejoiced at discover
ing lingering spark of life. Carrying me to
the camp, resuscitative remedies were applied,
and / was, as you have seen, finally brought
around.
In a few days my health was restored sufi-
GENTLY to start on our return journey down the
river; but my own mother would have failed TO
recognize me. Ny hair, which was dark brown
when Murilla aud l sat down to eat our lunch
of bareback aud yensOn, was now as white as
the scant locks of an old man of 90-as white as
you see it now. My nervous system had received
shock that left me victim of nightmares and
nervous fears and tremors for years afterward.
But naturally iron constitution finally over
rode the effects of my terrible experience, and
left me in possession of my usual excellent
health