The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-10-13
Snake and Stag. RxrAanwN.

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 MT. Barras, In one of his tiger shoot- ing expeditions in India, had 6 singu- lar adventure with . serpent which some of his men found in the act of swallowing . stag. The front part of the reptile was tremendously dis tended, 90 that 1t looked exactly like small heer barrel with \ long tail. On nearer inspection, its head could be seen projecting from the thick end, with the hind feet of tho deer sticking out of one corner of It's mouth.
 We could not shoot the monster for fear of disturbing the tiger of which we were In pursuit. We therefore commanded one of the natives to go and cut of its head. But none of them seemed inclined to obey. Tho moro we reiterated our orders, the more se- riously they wagged their turbaned heads, and the moro they seemed glued to their respective elephants. At last the veteran Seesoo raised his voice, and thus expressed the sense of the company:
 50 my lords, l am indeed the slave OA yVNA AnC1@<nt 0tfA WuhG ttAC SAC8~ ture before us only tiger, bear, or indeed any four-iooted beast, would at once advance to the combat but thia is an awful brute, and tho most balefnl of all the inhabitants of the jungle. If any one goes within each of his tail, he will Do killed to cer- tainty."
 In short, our native assistants meant to keep clear of the huge reptile, which they probably mistook for god or a devil, on no account to be interfered with. So, as my friend assured me that these snakes were not dangerous, descended from my elephant, and proceeded against 1t with q heavy hunting knife.
 l confess to some misgivings whether his or the natives estimate of the beasts character might prove cor. rect. What more likely than 1t should throw fold of its body round any one approaching within ranger for behind the inflated portion containing the deer there must have been about thirteen feet of the serpent in Its nor- maj state.
 However, advanced, knife in hand, on 6 line leading straight to inc head of the reptile, and watched narrowly for any sign of its moving but 1t re- mained motionless as l stood over 1t and looked upon its weird counte- nance, capable of but one fixed ex- pression.
 All its life seemed concentrated in the bright yellow eyes that returned my gaze with a glittering stare. raised the knife. and brought 1t down with all my might on its neck, think ing to cut Its head of. But the bones were solid, and nothing but horrible gash was the result.
 Even at this not q muscle stirred, aad the eyes glittered and looked piercing as before. was now advised to dispatch him by severing the spine just behind the great enlargement caused by the body of the stag. But the snake instantly dashed out 90 viz orously that l thought 1t prudent to return to the head, and with a few more blows killed 1t. Its length was just seventeen feet.
 The stag, on being taken out, looked as if it had been neatly trussed for the table. Ii was about the size of an or- dinary sheep, and Its head, neck and limbs were packed into a soit of square, but none of tine bones were broken, nor were there any signs of external damage. The poor thing was quite dead, and we abandoned the two bodies to the vultures and lackals.