Morning journal and courier., 1889-03-14
FIGHT WITH SNAKE
Thrilling Experience of a Hunter in India with a Deadly ConstrIctor.
 TFrom the India Statesman

India with a Deadly COnstrfctor. From the India Statesman.] In company with half breed who com- bined the vacations of a woodman and hunter, I stumbled suddenly on large specimen of the crotslus mutus, slowly wind- ing it's way among the leaf debris of the forest. For some time it was diaicult to discern the scaly folds of the snake through the brown mass of decaying foliage, but having reached clear spot the reptile coiled around a low stump and prepared for action. About a yard of the body next to the head was contracted into numerous sharp curves not unlike corkscrew, while the yellow eyes gleamed with baleful light.
 There was little fascination about these
 orbs, and no mistaking the malignant inten-
 tions of their owner. A stick brought with
 in reach of that mortal coil was struck all
 most with the rapidity of lightning no mat
 ter how swiftly withdrawn. This was af-
 footed by the instantaneous strengthening of the short curves into which this portion of the body had been contracted. Even the willy mongoose would have needed all his marvellous agility to avoid the deadly stroke if once within range. The reach was about yard, and the assault was delivered hori- zontally some six inches from the ground, directly toward the assailant. The hunter, who had hitherto kept respectful distance, as he alleged the snake could spring, was eventually persuaded to approach sufficient ly near to strike it with ten-foot pole. At the first blow the heavy coils relaxed from the stump, and the creature appeared dead or stunned. Whe writer at once grasped the neck about two inches from the head and raised the reptile partly from the ground to examine it. As though galvan- ized into life by the touch, the crotalus seemed at once to recover it's energies, and swiftly made couple of turns around the thigh and right arm of the would-be captor. The constructing power exercised was such that the hand grasping the neck began to loose power, and the writer realized the awkward predicament into which his terner- ! ity had led him. Little could be done with, ! the free left hand, while the ''scsly terror" began slowly to withdraw it's head from the relaxing grasp of the right.
 For some seconds the trembling woodman appeared deaf to entreaty, and could not be persuaded to apply noosa or liana to the snakes neck. The largest serpents become psra1yzed when properly noosed, and are ! readily dragged along the ground helpless as ! log. Just as the snakes head seemed about to oozs through the numbed fingers the half ! breed screwed up his courage sufficiently to apply the liana as directed, with the result that the brute at once relaxed it's coils, and l was dragged down to neighboring stream, hung up, and skinned. It measured eight feet and five inches, and was about as thick in the largest part of the body as the calf of mans leg.
 The fangs, which were carefully extracted, | measured one and quarter inches in length l and were hollow to within short distance | the orifce through which the poison was ejected by the action ofSslsa.N<sns" "f the | fang on the bag in which SSR; Hessss4.- On squeezing the bag small 46.aaAil ail p&slin l poison, a yellow fluid, passed down -.s-s I hollow in the tooth and gathered into tiny ! drop of concentrated death. The stomach contained two wood rats about the size of guinea pigs, one partially digested, the other recently swallowed.