Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-18
A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
Thrilling Experience of a Hunter in India
NTH a Deadly Cnusfrfcfnr.

with a Deadly Constructor.
A writer in the Statesman, of India,
signing himself r. NJ, who was once head
of the Crown Lands Department, in the
colony of Trinidad, says: In company with
half-breed, who combined the vacations OF
woodman and hunter, stumbled sudden
ly on large specimen of the crotalus
murus, slowly winding its way among the
leaf debris of the forest For some time it
was difficult to discern the scaly folds of the
snake through the brown mass Of decaylng
foliage, but having reached o clear spot, the
reptile coiled around low stump and pre-
pared for action. About yard of the body
next to the head was contracted into numer-
Gus sharp curves not unlike corkscrew,
while the yellow eyes cleaned with bale
full light. There was little fascination about
these orbs, and no mistaking the malignant
intentions of their owner. A stick brought
within reach of that mortal coil was struck
almost with the rapidity of lightning, no
matter how swiftly withdrawn. This was
effected BY the instantaneous straighten-
ing 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 hor-
izontally some six inches from the ground,
directly toward the assailant. The hunter,
who had hitherto kept at respectful dis
lance, as he alleged the snake could spring,
was eventually persuaded to approach
sufficiently near to strike it with ten-foot
pole at the first blow the heavy coils re-
Taxed from the stump, and the creature ap-
peared dead or stunned. The 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
galvanized into life by the touch, the GRO
talus seemed at once to recover its ener-
gies, and swiftly made couple Of turns
round the thigh and right arm Of the
would be captor. The constructing power
exercised was such that the hand grasping
the neck began to lose power, and the
writer realized the awkward predicament
into which his temerity had led him. Little
could. be done with the free left hand, while
the ''scaly terror began slowly to with
draw its 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 a
moose or hama to the snakes head. The
largest serpents become paralyzed when
properly noosed, and are readily dragged
along the ground helpless as a log Just as
the snakes head seemed about to ooze
through the numbed fingers, the half-breed
screwed up his courage sufficiently TO apply
the Llama as directed, with the result that
the brute at once relaxed its coils and was
dragged down to neighboring stream,
hung up and skinned. 1t measured eight
feet i've inches, and was about as thick in
the largest part of the body as the calf of a
mans leg. The fangs, which were careful
" extracted, measured one and quarter
inches in length, and were hollow to within
short distance of the point, where. on the
inner side, lay the orifice through which the
poison was elected by the action of the base
of the fang on the bag in which it was Sc
GREETED. On squeezing the bag small
quantity of poison, a yellowish fluid, passed
down the hollow in the tooth and gathered
into a tiny drop of concentrated death. The
stomach contained two wood rats about the
size of guinea pigs, one partially digested
the other recently swallowed.