Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1889-08-30
THE MUSICAL SNAKE.
A CALIFORNIAN CAPTURES AND
TAMEs A BOA CONSTRUCTOR.

The Serpent Becomes EnamOred Of the
Strains OF an AccordIon-A Foolish Brit
on Forces Himself Upon the Monsters
Attention. and Is Saved by Melody.
Diego county, in the southern part Of this
state, IS George Lamb the driver Of the stage
to San Jacinto, twelve miles distant Mr.
Lamb has been settler in the country.
for a good many years, where he has taken
up piece of land among the San Gorgonio
mountains along the stage road, over which
drives daily.
One warm afternoon as he lay stretched
out comfortably under some fruit trees,
smoking his pipe and tending his pigs which
we're feeding among the alfalfa, he was
startled by hearing one Of the smallest ones
give vent to ear piercing squeals. Looking
hastily in that direction Mr.. Lambs eyes al.
most popped out of their sockets at beholding
an immense serpent wrapped round and round
about the unfortunate porker, seemingly bent
Oh swallowing it. Curiosity got the better Of
his timidity, and Mr.. Lamb instantly deter
mined to capture his snakeship alive if pos
sible The strugglesof the little porker were
soon over, and the snake began devouring it.
The grass and weeds had concealed most of
the serpent's body 50 far, but in its effort to
make way with the pig the snakes entire
body came into view.
CAPTURING THE MONSTER
If MIR. Lamb had been astOnished in the
first place he was simply paralyzed now at
beholding twenty-five feet Of yellow and
black snake, nearly the thickness Of a mans
body. But he was still resolved to capture
It.; so quietly returning to his cabin he pro-
cured some old blankets, fashioned them
into a net, and stealing up to the reptile,
which was now fast asleep, completely en-
veloped it. Leaving the monster firmly Sc
cured he selected a box canyon about half a
mile from his house which had on three sides
high, rocky cliffs, with smooth, perpendicu-
lar surfaces. On the fourth he constructed
in few hours a strong wall Of rock and
adobe.
Obtaining the assistance Of three Indians
he next conveyed the snake to his new quar-
tiers, leaving the old blanket for soft nest.
A spring of water bubbled up from among
the rocks, and catching a number of cotton
tails and jack rabbits he set them loose in the
inclosTe. Every day he would visit the
place and see how his charge was getting
along, and soon he and the snake became
well acquainted
Among other accomplishments Mr.. Lamb
is fine performer o. the accordion, and
knowing the passion Of the serpent family for
soft music of any nature he used to spend
many of his evenings sitting on the edge Of
the canyon filling the surrounding atmos-
phere with the dulcet strains of such melo-
dies as the "Boulanger March" or Il Believe
1t, for My Mother Told Ne So" The scaly
monster, its head reared above the ground,
and look of unmistskable pleasure in its
glittering eye, would indulge in a gentle hiss
ing, meanwhile swaying to and fro in time
with the music.
An Englishman, with passion for cunning
and tramping over wild country, put in an
appearance one night and accepted Mr.
Lambs hospitable invitation to spend the
night
1t happened that the visitor was great
lover of Scotch whisky, always keeping a
large supply in his luggage He had been in
dulging pretty heavily in his favorite tipple
previous to reaching Lambs ranch, and
during the evening brought out his big flask
and many a hot toddy Lamb and he con
sumed ere retiring for the night
The dawn Of another summer day was
breaking when the Englishman proposed to
the ranchman TO go and take a look at the
big serpent, which, from his hosts descrip-
ton, he felt convinced belonged to the boa
constructor species Of tropical America. He
consented to show his visitor the snake; So
carrying under his arm his faithful accor-
dion, he set out for the snakes den. The SER
pent was summing himself in the inclOsure
when the two arrived