Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-08

an impending Death by Drowning-stuck
in the Clay and Surrounded by Reptiles
and the Shadow of Death
A general whose name Mr. Inglis does not
give, tells the following story of his expert
ence in pi- trap in en- Indian Jungle, in
"Tent Life in Tiger Land"
was hurry ins along a slight track when,
bang, all at once. down | went into the con
cealed pit, But now comes the curious part
OF the affair went plop! straight down
into deep, dismal hole, and at tho bottom
landed right up to my waist in a deposit of
tenacious clcyey mud. Regular ''pank" it
was. In facs, when | tried to struggle and
FREQ myself found was held as firm as if
had been birdliEed. | shuddered as noted
the dismal surroundings. There were several
great, gaunt looking, yelowish green frogs
peering at ns with curious eyes; and then, as
turned my head around a little, made a
discovery that made my very heart cease
beating for 4 minute, and sent every drop
of blood in my body bounding back in my
veins
There, right on a level with my face its
length half concealed in a crevice in the
crumGliab SIDES o, the pit, its hood half ex-
pandel, Us forked tongue quivering as it
jerl:cl it bu; and in, and its eyes glittering
with balef II glare, l saw n great cobra. |
felt utterly helpless and despairing, and for
moment my heart whispered to me that my
end had cone. Then came a sort of ,ervous
reckiessncss l suppose it was ''the fury of
despair" we read about | know uttered
savage curse, and, snatching my hard he'll
met, | hit the brute smashing blow in the
face npA thNO haoan N Grrkt for. liFa
A TERRIBLE BATTLE
1t was big, powerful snake. The blow
had only maddened it. Its hood expanded,
its Kissing filed the pit, and, swaying and
rearing its clammy length, it launched full
at my face. My gun was lying choked up
with dirt and half buried in the ''pank," but
| had my hunting knife with me, and while
l parrlcd ihe fierce darts of the infuriated
brute with my helmet | made quick stabs
and siashes at it whenever | could get a
chance, and after s. short, exciting struggle
1t succumbed and tried to Withdraw behind
the crevice, but with slice of my knife
nearly severed its head from its body And
then for awhile-you may laugh at me or
not, you will-all was a blank | must
have tainted
The weary hours dragged along. 1t was
intensely still and sultry above, coniectured.
for even in the deep dark pit the air was
sitting and oppressive, and could not de-
tect sound or rustic in tho vegetation that
overhung the mouth of my living tomb
could nov see that the day was waning
The heat had become, if possible, still more
sultry and intense, and once or twice | had
fancied heard low, muttering, rumbling
sound as ii of distant thunder The clouds
were hurrying up in tremendous solid masses,
.l Of
come hustl ing through the overhanging grass,
and another dread began to take possession
of my II nd. | knew what was coming
From hundred tiny crevices and gaps in
the edge of my pit the troubled turbid rain
water began to trickle down, crumbling the
clay away, and / was soon drenched to the
skin, and felt with alarm the water beginning
slowly buJ surely to mount up the sides of
the pit.
THOUGHT HIS HOUR HAD CONE.
thought then it was all up with me- | can
hardly describe to you my thoughts know
thought of home. | reviewed my past life
made desperate struggles again and again
to free myself. shouted and screamed for
help. | believe prayed and swore. In fact,
for the time, l believe | must have gone de-
mented, lut found myself utterly power
less. Tho rniry clay and treacherous ''pank"
held me rm, and then again l must have re-
lapsed into unconsciousness.
When ] came to myself it was barely light
it was sti i raining heavily and stolidly; the
big drops FLASHED down; | could see a dull,
leaden sky above, and knew the 'nullahs"
! and watercourseS would soon be full. The
| battle of the elements had ceased and but for
| the continuous crash of falling rain all was
| still. Tie water in the pit was nearly up to
my shou ders. felt was doomed to die,
and a sort of sullen, despairing stupor took
possession of ME. had now given up all
hope, when, bark! | thought | heard the
sound of human voice! With all the agony
of despair, raised a cry for help. There
was an awful pause, and then l heard my
faithful Baeka crying in response Again
cried out, and | soon saw his DEAR old
wrinkle6 face peering down at me from the
edge of the pit.
'Well how did they manage to get you
outs" / asked.
''Ob, that was not so easy, but they man
aged it; some of them cut down saplings and
managed to make sort of ladder and
Baeka came down with a long 'lathee,' and
loosened the 'pank' around my body suffi-
ciently for me to do the rest myself Then
they tied their 'puggrees' and hummer
bunds' together, and / knotted these round
my waist, and under my armpits, aud with
that help, they tugging away at the free
ends, managed to Chamber out."-Cincin-
natl nlulrer.