Connecticut western news., 1889-05-22

dolngs ana victims or the snaKe. de
 was given by one cocoa contractor, who saw him gliding off with. his favorite pig, at least one hundred feet. But il
 was gathered from Catherine Legrand,
 who had seen him at close quarters or the occasion of the carrying off hel child, that he must be something be- tween forty and fifty feet long. It was also surmised from the imperfect de- scription she gave of the approximate color, rings, and spots of the snake, that it was a survivor of the extinct race ot gigantic Huillias or local anacondas, oc- casionally to be met with in the old days in the Oropouche, Arima, and other rivers of the island. sa.. a
 s'The excitement in Arima was raised to the highest pitch on Tuesday when news was brought that the great serpent had been seen on the Arima heights, and that two more children, - Juan Castillo and Pablo Hernandez, had been carried off by him. The report of the occur rences stated that the snake had been distinctly seen on two occasions; that, consequent on the alarm given on the first occasion, the people were on the qui vive, and that hunter, Emmanuel Caideron, had twice fired with shot into tho beast as he had half swallowed the crushed. body of young Hernandez, but with the only effect of hastening his pro gross in the direction of Monte Bleu or Blue Mountain. The warden thought the news serious enough to request, through the colonial secretary, some as- tance from the port of Spain, with rifles of greater penetrating power than the guns used by the majority of the pur- suers. Accordingly Sergeant Giplan was sent to Arima by the afternoon train with.six policeman, armed with Martini Henry rifles, and his excellency the gov 'ernor added the consideration of these extraordinary occasions to the order of the day of the central agricultural board which held its first meeting on Wednes- day at noon, when the colonial secretary brought forward the question of the great snake, stating that he had obtained all available information from the War den up to date. He then described the ravages of the monster, and concluded by request for suggestions from mem- bers as to the speediest and best way of ridding the suffering district from this plague in serpent form.
 "Dr. dc Verteuil stated as his opinion that the snake was evidently Huillia, or as the old native name in full used to be, Temecuilicahuila, with the strength of five men. It had probably after feed ing on deer and other forest prey, be- come acquainted with domestic animals in the opening of the country by culti- vation, and from that point to becom- ing man-eater was only step in its amphibious existence. Its wariness was no doubt due to the instinct in avoiding danger, as denoted by watchful prepar- ations on the part of man, so observable in the case of other well-known pests. He thought the shooting down of the monster at the earliest opportunity the clear course to be pursued on the occa- sion.
 "A long discussion ensued on the subject, and the board adjourned on Messrs. Devenish and Mccarthy stating that they would join in the pursuit of the monster, and report fully on the in- formation they gathered at the next meeting. At 6 P. M. Thursday morn ing motly cavalcade was seen issuing out of Arima in a northerly direction. They were the Warden and his party on their way to the Blue Mountain, in the neighborhood of which search parties had located the snake the day before. He had been seen by one of the hunters to enter the Guacharo caves in the hill separated by hollow from the moun- tain, and cordon had gradually been formed round the hill to prevent his sallying out. The Rev. Cure of Arima, whom they met on the way, further told them that he had heard the snake had tried to issue from the caves on the southern side, but had beat retreat in these dangerous recesses on being greet = ed with a volley. With the Warden's s party were also the Colonial Secretary, MT. Mccarthy, sergt. Giblan, the armed police from town, and guides from among the residents of the Arima heights. But other parties were also on the warpath, and the party received several additions on the way. From all reports it was now clear that the Huillia was at bay. But how best to engage him and destroy him in the deep cavi- ties of the hill, where there was even a rushing stream and kind of Stygian pool, was the excited subject of discus sion on the way.
 "The following plan of campaign was, however, finally agreed upon. He was to be shot down when and where to be seen, and dogs would be used to trace his exact haunt and give notice of his coming in case of rush outward. Besides the guides, Mir. Devenish was well acquainted with the immense caves where, besides the weird Guacharo, the great serpent had now taken up his abode. These caves, like many others