The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-01-11

WIZ Hus.S. ANA'asl''' Nv I'D uhHuhhHSu,
and when he RECEIVERS from stupcfy-
ing effects of the berries will be able
to render me assistance.
In my anxiety to see if Murilla
were anywhere around, l tried to
look about me. The movement dis
turlcd the boa. and again lie Dragged
me backward two or three feet, and
again the pressure from below exert
cd itself anew to try and drag me in.
So long as remained perfectly quiet
the boa seemed content To let nature
take its course. and to remain in IL
MISUNDERSTANDING. lIcscemc,l
to realize that he had undertaken u
tremendous Job. and one that re-
quirud IL great deal ofpaticncc. Tho
least movement on mypart, however,
h. would interpret mt once into an
effort of his prey to escape, and
would rcciprocntr by trying to swal-
low me.
Hours, that the horror of my posi-
ton seem to lcngthcn into days,
passed by. thought should go
stark, r.lvin@ mad, as | fell, thrtan@s
OF my hilcous drvorrcr scraping
against my huckslin jacket to try
and inch mo further down his throat.
Tile heavy odor of the reptiles
breath WAS like some oyerpowcring
drug, which il distilled andnpplicd in
moderation, might even l,c tolrrahlc
to the nostriis. Darkness came nnd
added terror to the situation. My
nerves We're now badly shattered,
and i'll The darkness my plight was
pi,iablc in the extreme. How shall |
dcscrilr the weird horrors of that
dreadful night? 1t seemed an ctcr-
nifty event amid all Indebtedness and
the mental fortunes of he'll itself!
Morning duwned nt last, although
] never thought it would come and
find me in possession of my senses.
Why it didn't find me mHniac or a
blubhering IDIOT seemed llestrangest
thing that had yet happened.
My first thought was tn ascertain
whether the guttapcrclla-likc open
ing in my living tomb had gained on
me during those awful hours oflnrk-
ness or not. l was lying all this
while face downward. and although
by this time weakened almost to IL
state of helplcssnrss, used my left
hand to feel the taut rim of the boa
constructors jaws. They were
THREE Full. INCHES HIGHER.
up my body than yestnr eve. The
eXritrmrnt of The night had just
pnssr, through had exhausted my
and | remember that this
discovery awakened in memo
SENSE of unr;,sincss.
| tried To form solnr plan of put
ting an end to my existence, but my
brain refused To make connection
between my dim. ,lislointel flights OF
thought. II WAS no longer equal to
I he concentration of Il definite idea.
| WIS now lcyund all active emo
lions. Once Inncicd ! heard the cry
of somramimnl or human Ining near
by, but ! WAS to far gone to pay any
attention.
AT last all seemed to l,n over with
me. 1t was as though the darkness
of night had gradually closed over
mo again; +" roaring noise in my ears
for Il while in he darkness.
and then all was silent. had sank
into the llnconciousness of complete
exhaustion.
remember nothing more until !
rame to my senses again in ourcamp
OH the river bank. \ couple of days
by Murrilln brought Inc
round so that could sit up and
listen to his account ofmy rescue.
The cry ! inncicd | heard Just before
into Inconsistencies was
from Murilla. The effects of the her
Iies had kept him Stupriicd until the
lawn of the second day, the close OF
the night so tnll neutrality-suspicious.
to mo. He was awakened, weak and
burning with thirst. Rising up, he
behcld not II dozen yards away my
head and shoulders protruding from
the mouth of IL monster boa, whose
sraly body lay in scrpentine lcnghts
among the debris of drcaying forest
fungus.
Taking it for granted that was
dead, and chilled with terror. he ut
tered the Mortified cry which had
dimly heard, and rushed away to
camp. Being an expert woodmnn,
he had no,!iljiculty in finding his way.
The Indians hn'labout givrn usup for
lost. They had searched for us, but
had never happened to visit the right
place. Two We're out searching when
he reached the camp. Trembling
with weakness and terror, he told
the Indians the fate that had bctnlIen
us.
Returning with axes and crocodile
spears the party attacked the boa,
him completely in two Just
below the bulge in the body caused
by my feet and legs before hr could
escape. At the first blow of the axe
the monster made spHslnodic efforts
to dis@orge in order to attack his as
salnnts. He tried hard to escape,
but the axes We're skiilully applied,
ilnh he wis rendered rowerlcss.
The severed head and neck had to
be slit open before lcould bcrcleased.
Ut first they thought WAS dead, but
were soon rcioicc'i at discovering n
spark of life. Carrying ne
to the cnmp, rcs,iscitutive remedies
were applied. and WAS, aus you have
seen, finally brought around.
In IL few days my health was IT,
stored sufficiently to start on our re-
turn Journey down the river; but my
OWN mother would have failed torec-
o%nixe me. My hair. which was IL
dark brown when Murilla and | sat
down To eat our lunch OF bareback
and vrnsion, was NOW as white rs the
;is;tDt locks of an old man of 9u-as
white us you see itnow. My nervous
system had received Il shock that loft
me Il victim Nightmares and ner-
vous fears and trrmors for wears aft
crward. But IL naturally iron COLI
finally ovcrro.le the effects
of my terrible experience, and left me
in possession OF my usually excellent
hcalth.-Boston Commercial Bulletin,
Pclts in Legal Tender.