Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-01-11
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SNAKE AND STAG.
One of the Most singular of Mr.. Barras'
Adventures In india.

One of the Most Singular OF Mr. Barrhs
Adventures In India.
Mr. Barras, in one OF his tiger-shoot-
ing expeditions in India, had singu-
lar adventure with serpent which
some OF his men found in the act of
swallowing u stag. The front part OF
the reptile was tremendously distend-
ed, so that II looked exactly like
small boer-barrcl with n long tail. On
a nearer Inspection Its head could DO
seen projecting from tho thick end,
with the hind feet OF the deer sticking
out OF one corner OF its mouth.
We could not shoot the monster
for fear OF disturbing the tiger
OF which we were in pursuit.. We,
therefore, commanded one of the ma
tivos TO 20 and cut off its head. But
none of them seemed inclined to obey.
Tho more we reiterated our orders,
the more seriously they wagged their
turbaned heads. and the more they
seemed glued to their respective ele'
phants.
At last the veteran Secsoo raised his
voice, and thus expressed the sense OF
the company:
30 my lords, am indeed the slave
OF your highuessess, and were tho
creature before us only tiger, bear.
or indeed any four-footcd beast, L
would at once advance to the combat;
but this is un awful brute, and the
most baloful Of all the inhabitants OF
the Jungle. If any one goes within
reach of his tail, he will be killed to u
certainty"
In short, our native assistants meant
to keep clear OF the huge reptile,
which they probably mistook for a god
or devil, on no account to be inter-
ferod with. So, as my friend assured
me that these snakes were not danger
Gus, descended from my elephant
md proceeded against it with heavy
hunting-knife.
confess TO some mlsgivings whether
his or The natives estimate of the
beasts character might prove correct
What moro likely than that it should
be able to throw n fold Of its body
round any one approaching within
ranger for behind the inflated portion
containing the deer there must havo
been about thirteen feet OF the serpent
in its normal state.
However, / advanced, knife in hand,
on a line leading straight to the head
of the reptile, and watched narrowly
for any sign of It's moylngi but 1t re'
mained motionless as ! stood over 1t
aud looked upon its weird coun-
tenance, capable OF but one fixed ex-
preston.
| All its life seemed concentrated in
the bright yellow eyes that returned
my gaze with glittering stare. |
raised the knife, and brought it down
with all my might on its neck, think
ing TO cut its head off. But the bones
were solid, and nothing but a
horrible cash was the result Even
at this not muscle stirred, and
the eyes glittered and looked piercing
as before. | was now advised to dis
patch him by severing the spine just
behind the great enlargement caused
by the body of the stag. But the snake
instantly hished out so vigorously that
thought it prudent to return TO the
head. and with few more blows
killed 1t. Its length was just seven-
teen feet.
The stag, on being talsen out looked
as II 1t had been neatly trussed for the
table. It was about the size of an or
dinary sheep, and its head, neck and
limbs were packed into II sort ol
square, but mono OF the bones wero
broken, nor were there any signs of ex-
ternal damage. The poor thing was
quite dead, and We abandoned the two
bodies to the vultures and jackals,
Toukh's Communion.