The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-04-26
IN IHE cons OF 4 sKarESr.
Experienee Of an Indian Hunter
Who Fought = Eoa Constructor

Experfenee Of an Indian Hunter
Who Fought = Boa Constructor.
In company with half-breed who
combined the vacations OF q uooimar
and hunter. stumbled one day on a
large specimen OF the crotssus nutus,
slowly winding It's way among the
leaf debris of the forest For some
time il was difficult 70 discern the
scaiy folds of the snake through the
brown mass Of decayiug foliage, bu;
having reached clear spot the reptile
cooled around low stump and pre-.
pared for action. About yard OF the
body next IL the head was contracted
into numerous short curves, nos un-
ike corkscrew, while the yellow ewes
cleaned with balefai light.
There was little fascination in these
orbs, continues the hunter in the Tadia
Satesmass. and no mistaking the ma
lignant intentions of their owner. A
stick brought within reach of that
mortal coil was struck almost with the
rapid1ty OF lightning. no matter how
quickly Withdrawn. This waseifectetl
by the instantaneous Strengthening OF
the short curves into which this por-
ton of the body had been contracted.
Even the willy niongoose would have
needed all his marvellous agility 10
avoid the deadly stroke il once within
range. The reach was about a yard
and the assault was delivered horizon
tally some six inches from the ground
directly toward the assailant. The
hunfer. who had hitherto kept d re-
spectfui distance. rs he alleged the
snake could spring. was eventually
persuaded to approach sufficiently
near to strike ii with a ten-foot pole.
At the first blow the heavy coils re-
Taxed from the stump and the creature
appeared dead or stunned. The writer
AT once grasped the neck about two
inches from the head and raised the
head partly from the ground to ex-
anime it. As though galvanized into
life by the touch. the crotalus seemed
at once TO recover its energies, and
swiftly made couple OF turns around
the thigh and right arm of the would
be captor. The constructing power ex-
ercised was such that the hand grasp.
ing the neck began 10 lose power. and
the writer realized the awkward pre-
dicament into which his temerity had
led him. Little could be done with
the free left hand, while the 'sscaly ter
ror" began slowly to Withdraw its head
from the relaxing grasp OF the right.
For some seconds the trembling
woodman appeared deaf TO entreaty
and could not be persuaded to apply q
moose or Llama to the snakes neck.
The largest serpents become paralyzed
when properly noosed, and are readily
dragged along the ground, helpless as
a log. Just as the snakes head
seemed about to ooze through the
numbed fingers the halEbreed screwed
up his courage sufficiently to apply
the llama as directed. with the result
that the brute relaxed its coils and was
dragged down to neighboring stream,
hung up and skinned. 1t measured
eight feet five inches and was about as
thick in the largest part of the body as
the calf of mans leg.
The fangs. which were carefully ex-
tracted. measured one and q quarter
inches in length, and were hollow to
within short distance of the point,
where, on the inner side, lay the orr
| fee through which the poison was
elected by the action OF the base OF the
fang on the bag in which it was SCI
creted. On squeezing the bag small
quantity of poison, yellow fluid.
passed down the hollow in the tooth
and gathered in tiny drop Of con-
censrated death. The stomach con-
taiLed two wood-rats about the size of
guinea pigs. one partially digestesi, the
other recently swallowed.