The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-11

tue negro stoPpeu anu pointed 70 1allen
negroes not to stir from the place where
they we're, and to keep the little dog in.
and that I would 90 on and reconnoiter. l
advanced up to the place slowly and eau
tiously. At last made the snake out; it
was vas not poisonous but large large enough to
On ascertaining the size of the serpent, I
retired slowly the way came, and prom
ised four dollars to the negro who had
shown it to me, and one to the other who
had Joined us. Aware that the day was on
would be detrimental to dissection, l
thought that would take it alive. i'm
agined, if could strike it with the lance
behind the head, and pin him to the
ground, might succeed in capturing him.
When told this to the negroes, they begged
and bring more force, as they were sure the
snake would kill some of US; but had
been in search Of large serpent for years,
and now having come up with one, it did
not become me to turn soft. So, taking
outlass from one of the negroes, and then
told them to follow me and that would
cut them down if they offered to fly.
When We got up to the place the serpent
had not stirred. / could see nothing of it's.
head, and judged by the folds of it's body
that it must be at the furthest side of his
NOAs "A 0D0Clo6 VI WOOOU1u0 uHU 1Orm6U q
complete mantle over the branches Of the
fallen tree, almost impervious to the rain or
the rays of the sun. Probably the snake
had resorted to this sequestered place for
length OF time, as it bore the marks of an
ancient settlement. J now took my knife,
break the twigs in the gentlest manner pos
sible, till could get view of his head.
One negro stood guard close behind ME
with the lance and near him the other with
9 cutlass. Tbs cutlass which had taken
from the first negro was on the ground
close by me in case of need.
After working in dead silence for quar-
ter of an hour, with one knee all the time
on the ground, had cleared away enough
to see his head. It appeared coming out
between the first and second coil Of his
body, and was fiat on the ground. This
was the very position l wished it to be in.
l rose in silence, and retreated very slowly,
making q sign TO the negroes to do the
same. We were at this time about twenty
yards from the snakes den. now ranged
the negroes behind me, and told him who
stood next to me to lay hold of the lance
the moment I struck the snake, and that
the other must attend my movements. It
now only remained to take their cutlasses
from them, for was sure if I did not dis
! arm them they would be tempted to strike
the snake in time of danger, and thus for
ever spoil his skin. On taking their cut
!dsses Ifou tnem, mlgnt Judge from
their physiognomy, they seemed to consider
it as most intolerable act of tyranny on
my part. Probably nothing kept them
| from boiling but the consolation that was
to be between them and the snake.
We went slowly on in silence, without
moving our arms or heads, in order to pre-
vent alarm as much as possible, lest the
snake should glide off or attack us in self
defense. carried the lance perpendicu-
larry before me, with the point about foot
from the ground. The snake had not
moved; and, on getting up to him, !! struck
him with the lance on the near side, just
behind the neck, and pinned him to the
ground. That moment the negro next to
me seized the lance and held it firm in its
place, while dashed head foremost into
the den to grapple with the snake, and to
get hold of its tail before it could do any
mischief. On being pinned to the ground
hiss, and the little dog ran away, bowling.
We had sharp fray in the den, the rotten
sticks flying on all sides, and each party
struggling for superiority. The second
negro threw himself upon me. rs found
was not heavy enough, and the additional
weight was of great service. I had now got
a firm hold of the tail, and, after violent
struggle or two, the snake gave in. While
the first negro continued to hold the lance
firm to the ground, and the other was help
ing me, contrived to unloose my braces,
and with them tied up the snakes mouth.
We contrived to make his snakeship
twist round the shaft of the lance, and then
prepared to convey it out of the forest. ]
stood at its head and held it firmly under
my arm, one negro supporting the body
and the other the tail. In this order We be-
gan to move slowly toward home, and
reached it after resting every ten minutes,
for the snake was too heavy for US to sup
port it without stopping to recruit on,
strength. As we proceeded onward with it.
it fought hard for freedom. but it was ali
in vain. The day was now too far spent to
place before morning. had brought with
me into the forest strong bag, large
enough to contain any animal Ishould want
to disseot: considered this thu
best .n; mode Of keeping alive
: daylight, for bag, yielding IN every direc
ton to their efforts they would have nothing
solid or fixed to work on, and thus would bt
prevented from making hole through it
l say fixed, for after the mouth of the bas
was closed, the bag itself was not fastened
ever the animal inside caused it to roll
After securing afresh the mouth of the mon
ster, it was forced into this bag. and left tt
its fate till morning.
cannot say it allowed me to have quie
night. My hammock was in the loft JUS
!
to decay, SO that in parts of it no boards in
teryened between his lodging and mine
He was very restless and fretful; and hal
Medusa been my wife, there could not hav,
been more continued and disagreeabl,
Kissing in the bed-chamber tina
night. At daybreak sent to borrow ten o
the negroes who were cutting wood at dis
tance, as Judged it most prudent to have
gooo force, in case he should try to escap
from the house when we opened the bag
i However. nothing serious occurred. w
united the bag. kept him down by mail
force, and then cut his throat. He bled lik
an or. By six O'Clock the same evening b
! was completely dissected.
i On measuring him afterward, he Wa
= found to be something more than fourteen
feet long. This species Of snake is YER
rare. and much thicker, in proportion to hi
length, than any other snake in the forest
Q one fourteen feet in length is as thick rs
common boa oe twenty-four. After skin
n ming this snake, could easily get my hea
into its mouth. rs the singular formation Q
:, the jaws admits of wonderful extension.
Full line of fresh Homeopathic medicine
! at MAX Behren's Drug Store, Sixth avenu
g NOTICE OF PUBLICATION.
= LAND OFFICE AT HELENA. Mont.
, May s, 1870. {
h NOTICES HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE Fol
~ lowing named settler his nled notice q 3