The morning call., 1890-11-23

We had not proceeded far before the for
est became exceedingly dense. The broad
leaved trees stretched their arms on all sides.
and it was with difficulty that the rays OF
light filtered through the green screen, turn
ing the gloom into kind OF thick, greenlSh-
black haze that made the eyes ache until
they became accustomed to it, and caused the
pupils to dilate until they cleaned like those
of a reptile.
III ere and there rough path was broken
through the rough underground, evidently
by the passage of a rhinoeeroS, elephant, or
other giant Of the woods forcing his way
through to the nearest pool.
These tracks were the haunts of the
pythons. COiled around limb overhead.
motto Mess. looking like part of the tree,
the reptiles watch for the passage of some
animal which they may devour
There was curious stiffness in those soil
tudes; the hiss of small snake, the twltier
of grasshopper or a locust, the boot OF an
owl, or the occasional chatter OF monkey,
sounded strangely aggressive.
Our party WAS divided into tens. Nine of
each party spread themselves out with just
enough space between each two men to en-
able them TO scan every tree and every open
space. while the tenth man remained some
distance in the rear. / did not know until
later what had become of him.
l was between two natives and simply
threaded my way as quietly rs i could. not
bothering myself with trying to discern any
object in the gloom. l could rely upon the
sharper eyes of the natives, and the kn0wl-
edge, that when the quarry was found l
should be brought to it.
For offensive arms the natives had only
their puny but terrible bows and arrows,
which, instead of sticking in their head-dress,
as in the open, were now slung upon their
backs in rude bark culver.
Each man carried a thin cord of sinnet or
twisted bark-fibre, about as thick as thread.
and perhaps from sixty to eighty rods i'll
length. / had my usual companion, double
express rifle weighing about ten pounds, and
sighted to the breadth of hair.
The air was cool, but the half-light seemed
to have the property to render it oppressive.
l was getting very tired, when the peculiar
harsh chirp struck my ear that is given by
the industrious little bird which does for the
rhinoceros the duty that is sometimes per-
formed by the fine comb of civilization.
half turned. instinctively expecting to see or
hear tile presence of the monarch which the
bird attended.
1t was not a single chirp. however, but a
dozen continuous ones, that seemed to start
away off ON my left hand and pass over to
my right. / knew. therefore. that it was a
signal passing from one native to another,
and L turned to the one nearest to learn the
reason. Every native in sight was standing
perfectly still. The one on my left hand
gave two hurried chirps, and then, beckon-
ing me to follow. turned abruptly TO the left
we reached the point from which the sound
had started.
There we found a tall sinewy native lying
fiat upon the ground, with every muscle
quivering as he listened, through the sound
OF our approach, for any movement on the
part of the game he had located.
A hurried conversation took place, and
one of the men disappeared to make a de-
tour to a certain point. Then the tall fellow
who had found the quarry beck0ned me to
follow him.
Skirting along the side of an elephant
track, he led me about 200 feet forward,
avoiding every twig, and holding back every
leaf as we slowly made our way to a spot
where the path narrowed perceptbly.
Quivering with excitement and pointing
with his sinewy arm, my guide indicated a
large tree some distance in front, one Of the
boughs Of which seemed gnarled and twisted
in way such as no other tree ever was.
Suddenly portion of the b0ugh seemed to
fall, and sway to and fro.
l saw that it was the head and neck of a
huge python, doubtless disturbed by its in
stintive knowledge Of our presence. In an
instant my rifle was at my shoulder, for l
hate snake more than anything else in the
world.
A touch recalled me to the consciousness
that was guest, not principal in the
hunt, and l reluctantly dropped my rifle
and watched my guide.
stances, he slipped into the path and dis
charged an arrow in the direction of the
reptile. To my surprise, the missile whizzed
harmlessly above the snake, and fell away
up the path. These natives are magnificent
markSmeD, and could not understand why
so easy mark was missed.
When turned my head found that the
native had disappeared, and, remembering
his injunction, stood still. A faint rustling
noise attracted my attention. and. looking
closely, saw thin thread which had evil
IDENTIFY been attached to the arrow, swiftly
a s,outer cord. This, then, explained why
the arrow had been shot over the reptile.
The python seemed little disturbed at the
rustling made by the cord, but remained
upon the. alert BY and by the cord tight
ened, and then appeared 10 move by jerks,
as if something were being drawn along by
1t, while heard the sound OF approaching
footballs.
The python raised its head, stretched the
long, snuous upper part OF its body in the
air, and gazed dnwn the path. Then, with
its eyes blazing like stars, its body thickened
and withdrew back to the branch. coilcd
and ready for action.
The footsteps came nearer and nearer,
and at last there appeared in the
center Of the path, approaching from the
direction from which we had come. goat,
having stick about four inches long passed
through the nostril, TO which was attached
the cord that had been carried by the
arrow.
This arrow had been shot forward toward
the point where the man who had made the
detunr had gone. ready to receive it. After
shooting, the native who sent the arrow had
gone back and attached the string to goat.
Taking the cord attached. the foremost
man had drawn II along until the goat. feel
lug the constant gentle pull at the stick in
her DOstrils, had walked quietly forward in
obedience to the string.
learned later that the goat had been car
ried by the tenth man, vino followed at a dis
lance to avoid the noise, and was summoned
up by signal.
The animal appeared to have no knowledge
whatever of the presence of the python, and
walked quietly along. following the drawing
Of the cord. AS 1t passed where l stood 1t