The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-07-03

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stantly did the only thing it seemed
possible for me to do under the cir
Hcumstances i seized hold Of his neck
with both hands and tried to choke
him.
HWith a mighty contortion that
hurled me against the side of the
passage with q force that nearly took
my breath, the python now endeavor-
ed to swing his tail around SO ais to
enfold me in it's coils, but, Fortunate
" for me, the passage was too mar
row to permit this, and saw, i'll
could only keep my grasp upon his
neck, I might possibly hold him at
bay until help arrived from the camp.
where | knew my cowardly servant
must have gone. So | threw all my
strength into the effort, and clutch
ed that hideous throat with a grasp
of iron, at the same time calling loud
ly for help.
"Back and forth, to and fro, we
sWayed there in the darkness, the
python seeking to throw off my
grasp, and [ holding on for dear life.
81 freely admit that | was scared.
| had faced the bowling tempest and
shot the Infatuated tiger Ain his lair
without a tremor, but I was now
pitted against an antagonist from
which should have unhesitatingIy
have ran had / been at liberty to
have done SO.
II am not sure but / might have
| been willing to face even this same
python under more favorable cir
cumstances, but the feeling that /
was completely at his disposal, save
for what strength lay in my bare
hands, almo st unnamed me.
q had a revolver in my belt, but I
dare not loosen my hold upon my
huge assailant even for the brief
moment necessary to draw it. Had [
possessed any other weapon, it would
not have altered the situation, or re-
,lieved the unfortunate dilemma. It
was my strength of one Of the most
powerful of all the denizens of the
Siamese jungle, there could be but
one issue to this terrible struggle
should be the victiml
Bruised and bleeding as / was
from striking repeatedly against the
/ rocky sides of the passage, each new
struggle OF the python perceptibly
weakened me. The end could not be
4 far off.
Already | felt myself gradually
loosening my hold upon the neck OF
my still vigorous enemy. A sicken-
ing sensation came over me as his
next contortion shook me free, and
Ifell forward into his huge folds,
which wrapped, about me with an
evertightening force that [ knew
4 meant speedy death.
i ssThere was a brief minute wherein
! / seemed to hear a shout, followed
by rapid footsteps, and then [ faint
| ed.
i when came to consciousness,
found myself lying on the mountain
4 slope just outside the mine, and a
/ number of my followers standing
around me. My Chinese servant,
Heng, was pouring a hot liquid
/ down my throat, while two of my ST
i amese attendants we're bruising
leaves of some tropical plant and
s wrapping them about my bruised
| and smarting limbs.
"My chest still felt as though in a
wise. and breathed with great diff
\ Guilty. Under the skillful manipula-
ton of my men, however, [ soon re
covered sufficient strength to be car
ried on a stretcher to the camp,
where | learned the story of my res
] cue.
1 "When my companion fed to the
camp and told me OF the desperate
encounter | was having with the py-
thon, the Siamese, on account of
their superstitious belief that to. kill
any animal is possibly to rob
8 the departed spirits of their ances-
tors of their abode, were completely
demoralized, and made no effort to
come to my help
/. "Not SO, however, with my Chinese
boy, Heng. He was at the camp
fire preparing dinner when he heard
of my danger, and snatching up a
blazing stick for torch with one
hand, he drew the knife he carried in
his belt with the other, and ran for
the mine, calling upon his compan-
ions to follow him. Itwas his shouts
and footsteps that reached my ears
! just as | tainted.
AS he brayely clambered over the
heap of rubbish in his efforts to
reach me, the blazing torch he carried
attracted the attention of the python,
4 and hp raised his ,,cr11y hoo NV