The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-10-08

Ivy aciV AAeSANl SSSFO VWO lurTlCQ cD1rDS,
and then reckoning me to follow,
turned abruptly to the left, and led
me fully 400 yards before we reached
the point from which the sound had
started.
There we found tall, sinewy
native lying fiat upon the ground,
with every muscle quivering as he
listened, through the sound of our APP
proach, for any movement on the
part OF the game he had locat-
ed.
A hurried conversation took place,
and one OF the men disappeared to
make a detour to certain point.
Then the tall fellow who had found
the quarry beckoned me to follow
him.
Skirting along the side OF an ele-
plant track, he led me about 200 feet
forward, avoiding every twig and hold
ing back every leaf as we slowly made
our way to a spot where the path
narrowed perceptibly.
AN EXCITING MOMENT.
Quivering with excitement and point
ing with his sinewy arm, my guide in
Dictated large tree some distance in
front, one OF the boughs of which
seemed gnarled and twisted in a way
such as no other tree ever was. Sud-
denly q portion of the Dough seemed
to fall, and swayed to and fro.
| saw that it was the head and neck
OF a huge python, doubtless disturbed
by its instructive knowledge of our
presence. In an instant my rifle was
at my shoulder, for I hate a snake
more than anything else in the world.
A touch recalled to me the conscious
ness that l was guest, not q princi-
pal in the hunt, and l reluctantly
dropped my rifle and watched my
guide.
Telling me not to move under any
circumstances, he slipped into the
path and discharged an arrow in the
direction Of the reptile. TO my sur
prise, the missile whiZzed harmlessly
above the snake, and fell away up the
path. These natives are magnificent
marksmen, and I could not under
stand why so easy a mark was miss
ed.
When I turned my head I found
that the native had disappeared, and,
remembering his injunction, I stood
still. A faint rustling noise attracted
my attention and, looking closely,
saw a thin thread, which had evident
ly been attached to the arrow, swiftly
drawn along forward and then re-
placed by a stouter 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 frightened and then appeared
to move by jerks, as if something were
being drawn along by it, while I heard
the sound Of approaching footballs.
The python raised it's head,
stretched the long, sinuous upper part
OF it's body in the air, and gazed down
the path. Then, with it's eyes blazing
like stars, it's body thickened and
withdrew back to the branch, coiled
and ready for action.
The footsteps came nearer and near
er, and at last there appeared in the
center of the path, approaching from
the direction from which we had come,
a goat, having a stick about four inch
es long passed through the nostrils, to
which was attached the cord that had
been carried by the arrow.
A LIVING BAIT.
This arrow had been shot forward
toward the point where the man who
had made the detour had gone, ready
to receive it. After shooting the ma
tive who sent the arrow had gone back
and attached the string to a goat.
Taking the cord attached, the fore
most man had, drawn it along until
the goat, feeling the constant gentle
pull at the stick in her nostrils, had
walked quietly forward in obedience to
the string. ,...~. .. 49,. f..
l learned later that the goat had
been carried by the tenth man, who
followed at a distance to avoid the
noise, and was summoned up by sig
nal. ... e -. .u - 4
The animal appeared to have no
knowledge whatever of the presence of
the python, and walked patiently
along, following the drawing of the
cord. AS it passed where 1 stood, it
evidently scented me and bleated. AS
it did so the python raised it's head
with quick angry jerk. | could see
its eyes blaze again.
A jerk of the cord set the animal
moving again, and it WAS now within
a few feet OF the bough around which
the reptile was coiled. ..
AS it passed underneath, the folds
OF the huge snake could be seen work
ing as though forcing the length of the
body out OF the coils around the limo,
and into that part which was free.
Another moment, and the black
crest raised itself several feet into the
air. For an instant it swayed to and
fro, as if gathering momentum, and
then, with a sudden dart, the head
shot forward in downward direct
ion and struck the goat between the
shoulders.
There was loud bleat of mingled
pain and terror, q swishing around
OF dark coils, q futterjng of dead
leaves, and then / saw the goat
completely enveloped by the coils ct
the snake and dead already.
.@ The natives were now closing up,
and many dark faces could be seen
around me, curiously peering Through
the curtain OF leaves at the victim of