The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-09
DEADLY EYES w ATcH A MAN.


DEADLY EYES WATCH a MAN.
A Monster Cobra sways To and Fro
Above His, Head ash
From the Neto York Recorder.
There is a charming resort up in the Bra
lillian hills, twenty miles from Rio de Ja-
Metro, called Tejuca, and there foreigners
wend their way during the hot season ia
escape the yellow fever,that annually makes
pest house of the seaport. Through
Tijuca runs one of the most beautiful roads
in the world, called the Floresta, aud skirt
ing it are residences that during the sums
mer months Septemhe TO March, are occu-
pied by Americans and Engllshmen.
Years ago the president of the Rio Gas
Company erected a spacious mansion some
what back of the Floresta and in the wildS
of the Brazilian forest,o In 1855 he was
stricken with the fever and compelled to 70
to Europe for recuperation. While abroad
the use of his house was secured by Capt
Henry S. Wetmore, then representing the
board of marine underwriters OF the United
States on the east coast of South America
Capt. Wetmore has often said that the
spot was the most lovely he had ever seen
"a veritable garden of Eden. But, as in
Eden, the snake made life an imp. easant
existence and at times even dangerous
Coral snakes would lie in little groups on
the roadway leading to the Floresta, the
beautiful colors of their scales shining in
the sunlight and, so shining, warning pedes-
TRANS, for their bite is deadly.
A young lady reclining in hammock at
this villa one day heard a. rustling in the
grass and looking through the netting
espied an enormous cobra sliding down the
side Of the bank, until it lay stretched out
in full length directly under her. She was
too frightened to move, and this, commonly
termed 'presence OF mind" saved her life.
for the cobra's bite is as deadly as the coral
snakes. The reptile rested under that ham,
mock several minutes. The day was hot, and
the thoroughly frightened recliner said that
she watched its forked tongue fash in aud
out as though seeking cool breath of air
then slowly it glided away into the foliage,
while the fair occupant of the hammock
fastened with rather more speed in the op-
posite direction.
1t was about one of these cobras that the
temporary irhabitant of the Tijuca villa
tells thrilling story with sequal that
shows what expert marksmcn are turned
out of West Point.
. Engaged on the grounds of this summer
residence was a man known as Manuel, II
he had ever been blessed with any other
name he had long forgotten 1t. Manuel be-
longed to that lower class of Portuguese
who, in the year mentioned, knew even
less than the then negro slaves. He was
small Of stature, but of great strength and
willing as horse. And, indeed, he was
treated and expected to be treated lust as
any other animal. Twice day he would
come into the kitchen for his meals, and
when given soup, meat and pudding would
mix them all up in large bowl, then eat
the melange with apparent relish. They
all mix inside.n he said, "why not outside"
The servants quarters were located about
100 yards from the house, Just on the edge
Of a grove of bamboo. Manuel slept upon
little iron bed in a small room on the
ground floor. He never ndressed-indeed,
he never took off his clothes, having q
slept with the door to his room wide open
although frequently warned that some
night he would repent it.
Edward was the cook Of the villa, and il
was his wont to rise before daybreak and
battle in a small lake on the premises, &C.
cess TO which was past the stables, for Ed
ward had q room in the house, Manuel be-
ing the only occupant Of the outbuilding.
One morning as the cook was on the way to
the lake he glanced into the gardeners
room, and was rooted TO the spot by the
sight he saw.
There lay Manuel upon his back, sleeping
heavily, with his hands crossed under the
back ofthis head. Coiled around the head
or the iron bed was a cobra, one of tbs
largest of the species. The reptiles tai
protruded from beneath the couch and til
head was swaying back and forth as If tC
all appearances examining its new quarters
Occasionally the head would dive down anC
the forked tongue would dart to within an
inch of the sleeper's face, then be with
drawn, and it seemed as though the snake
wished to see it's Victim move before il
struck the fatal blow. Edward, the cook
was within ten feet of the door and had
fortunately made no noise. He dropped to
his hands and knees. then crawled carefully
away until safe distance from the spot,
when he rose and ran to the house
awakened the occupants, and told as well
as he could-for his words had to run an
opposition sound to his ohattering teeth-of
the peru Manuel was in.
Capt. Wetmore seized a Winchester wher
he realized the situation, and, jumping into
his trousers, fastened to the spot, adopting
Edwards tactics on the last stage of his
journey. The sun had not yet risen, but
there was enough light for him to see, as the
cook had, the snake swaying to and fro over
the sleeping man. But the light was not
enough to take aim by. There must be only
one shot fired, and that shot must tell. So
he waited until q ray of sunshine should
there was constant dread that the sleeper
might awake, and, waking, cause the death
stroke to fall. Meanwhile, the reptile kept
up its slow swing from side to side, and it,
big hat head probably caused breath OF
wind, as from leisurely swung fan, and
lulled the unconscious man into deeper
slumber.
A ray of light darted through the leaves
and fell full upon Manuel's face, and at the
same instant the rifle came up to the
shoulder. The sleeper moved little as if
about to wake. aud for an instant the snake
was still; 1t was that instant when the head.
with tongue darting in and out with light
ming rapidity, was dra 4n back to strike.
That second the rifle rang out and the repA
tile fell forward its coils resting on the
gardeners shoulders, neck aud face. He
rose up, seized the weight that enenmbered
him, then with yell sprang clear over the
foot of the bed, out the door, onto the
ground and started screaming down the
hillside
Believing the man had received his death
wound, the captain cautiously entered the
room. But the green coils had relaxed and
there lay thecobra dead, its head crushed
by the bullet
1t was hours .aftsrward that Manuel re
turned, for be had run several ttiiles before
he found that he hrd nor hnan liftan