Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-11-25
IN THE COILS OF A BOA.
HOW A SNAKE PUT A WHOLE
CREW TO FLIGHT.
It Picks Up n Donkey alsd Raises It or
the Boat and Nearly Kills One
OF the Men-iIunting In
South America.


of interested listeners as he lit a
cigar and squared himself for story.
"lt was in the winter OF 20 that q
party OF five besides myself left the
United States for Brazil to collect
geological specimens for one OF the
leading institutions in this country.
We were provided with weapons and
every munition necessary TO follow
the hazardous calling. There were
guns OF all sizes, ropes. traps and a
variety OF small things that were en-
tirely new to me then.
I'VE were lazily floating down n
small stream tributary to the ANA
zon. one Sunday evening hugging
tho bank to get the protection of the
outrageous shade small donkey
we had purchased before embarking
was in the foredeck o. the boat lazily
chewing grass and switching od
gnats that were a continual pest
Thomas and were lying in ham
pocks swung close by. with Henry
rites lying across US in hopes OF get.
ting a shot at some water fowl.
We had been in this position possibly
an hour when our boat by force OF
the current ran aground in shallow
water. There was nothing for us
to do but 10 call out the crew and
prize it off We had been engaged
, in this work but few minutes and
had just got the boat dislodged when
! an unusual commotion in tho tree
! just above us caused me TO hurr,edly
glance up.
What saw chilled my blood and
rooted me to the spot without the
| power to utter II cry OF warning or
make a move. Directly over us not
| twenty feet away. was about ten feet
OF a hugo boa constructor hanging
from pro Getting limb. its body
swaying TO and fro with gentle un-
| dulating motion. while its eyes
cleaned like balls Of fire and its
forked tongue shot out with light
n ng rap dity. I'll tell you friends. in
my startled condition that snake
looked larger that a mans body. |
stood there like ono petrifled and saw
that make let out fold or two gent
ly lowering himself towards me. It's
eyes seemed to take in everything at
one sweep. 1t was only moment
but thought in that instant how my
adventurous lifo had led me away
from home and tho almost certain
death that was awaiting me.
"A certain madness seemed to take
possession OF me and | longed for
death. l don't know how it was-I
never could explain it-but by a su.
preme effort / pulled myself loose
from my delusions and cried out
bronx! Look outr and staggered
back against the cabin door under
the protection Of q beam. In an in
slant before Thomas had time to
fairly turn around the wriggling
body seemed TO shoot out twenty feet
and wind itself around the body OF
the donkey tearing it loose from the
halter and carrying it up in the air.
Thomas took in the situation and
sprang for his rife which had been
thrown on the deck from the jar of
the boat Vas too weak and nervous
from fright TO make a move and
had sunk down on the ncor against
tho cabin door. The bollowings Of
the poor donkey were heart-rending.
as he was slowly raised ia the air by
the strength OF the reptile.
During all this time the snake
had managed TO keep its head behind
the door but finally it gently swung
its load around. bringing its horrid
head in good position. Thomas was
waiting for this. and in an instant had
fp fsrn chnta tho rnnfiln A
series OF Kisses answered these shots.
They had taken effect for the blood
began to ooze out OF two spots close
to the head. The body swayed in the
air moment or two and then came
down directly upon the deck with u
crash. still bearing its burden. Tho
fall partially stunned the reptile but
it soon recovered aud began to thrash
around with its toll.
AT this une lpected maneuver the
crow jumped overheard and waded
and swan ashore, leaving Captain
Thomas and myself the only occu-
pants OF the boat Thomas immedi-
ately opened fire again. but the shots
must have gone wide OF the mark.
The snake unwound itself from the
donkey and began TO wriggle and
squirm throwing itself around.
knocking over and attacking every
thing in its reach. IL was blind in its
fury. and as it moved great spurts of
blood would gush from the wounds
and scatter over the whole deck
Thomas took to the water carrying his
gun with him had arisen and was
tr,ing to follow when the reptile
wheeled reared itself about four fee
ana struck me full In the face with
its huge head burying its fang3 In
my cheek.
The rank. poisonous odor tho
snake emitted caused me to turn
deathly sick and whether it was from
this cause or from the blow l reeled
and fell upon the deck The crew.
seeing my predicament started 10 my
rescue armed with clubs while
Thomas put in shot when he could
} 60 so without taking any chances oil
shooting me.
Il was n mere plaything TO this
huge reptile The cold clammy body
continually rolled over me knocking
A. l.