Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-07-28

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"Ah!" said Karl, Il can tell You
some curious things about those
snakes. That huge boa constructor,
he continued, pointing to a snake
that lay coiled up in acorner by itself,
"has swallowed four whole sheep in
one day. and nine days afterward 1t
was ready for number five. l can
remember once we threw rab-
bit into cage where there were two
snakes. While the poor little animal
was shivering in corner with fright
the two reptiles fought together as to
which of them should eat IL; the
smaller one gained the victory, and
the bigger one retired to the other end
of the cage and lay down, as though
wearied ont by the conflict. The other
snake advanced upon its prey, and af-
ter a while it also lay down, with the
rabbit inside it. The bigger snake
then, seeing the helpless condition OF
its enemy, seemed to rouse itself, and
moment afterwards it vigorously at
tackled the creature that lay gorged in
the corner. We all rushed to see what
would happen, and, declare to You. y
continued Mr.. Hagenbeck, that in a
very short time the big snake had
swallowed the small snake, rabbit and
ali.
Would you like to see them in
action?" said Mr. Hagenbeck to me, and
rs he spoke he opened the cage door
and boldly stepped in among the huge
sleepy beasts He then began lifting
them mp by their enormous coils, Just
as one would lift up great coils Of rope,
and there was soon a mighty stirring
amongst the inert masses. Furious and
enrsged they writhed to and fro, their
scales glittering in the light Of the
sun. With tremendous kissing and
irritsted rearing back of their heads
and constant projection Of their long,
forked tongues, they began TO move
about the cage. Il think ! will get
out now" said Mr.. Hagenbcck. Il
had fight once before with snakes,
and don't want to have another, he
continued as he closed the doors.
Il wish you would tell me about it, "
said I; cit must have been very
dreadfully interesting, and also l felt
sure nv American readers would enjoy
some good '.snake" stories.
Certainly will, he replied, ''and
can assure you," he added, with
shudder ct TIE thought, chat 1t was
most painfully interesting to me. [
very nearly lost my life Oh that Occa-
sion. 1t happened in this way. There
we're eight full grown pythons IN one
cage. wanted to put them all into
one huge box to send them of to a
menagerie. l handled the first SIX all
right enough, collaring them, as is
usual, by the back Of the neck and
dropping them into the box. Then l
went for number seven. As soon as
entered the cage she flew at me with
oper mouth, but seeing her coming l
took of my hat and thrust it at her,
and she Bit her teeth into it. | then
collared her with the right hand at the
back Of the neck and dragged her
down into the lower partition of the
cage. However, when I was going to
fetch her ont she reared her head for
another attack. then made a cautious
movement forward; at the same mo-
ment she darted her head at me. l
met the second attack with my hat in
the same way. as l did the first. l
then got hold of her by the back Of the
neck, but | found, to my horror, that
/ couldn't let her go, as all at once she /
coiled herself around my legs
"By good forth ne one of my assist
ants was standing near. / called for
him and he came cushing up to me,
knowing by the sobnd of my voice that 4
there was something very dreadful the .
matter, and so indeed there was, for | ,
saw it was going to be fight for life /
or death. However, [ kept perfectly
cool and gave the or der to my assist
ant to t,y and uncoil the serpent, which
he attempted to do As we'll as he pos
sibly could. also damaged to with
draw my legs from hFr coils. Then l
dropped, holding h9r tight all the
time, as l was determined to get her
into the box, and didn't want to have
allthat trouble for nothing, continued