The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1894-05-17
Fought Win a Boa.

-'N5"t sNtA Doa, tI
a Newark engineer. who served on
the engineering corps employed in The
construction Of the Nicaragua canal and
is now home recently tod the story oil
duel With boa-ci nstruc,orbyafi fellow |
engineer 70 a pittlsburg Dipaick re-
corier. Life IN the canal country Il
dreary, and various schemes are rcsortcd
to IN order TO- gcIicre iiheAmouotony
One Of the party stated one eyening that
be could xiv a bon ainglelmnded. The
res, Of ihe crowd tried 10 convincS Him
that he WAS wrong, but he stuck lathe
assertion. Finely ahandsomc bet was
made that he coall moi dispatch boa
alone ii the deadly reptile was irrils
natural condition. -'''The young engineer
promptly accepted. the terms Of tho
wager = -.
The nest day q gang Of natiycswcre
sent into the forest to find boa. They
continued their search for some time
and finally came upon just the article
they were looking for. II was well
grown specimen Of The boa species, fully
fifteen feet long. It hal eaten heartily
a few days beiose 1t was discovered and
1t was therefore torpid. 1t was captured
without difficulty and taken back to
camp. II was deposited in a room
where il was securely bound and then
left until ita sleep should he over. d
Boas often remain in torpor for three
weeks, and it was nearly fortnight be-
lore the pialoned snake showed signs Of
rcturninguetvity. The engineers then
appointed night for The combat, and
the young man who was TO fac the
scrpant went into active training. Ii
had been stipulated that his only weapon
WAS TO be o knife, and the young man
relied on his clear brain, iron nerve aIN
supple wrist to carry him through the
} encounter ia safety. -.
When the work was over on the DIP
,pointed day., those who we're in ths
n secret entrrst the room ard proceeded
4 to'cut the ropes With which the serpent
0 was hound. /, |. had, been. coiled up and
sev~al- bandsg placed .alost-it..,Tbese
1 fwe:e fllsetered burt one, and,hesnaks's
D opponent entered while his. companiotls
, beat q hasty reireat,to. safe. coigris.of
vantage irem whichto watch ske strange
= battle. aid % give suceor in last
: eStremi,y.. The young engineer was
iig'hly clad'and camiedin his baud a
;. long knife, well shaponcd. ~'Phc nionslei
!. hall iamishcl as it wfsi YVES ina 90
angry, humps, aud IFS horrid I head
oscillating 70 aud fro with disteRdtd
jaws and yiciously SHINING, beady eyes
muat have made the young mons ilesIr
creep. lie strobe straight mp, to the
boa, apd with.a lightning stroke Of bis
knife etthe roihainingbnnd tlrnt bound
: il. lIo jumped back the instant the
blow had fallen with, the celerity o. Q
tiger cat, but lis swiitHsss was snail-like
compared with that q tile serpant
: Quicker than rr0ugrrriss pcrdrcrnact
upon his enemy. Before the man could
= move the snake had fallen upon his arm
I had wound its4Maytp JIG enlfrc length
and was,biiing NJ lis shoullsl. -
y The arm around which the Snake iac
= wound, iIstil 1ty, ihe y6Gug niiin's knif,
z arm. Luc6ily tlle-hRgd aitd wrist wsr'
" free. Heidi NOT wait tos traSsier IN
y knife 10 ilir'o,her hapl -bsbsNtfAniouc,
all his power asa gui g the coil Of th
I acrlant nearest bis pinionod Mind. Il
= was y splendid stroke; backward cut
and It was clean tIirotgll,ihe body. TIL
u upper portiod Of lho Shiny coil dgoppo'
TO tho-loJr and tl,e 'iprelid engihi @
had won HE bet The .eutire conlef
- lasted 'bu. iew aeeopls, aad 50 quiehk
4. did IL pass that The GREATNESS ohlooker
" .scarcelyredlzed What li~i happenod
: The young ihan Gaf putty th6roughl
=, exhausted. lilsshoplder was quite badl
- lacerated by the snake, The stranacs
- pait Of the episode wastI,at the yoon
mans arm was lame for weeks, and a
=, It's length was spiral black and blu
>, where the snake had encircled It,