The Washington times., 1894-06-12
BOAS IN A DEADLY COMBAT
Exciting Duel for Nate in Brazilian
Forest.
STORY THAT RIVALS ED. MOTT
Enormous Snakes Fight 10 tho Death, and the
Trees in the Neighborhood Are Filled with
Chattering and scresching Monkeys.
Clever sparring for an Opening.

'Brazil is the home OF the most gigantic
boa constructors in the world" said Henry
Closer, of Metropolis, Ohio, the professional
museum managers throughout the country as
''Big Doc" and "Old Dollar Foot" that
being his market price for ordinary snakes.
"on my last trip to Brazil after snakes l
didn't meet with the success expected to,
but 1 brought back one Of the best snake
stories, 1 think, that ever came from that land
Of serpents.
"Boas. both male and female, often tight
f1ercely over prey that one snake has cap
tured and which another one covets, and at
certain seasons of the year deadly conbats
between male boas are frequent. the fight be-
ing over the possession OF female for a
mate. It was sight such as this that wit
messed one day in the depths OF q Brazilian
forest. l wasn't out after snakes that day,
either. II had gone prepared to capture
boas on that occasion should have bagged
two Of the biggest snakes that ever came
from Brazil or any other land of snakes.
"I was out taking business look around
after some rare specimens of monkeys. had
chased q choice long-tailed fellow up tree
and was trying my wtles on him when was
startled by loud Kissing sound that came
from another part of the forest like gust OF
wind escaping from some narrow space.
looked in the direction of the sound, and, to
nv surprise, saw two enormous boas on the
ground. locked together, and writhing and
twisting In such a desperate struggle that big
punches of leaves were sent flying about in
the air as II they had been disturbed and
lifted by whrlwind.
..Then il was that groaned aloud and met
aphorically kicked myself because had not
gone forth loaded for snake for would have
corraled both of those gigantic serpents be-
fore they knewit.
"There are many varieties Of monkeys in
the Brazilian forests, and every one OF them
is toothsome morsel to the boa. Usually
person may know that one OF these great
reptiles has come to hunt In the woods by the
wild scampering OF all kinds OF monkeys
through the trees, flying from possible cap
ture by the boa At the same time, there must
be a peculiar fascination to these monkeys In
fight between boas, for this particular bat
tie had not been going on three minutes be-
fore the trees all around the spot were filed
with monkeys, chattering and screaming
enough to make steam calliope player jeal-
Gus.
"With the snake fight off Of the bills. this ag-
gregation of monkeys would have been the
greatest show on earth to me. but 1t wasn't
anywhere near In 1t with the fight.
''The fierce struggle on the ground lasted
Ave minutes, and then the boas suddenly sep
arated. One serpent glided to alarge tree near
by and went up its trunk like spiral flash OF
lightning. The other snake flashed in the
same way up into another tree fifteen feet dis
tant from the first one. feared that the fight
had come to an end. because one Of the
90 ha nv nd he nfh fharn IN a
dareSn't.
"But soon saw that was mistaken. The
snakes had hardly settled themselves among
the branches of their respective trees when
the foliage of both trees began to shake and
ouiver as il wind were passing through and
agitating them.
Suddenly each boa. coiling Its tail around
branch high up in its tree, dropped like
plummet toward the ground and hung at full
length, its head raised but a few inches above
the ground. For moment their great bodies
swayed to and fro like slowly moving pendu-
lums Their eyes glIttered like fire. Then
each serpent drew itself quickly half its length
above the ground. Like an arrow each head
shot forward, and instantly the two enormous
reptiles were locked in each others coils like
immense cables twisted together.
.'Up and down, to and fro. the writhing
mass moved in quick undulation, each ser
pent struggling for an opening that would
place the other at q disadvantage. Their
forked tongues darted in and out of their
mouths like Jets of fame, and their Kissing
was incessant.
1.-THE troops Of chattering monkey specta-
tors had been joined by hundreds of harsh
voiced but brilliantly plumed birds, which
flew frantically about, and added their excited
cries to the deafening monkey chorus.
1.-The desperate mid-air struggle between
the boas continued for several minutes, when
they separated again as suddenly as they had
rushed together, and each drew itsely back
among the branches of its tree. For two or
three minutes the snakes lay quietly, each
glaring AT the other.
Suddenly in one OF the trees hiss like es-
Gaping steam was heard, and the boa in that
tree shot his great length toward the ground
again. The challenging hiss was an
swered by one still louder from the other boa
and it flashed down to its former position and
confronted its foe. The boas did not rush to-
gether at once. One would strike at the other
with the rapidity of lightning.
with equal quickness that one would
avoid the rush by lodging to one side or the
other and instantly make counter attack.
This interesting sparring match lasted for at
least five minutes, when one of the snakes
drew itself two or three feet above the other
and made quick downward feint. Its an
tagonist ducked its head lower to avoid the
stroke, and that movement was fatal The
upper boa darted on down, and SO quickly
was Its deadly intention carried out that /
was not aware 1t had been done until saw
the upper snake with three OF its coils around
the lower one.
"There was a dreadful crunching OF bones
and in the twinlillng Of an eye the victorious
snake had drawn the vanquished one three
folds further within its fearful embrace. There
WAS more crunching of bones, and by degrees
the tail Of the defeated serpent uncoiled from
its hold on the branch OF the tree. and at last
the great reptile dropped heavily to the
ground, crushed and lifeless mass. For
moment the victor held the vanQuished in its
coils and then releNed it. The victorious SER
pent glided from iN.ree, moved rapidly sew
eral times around the crushed body OF its life
less foe with loud and angry Kisses, shooting
its red tongue in and out like weaver's shut
tie. Then 1t moved few feet and stopped.
Much to my surprise third boa now ap-
peared on the scene, a magnificent female
specimen. She joined the conqueror in the
late terrible battle. 1 then knew 1t was for
her that the deadly duel had been fought,
and she had been a witness of the combat
from the seclusion of her boudoir in the
tropical thicket. Her actions showed tina