The state herald., 1894-06-01
THE TERRIBLEKH
A SNAKE TEN TIMES MORE
DEADLY THAN THE COBRA.
Under the Spell Of the brown Death
Startling Experience 6f . Gentleman
In Burmsh-saved by tho Firm Hand
Of = Native Servant.

l was living in the town OF Akyab,
which is very old English port In
Burmah, and among other men
there l knew and had business with
q native born but Christian man
named MordaL One day he came to
me and asked mo to go over to some
he had on q neighboring
island. He had been having some
trouble about boundaries and wanted
me to give him an unbiased opinion.
We started in o sail boat about IL
o'clock and got to his place about 4.
He and ! got out Of the boat and
went up to small bungalow no had
built on posts about six to ten feet
from the ground, and consis ting Of
simply the floor. the roof. and some-
times walls run up six or seven feet.
There is no ceiling and nothing over
head but tho roof. which Is made OF
bamboo and matched with leaves
from the toddy plant
We were sitting on the veranda,
the roof Of which was not more than
five or six feet from our heads.
Mordai was talking to mo about the
boundary. and I had become quite
interested In some maps he had In
his lap While engaged In examin-
ing them felt something fall and
strike my shoulder. rose quite
slowly, still talking to Mordai, and
turned about to 500 what was In my
chair, thinking that perhaps a piece
OF bamboo had been blown down by
the wind. AS turned my back was
toward Mordai and I was struck mo.
tionless by hoarse "For Gods sake.
don't move, sahib!" From the hor-
ror in his voice l know as we'll as II
l could see 1t that O cobra or khor-
lite, equally deadly and moro numer-
GUS In that part, was on my shoulder.
l stood perfectly motionless, for I
knew that tho snake, being aroused
now, would strike II he felt the
least movement. Cold perspiration
stood out on my forehead.
and set my teeth hard
and waited. It was a toss-up. l
knew; either deliverance, and that
speedily, or tho sharp, singing
punctures in my mock or head. and
then-death. Every minute seemed
an age. My suspense was the moro
terrible because l could not SEQ my
enemy, and so could not tell tho mo-
ment he would strike. Time will
never efrace the memory OF that
death wait from my mind. In the
chair, shrivoled and gastly, his hol
low. half-glazed eyes staring at mo
with tho helpless, fascinated gaze OF
q bird half in the tolls OF serpent,
huddled MordaL His white. blood
less lips moved spssmodically. as
over ana over no repeated in dread
whisper: God! the brown death. l
then know 1t was n khorite, Cling
ing to my shoulder was snake ten
times more malignant and merciless
than cobra. and just US deadly
"the brown death"-of the natives,
q reptile which 1t has been said II a
man were TO gaze for any length Of
time into its eyes ho would become
insane. Unlike all other creatures,
1t has no pupil to Its eye-nothiug
but q brown mass OF malignity.
/ do not know how long II was.
but 1t seemed an eternity Of time
that stood thus. At last tho swing
ing Madrsssi song Of tho boatmen
carrying tho stun broke on my cars
like song Of deliveranco. Dull and
monotonous IL had seemed to mo
often enough. but now II sounded
like tho sweetest music ever carolcd.
Their singing seemed TO rouse
Mordai from his trance-llko stupor.
and staggering out no grasped my
faithful servant. Emir-Alli. by the
shoulder. and with his loan. bony
finger pointed toward me. No need
OF explanation for Emir-AllL Ny
heart gave u throb Of Joy when I
saw his supple, careless form
straightcn up and his black eyes
glisten with the light I had seon in
them before In time OF deadly peril.
Twice before had We fronted death
together and his heart had not
faltcrcd. Even now ! SEQ him as he
stood Just outside the vcranda, ono
OF tho few natives q white man had
trusted, and met trust for trust and
loyalty ever
Discarding his gaudy jacket and
gathering up his doto tight about his
hips. so that his sinewy limbs
cleaned like those OF statue. he set
his square white teeth and Kissed
through thcm nm invocation to Allah.
Grasping tho dab In his powerful
hand no stole as silently and Is
swiftly toward mo a. tho vcnomous
creature on my back might have
done had he been making the attack.
Poised aloft was tho glittcring steel.
for we'll he know the snake would
kecp his cyo on tho cleaning blade.
and there would DO no movement TO
disturb him till tho downward rush.
and thcn-ahl who could sayp Allah
would strengthen his hand and d.
rect the odgo OF tho blade and kis-
mot would be.
For second no stood close beside
me. | might have touched him.
His fierce black oyos cleaned on tho
snake. know no wns drawing tho
snakes attention from tho sword TO
himself. could feel tho slight VI
bra.ion again and know that tho
snake was preparing TO strike.
And thcn-liko Hash Of lightning
wont the blade past my cyos-a Kissed
Allah driven through clonchcd
teeth. penetrated my half stupcHod
senses
! felt n rush OF something down my
back. and not knowing whether tho
snake had been cut In two or missed.
] tottcrcd toward chair. ] had not
taken step before Emlr-Alll'a strong
arms wcro about mo and with tears
Of Joy In his big lustrous eyes, tho
poor fellow was saying. God Is
great "