The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-06-27

gantic boa constructors in the world"
said Henry Closer Of Metropolis. o., the
professional snake hunter and dealer
known TO circus and museum managers
throughout the country as big Doc''
and "Old Dollar Foot" that being his
market price for ordinary snakes. ION
my last trip 10 BAIL after snakes ]
didn't meet with the success I expected
10, 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
fight iercely over prey that one snake
has captured and which another one
covets, and at certain seasons OF the
year deadly combats between male boas
are frequent. the fight being over the
possession Of a female for a mate. II
was sight such as this that I wit
need one day in the depth Of Brazil
ian forest. I wasn't out after snakes
that day, either. If I had gone prepared
10 capture boas on that occasion I should
have bagged two Of The biggest snakes
that ever came from Brazil or any other
land OF snakes.
Il was out taking a business look
around after some rare specimens of
monkeys. I had chased a choice long
tailed fellow up q tree and was trying
my wiles on him when I was startled
by a loud kissing sound that came from
another part Of the forest like a gust Of
wind esca ping from some narrow space
l looked in the direction OF the sound.
and. to my surprise. saw two enormous
boas on the ground. locked together. and
writing and twisting in such a desper-
ate struggle that big punches Of leaves
were sent flying about in The air as II
they had been disturbed and lifted by a
whiIlWind.
Then it was that groaned aloud and
mctaphorically kicked myself because I
had not gone forth loaded for snake.
for / would have corralled both Of those
gigantic serrentS before they knew fl.
There are many varieties of monkeys in
the Brazilian forests and every one II
them Is a tOothsCr1c morscl 70 the boa.
Usually a person may know that one II
these great reptiles has come 20 hunt
in the woods by the wild sc1mpering II
all kinds Of monkeys through the trees,
flying from possible capture by the boa.
At the same time, there must be a pecu-
liar fascination to these monkeys in 4
fight between boas, for this particular
battle had not been going on three min
utes before the trees all around the spot
were filled with monkeys, chattering and
screaming enough 10 make steam
calliope player jealous.
with the snake fight off the bills,
this aggregation Of monkeys would have
been the greatest show on earth TO me,
but II wasn't anywhere near in Il with
the fight.
The fierce struggle on the ground
lasted five minutes and then the Doas
suddenly separated. One serpent glided
to a large tree near by and went up its
trunk like a spiral flash Of lightning.
The other snake flashed in the same way
up into another t1Se fifteen feet distant
from the first ore. / feared that the
fight had come 10 an end. because one OF
the snakes seemed to be afraid and the
other one 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 CULVER as IL a wind
We're passing through and agitating
them.
Suddenly each boa, coiling its tail
around a 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
10 and fro like slowly moving pendulums.
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
l
ing mass moved in quick undulation.
each serpent struggling for an opening
tina would place the other at a diSad-
vantage. Their foTked tongues darted
i'm and out Of their mouths like jets OF
flame and their Kissing was incessant.
THE troops of chattering monkey spec
tators had been joined by hundreds OF
hcrsh-v diced but brilliantly plumed birds,
which flew franticaly about and added
their excited cries TO the deafening mon
key chorus.
''The desperate mid-air struggle be-
tween the boas continued for several
minutes. when they separated again as
suddenly as they had rushed together,
and each drew itself 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 a hiss
like escaping steam was heard. and the
boa in that tree shot his great length
toward the ground again. The chaileng-
ing hiss was answered by one still louder
from the other boa. and il flashed down
to its former position and confronted IS
foe The bOas did not rush together at
once One would strike at the other
with the rapidity OF lightning.
with equal ouickness that one would
avoid the rush by lodging 10 one side or
the other and instantly make counter
attack. This interesting sparring match
lasted for at least five minutes when ons
of the snakes drew itself two or three
feet above the other and made QUICK
downward feint. Its antagonist ducked
its head lower to avoid the stroke, and
that movement was fatal. The upper
boa darted on down, and 50 quickly was
it's deadly intention carried out that l
was not aware il had been done until L
saw the upper snake with three or its
coils around the lower one.
There was a dreadful crunching OF
homes and IN the twinking Of an eye the
victorious snake had drawn the van
ouished one three folds further within its
fearful embrace There was more crunch
ing of bones. and by degrees the tan of
the defeated serpent uHcoiled from its
hold on the branch of the tree, and at
last the great reptile dropped heavily 10
the ground. a crushed and lifeless mass.
Fer q moment the victor held the van-
otisbed in its coils and then released il.
The victorious serpent glided from its
tree moved rapidly several times around
the crushed body Of It's hfeless foe with
loud and angry Kisses, shooting its red
tongue in and out like a weaver's shut
tie. Then it moved a few feet and
stopped.
"Much to my surprise a third boa now
appeared on the scene, a magnificent
female specimen. She Joined the con-
oueror in the late terrific battle. I then
knew it was for her that the deadly duel
had been fought, and she had been a wit
ness of the combat from the seclusion OF
her boudoir in the tropical thicket Her
actions showed that she was pleased with
the result, and she glided away with
the massive winner of her favor and dis
appeared with him in the forest. their
dena rture being followed by a deafening