The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-07-05
A DEADLYCOMBAT.
Exciting Duel Between BOas for Mate in
Brazilian Forest.

| BRAZILIAN Forest
Brazil is the home of the most gigantic
boa constructors in the world" said Henry
Closer, of Metropolis, O., the professional
snake-bunter and dealer, known to circus
and museum managers throughout the
country as Big Doc and odd Dollar-a-
Foot that being his market price for ordi-
nary snakes. "On my last trip to Brazil
after snakes didn't meet with the success
| 1 expected to, but l brought back one of the
best snake stories, I think, that ever came
from that land of serpents.
| Boas, both male and female, often fight
| fiercely over prey that one snake has captured
| and another one cOvets, and at certain sea-
| sons of the year deadly combats between
| male boas are frequent, the fight being over
the possession of female for mate. 1t
was q sight such as this that / witnessed
one day in the depths of Brazilian forest.
/ wasn't out after snakes that day either.
If 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.
/ was ont taking a business look around
after some rare specimens of monkeys. l
had chased a choice long tailed fellow up
tree, and was trying my wiles On him, when
1 was startled by loud Kissing sound that
gust of wind escaping from some narrow
space. / looked in the direction of the
sound, and, to my surprise, saw two enor-
nous boas on the ground, locked together,
and writhing and twisting in such desper-
ate struggle that big punches of leaves were
sent flying about in the air as if they had
been disturbed and lifted by whirlwind.
Then it was that ] groaned aloud and
metaphorically kicked myself because | had
not gone forth loaded for snake, for / would
have corralled both of those gigantic SER
pents before they knew it.
There are many varieties of monkeys in
the Brazilian forests, and every one of them
is tOothsome morsel to the boa. Usually
a 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 capt
ure by the boa. At the same time there
must be peculiar fascination to these mon
keys in fight between boas, for this par
ticular battle had not been going on three
minutes before the trees all around the spot
were filled with monkeys chattering and
screaming enough to make a steam calliope
player jealous. sff
With the snake fight off of the bills, this
aggregation Of monkeys would have been
the greatest show On earth to me, but it
wasn't anywhere near it with the fight
The fierce struggle on the ground lasted
five minutes and then the boas suddenly
separated. One serpent glided to q 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
tree. Is feet distant from the first oDe
feard that the fight had come to an end, be-
cause one of the snakes seemed to be afraid
aud the other one dsresn't.
But l soon saw, that I 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 quiver as if a wind were passing
through and agitating them.
Suddenly each boa, coilng its tail around
branch high up in the tree dropped like
plummet toward the ground, and hung at
full length, its head raised but few inches
above the ground. For moment their
great bodies swayed to 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.
"Up and down, to and fro, the writhing
mass moved in quick undulation, each ser
pent struggling tor an opening that would
place the other at a disadvantage. Their
forked tongues darted in and out of their
mouths like jets of flame, and their Kissing
was incessant.
The troops of chattering monkey specta-
tors had been joined by hundreds of harsh
voiced but brilliantly plumed birds, which
flew franticaly about, and added their ex-
cited cries to the deafening monkey chorus.
"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
itself back among the branches of it's tree.
For two or three minutes the snakes lay
quietly, each glaring at the other.
Suddenly in one of the trees hiss like
escaping steam was heard, and the boa in
that tree shot his great length toward the
ground again. The challenging hiss was
answered by one still louder from the other
boa, and it flashed down TO its former posi-
ton and confronted its foe. The boas did
not rush together 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 OF the
other, and instantly make a 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. It's 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 it's deadly intention carried out that
was not aware it had been done until / saw
the upper snake with three of its coils around
the lower one.
"There was dreadful erunching of bones,
and in the twinkling of eye the victorious
snake had drawn the yanquished one three
folds further within its fearful embrace.
There was more crupching of bones, and by |
degrees the tail of the defeated serpent un-
coiled from its hold on the branch of the |
tree, and at last the great reptile dropped
heavily to the ground, a crushed and lifeess
mass For moment the victor held the |
vanquished in its coils and then released it. |
The victorious serpent glided from its tree,
moved rapidly several times around the |
crushed body of its Iifeless foe with loud and |
angry misses, shooting its red tongue in and |
out like weaver's shuttle. Then it moved !
few feet and stopped.
Much to my surprise third boa now |
appeared on the scene, magnificent female |
specimen. She joined the conqueror in the
late terrific battle. i then knew it was for |
her that the deadly duel had been fought, |
and she had been o witness 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