The morning news., 1894-09-30
Revenge and Gratitude.


1t was in the West Indies, in the Island of
Martinique, where snakes OF the most deadly
description abound. says a writer in the Bos-
ton Globe. / was acting as ganger in charge
OF DIacR laDorers on one OF the largest plan
Among the men was huge negro. recently
imported from the Guinea coast 1 had
caught him sEulking one morning. and threat
ened that II ever l found I'm again doing so
would have HIM locked I'd and put on re-
stTlcted diet At this he flung down the hoe
do my worst
1t was critical moment II I allowed this
man 10 set me at defiance my influence over
dermined.
Pick up thathoe, you hound" Numbered,
"or II shoot"
The man was thoroughly cowed, aud, turn
ing sullenly 10 his work, he continued his
hoelng lndustrously, and l had no further
cause 10 complain.
Twice did catch him stealing up steaIthily
Dehlnd me ana third time l found him con
cealeu beneath the bed in my sleeping cabin.
AT this took him before the Overseer, a
uesperado-Hke frenchman, one of whose
maXlms was that the only way to rule men
was to shoot them a the first signs OF insub-
ordlnatlon. When told him what had taken
place he had the negro led out to the shed at
the back of the house. where there was a
natter hanging from lean in the roof with
a slip moose IN it, as though ready prepared
Tor use as a gallOWS.
See that. Diego. If any harm happens to
the ganger here, or If he goes missing and we
can lind him, we shall hang you up here by
the neck I'LL you We kicked yourself to death
him. "
On the afternoon of the day following my
interview with the Overseer I was sitting at
the stables seeing my horse attended to- when
my attention was attracted to Diego, coming
from the nelghCorhoOd of a marshy Jungle
ol trees IOtty or nifty yards away from the
factory and residential cabins
lin
ground, which on closer examination proved
to be the body OF a terrible poisonous snake,
the Fer de lance.
To my surprise. instead OF making toward
thc la0Orers quarters, after looking stealth
lly round to assure himself that he was not
observed, he entered my own sic sping cabin
draEglng the serpent IN after him through
the open window.
These serpents live in pairs. and If one of
them Is killed and its body taken away the
survivor, when it awakes to activity in the
hlghttall, viii follow along the course its
mat has been taken and in this way will
otten travel to great distances.
FROM where | was standing l could see in
through the open window. AS had expected,
placed 1t upon my bed.
=. Then lifting it carefully, so that no part of
u any longer touched the ground, he carried
1t away and concealed il in the shed where
the oVerseer had shown him the gallows rope.
Wnen the oVerSeer heard my statement he
Immediately ordered Diego to be arrested
ana placed in captivity in the very shed in
Whl n he has concealed the body OF the ser
pent.
The moon had risen soon after sunset. and
II was not long before we could see d stinctly
the Jungle.
1t came with its head raised high in the air,
ana SWaylng from side to side, as though il
were looking for its mate.
Quickly it advanced until it reached the
open window. For moment it paused here
us head thrust through the window Then
It's coll heightened out, and QuiCsly, stealth
| ny the ghstenlng, Shiny monster glided into
the room.
The horror of what would have occurred
but for my fortunate catching sight of the
negro as he brought the snake from the
jungle was upon us all, when suddenly we
were startled at seeing the snake again issue
from the hut
This time it came through the doorway
and by the pace at which it was travelling il
seemed as though it was still following some
definite track.
suddenly we realized where the snake was
going. Although the boay Of its mate had
not touched the ground when 1t was carried
from the hut, the live snake was still follow
ing upon its scent.
AS have said, Diego. the negro was con-
fined In the she d, and. seeing the danger tO
MIN, raised my rifle to nre and kill it before
II could enter. AS did so. however, the over.
seer caught the barrel Of the rife, saying:
What are you doing: The snakes all
| right it's going into the shed"
| But Diego 1 gasped, 1.-The negro 1t viii
| attack him and kill him."
II 1t does, so much the worse for Diego
! He II be peppered with his own sauce"
| Iwrenched free the rifle but it was too late
! The serpent had already disappeared within
| the shed. l ran forward at full speed in
! tending to unlock the door and, II possible tC
! save the unfortunate man, but even as / ran
| a cry OF terror and agony rang out and knew
/ that / was too late.
! 1 broke the serpents back with blow from
| the butt end OF my rifle and dispatched 1t
| with bullet moment later
Then, turning to Diego. 1 cut the flesh away
| from that part OF his thigh which had been
| bitten, and with what little knowledge Of sur
! gerry l possessed. bound up the wound and
| stanched the flow Of tl)od. His giant consti
| tuition enabled him to stand what would have
! killed an ordinary man. and his gratitude tC
me, whom he regarded as having saved his
! life was as strong IS his former resentment
had been, and more than once on subsequent
occasions did l owe my life to his faithful
| service.