The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-03-10
MAN AGAINST BOA.
A Remarkable Duel Fought in Central
America.

A Remarkable Duel Fought in Central
America.
A Newark engineer who served on
the engineering corps employed in
the construction OF the Nicaragua
Canal, and is home IN IA sort OF IA fur
Tough, recently told the story Of u
duel with a boa constructor by a fell
low engineer. Life in the canal
country is dreary, and various
schemes are resorted TO in order TO
relieve the monotony. One Of the
party stated one evening that he
could kill Il boa single-handed. The
rest Of the crowd tried to convince
him he was wrong. but he stuck TO
the assertion. Finally, ii handsome
bet was made that he could not de-
spatch IA boa alone if the deadly rep
tile was in its natural condition. The
young engineer promptly accepted
the terms OF the wager.
The next day "A gang Of natives
were sent into the forest to find Il
boa. They continued their search
for some time and finally came upon
Just the article they were looking
for. 1t was II wcll-grOwn specimen
Of the boa species, fully fifteen feet
long. II had eaten heartily II few
days before it was discovered and it
was therefore torpid. 1t was cap
turcd without difficulty and taken
back to camp. 1t was deposited in Il
room, where it was securely bound
and then left until its sleep should be
over. The young engineer who was
to meet the undulous monster of the
forest in IA duel to the death, repent
ed Of his rash bargain many times,
but he never let any one know, and
was dead game, . as the saying
goes, from first to last. Boas often
remain in torpor for three weeks, and
it was nearly a fortnight before the
pinioned snake showed signs Of re-
turning activity. The engineers then
appointed Il night for the combat,
and the young man who vas to face
the serpent went into active training.
II had been stipulated that his only
weapon was to be II knife, and the
young man relied on his clear brain,
iron nerve, and supple wrist to carry
him through the encounter in safety.
When work was OF the APP
pointed day those who were i'm the
secret entered the room and pro-
cccded to cut the ropes with which
the serpent was bound. 1t had been
coiled up and several bands placed
about it. These were all severed but
one, and the snakes opponent IN.
tered while his companions beat a
haSty retreat TO safe coignS of van
tage from which to watch the strange
battle and to give SuccOr in II last ex-
tremity. The young engineer was
lightly clad and carried in his right
hand ii long knife, highly ground and
sharpened. The monster, half fam
ishcd rs il was, was in Il most angry
humor, and its horrid head oscillat-
ing to and fro with distended jaws
and viciously shining, beady eyes
must have made the young mans
flesh creep. He strobe straight up to
the boa, and with IA lightning stroke
cut the remaining band that bound
it. He jumped back the instant the
stroke had fallen with the celebrity OF
n tiger cat, but his swiftness vas snail
like compared with that OF the SER
pent. Quicker than thought the boa
descended upon his enemy. Before
the man could move the snake had
fallen upon his arm, had wound it's
way up its entire length and was Bit
ing Mt his shoulder.
The arm around which the snake
had wound itself was the young fell
lows knife arm. Luckily the hand
TO transfer the knife to the other
hand, but summoned all his power
and cut at the coil Of the serpent
nearest his pinioned hand. 1t vas a
splendid stroke, n backward cut. and
it was clean through the body. The
upper portion of the Shiny coil
dropped to the floor and the intrepid
engineer had won his bet. The entire
contest lasted but a few seconds, and
so quickly did it pass that the breath
less onlookers scarcely realized what
had happened. The young man was
pretty thoroughly exhausted. His
shoulder was quite badly lacerated
by the teeth of the snake. The
strangest part of the episode was that
the young mans arm was lame fol
weeks. and all its length was a spiral
black and blue where the snake had
encircled it. = Pittsburg Dispatch.
a Aunap Eox-Trap