The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-25
THE SNAKES OF JAVA.
A Tropical Island Where the Ser
penis Fairly Swarm.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
The Itaho sugar estate in Java com
prises over 1900 acres, about one-third of
which is cane. This is one of the most
densely wooded parts Of Java, and the
bush is like a wall, impervious to even
many wild animals, but snakes flourish.
and there are no less than ten varieties
that are deadly poisonous. Eight of the
coolies employed on this estate have died
inside OF four months from snake bites
The chain viper is most dreaded as 1t will
not get out of ones way, and when trod-
den on by the bare-footed natives strikes
fatally. Twelve miles away is the ruined
city of Choru, a wilderness of temples
built OF stone, cut in designs as fine as
lace work On the north side of all these
buildings are long arched passages, and
here wild animals resort to get out Of the
intolerable heat. Leading from these ave-
nues are hundreds of small chambers
having no windows. In these Turk more
snakes than can be found anywhere else
in the island.
1t is not surprising that the eastern ma
tons look upon Englishmen as lunatics
They do so many foolhardly things from
no apparent motive save to risk their
lives. Two years ago an English naval
lieutenant was here visiting a neighhorin
a collection of Javan reptiles His only at
tendant was an English sailor lad about
10, and these two, against all warning
went roaming around the forests without
a guide. In Choru, the ruined city, the
lieutenant found a rich harvest and killed
magnificent black jaguar, but an adven-
ture with a snake ended his sport One
day he and the boy were under one of the
long archways of the big temple and
/ looking through the doorway of one of the
| dark chambers, saw something yellow in
the far corner. Without a moments
thought he entered and gave the mass a
punch with his cane. A tremendous hiss
that fairly shook the walls was followed
by an assault swift as the leap of a tiger
and the man found himself seized by a
huge Bari snake, the most aggressive and
dangerous of our constructors
His left shoulder was crushed in the
brute's teeth. and quick as a flash a coil
was around his body and he felt the steel
like compression. But the grit of the boy
saved his masters life. He had a heavy
sharp wood knife, and he struck the rep
tile two heavy blows just back Of the
head, the most vulnerable part of it's body
because the thinnest. Its back bone was di-
vided. The coll relaxed, but the powerful
tail dashed out, breaking the boys leg 1t
was two hours before they were found and
brought up in cart. The lieutenant's left
shoulder was crushed beyond surgery and
the arm was useless. Both master and boy
recovered after a spell of fever. 1 saw the
snake, hideous object, black and yellow,
and fifteen feet long. Such a brute would
crush horse
Cunning one day near the WASH river in
the interior of the island, 1 watched a
number Of wild hogs coming to the water
to drink. Suddenly, the head of a snake
rose above the grass, and hog squealed.
a bad 10 f,4If
lily three feet high, at the shoulder and
thrown two coils around the body.
Under the tremendous pressure the hog
seemed to lengthen, and when the snake
uncoiled saw only strip of meat, moth
ing distinguishable but the head. shot the
snake. 1t was twelve feet long and not over
seven inches through, and yet its coils had
crushed the bones of its prey like, chips.
There is no doubt that hidden away in
the vast swamps of the interior are MANY
anacondas of enormous size. Parties have
been made up to hunt them, but the ma
larious climate drives them back. In the
museum at Batavia is the skin of a SER
pent that must have been fifty feet long
when living. Such a brute would kin a
man as easily as II would a rabbit. 1 have
In my possession the jumper and loin-cloth
of coole that had been swallowed by a
boa. The clothes seem to have beeen knott
ed BY hand, so tightly are they rolled. The
only part Of the body found was the lower
Jawbone. All the rest had been digested.
There are certainly people who have
some occult power over snakes. We have
here an Indian eOolie who Is insane from
blow on the head. He Is harmless. ana
yet a terror 20 his countrymen, as he al
ways mas one or more venomous serpsnts
about ms person, and these he viii handle
and gable 10 by the hour. We nave 4
coral snake, bright scarlet, known ~ the
kora. IL a. deadly in ifs bite aud vloious
ln temper fighting 10 the last, yet ln ~
eqsAss esAas y Is infFt ana makes 10