Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-04-26
PLUCKY MONGOOSE.
HOW II vANQUlsHEs THE MOST
DEADLY OF SERPENTS.

.E E.e.. 0@ssE p. @ .-
Description of . Battle Between the Little
Fighter and . Cobra-Courage and Skill
That Ara Unsurpassed-The Most Hor.
rible Of Scenes.
One OF the most interesting and curious
animals known to India Is the mon
goose. Mongooses belong to the weasel
tribe and are the size of half grown cats.
They are dark brown in color and have
long and rather bushy tails. To see them
In the jungles playing with their half dog.
en- young Is n of the most interesting
n entertaining pleasures Of jungle life.
In their wild state they are exceedingly
ttmid and scamper of to their hidden re-
treat at q moments warning. When tax
en- young, they are easily tanned and make
agreeable pets.
'Ehe peculiar trait of this little animal
II It's great antipathy to the whole serpent
tribe. The greatest of interest is always
manifested when it is known that a battle
10 to take place between a n,ongoose and
a cobra. Often Europeans secure a large
cobra, and placing it In an unoccupied
room feed it for several days until 1t is
strong and lively, then Introduce its nat.
ural enemy and watch the terrific conflict.
The mongoose also is not neglected, for
1t must be in as good condition as possible
so as to meet it's adversary with equal ad-
vantage, Both being in excellent condi-
tion. the battle Is announced and never
fails in bringing a large crowd of interest.
ed witnesses
The mongoose is introduced into the
room, and Immediately the most furious
and absorbingly interesting conflict ever
seen commences 1t is usually a deadly
combat and unless interfered with is al
ways SO The serpent seems to know it's
enemy At once it's head is erected ana
hood expanded. Dancing and swaying
from side to side, it advances slowly,
carefully. to give battle. The kissing and
smothered growing and the glittering
eyes and flashing, fiery tongue of the mad
dened reptile is a scene of awful maligni-
ty. The mongOose Is in no way daunted
by the furious anger manifested by it's ter
rible antagonist and stealthily but eau
tiously advances. Watch the beautiful
little fellow All our sympathy is with
friend. See him circle round, seeking
an advantage. But he is met at every
turn by the subtle enemy. If the serpent
strikes the mongoose while it Is on the
ground, which sometimes happens, and
has q chance to turn its head, the deadly
poison Is injected through It's fangs, and
the battle Is over, for now the mongoose
hurriedly seeks ar ven for escape and
will hasten into the jungle, where some
believe it finds an antidote for the poison
unknown to humanity.
But the mongoose rarely allows such an
accident to happen 1t is usually quicker
thon tho cfuil ;r~ covro,% ND of&o> o~&aL..
the head Of its adversary in midair. The
wonderful agility of this animal is mar.
velous. If it gets a good hold of the SER
pent's jaw, then there is a tremendous
tussle. and for a time cobra and mongoose
are indistinguishable as they roll, founder
and struggle. They break away. The
mongoose retreats, gets his wind, while
the serpent seems loath to continue. It
dare not follow any seeming advantage,
for the mongoose never loses courage as
long as it escapes the twisted head of the
serpent, and the serpent's head must twist
before the death dealing power is efectual.
They go in for another round. The
mongoose makes the advance. Again it
goes through a similar movement and
bounds at the head of the serpent. The
serpent strikes, and the mongoose lands
opposite. AS quick as q flash again it
jumps for the serpent's head, infiots a
slight wound and lands just beyond the
lightninglike strike of the serpent and as
quickly turns to the charge, seizing the SER
pent close to the head on the neck. The
serpent for the moment Is pinned to the
ground. 1t lashes it's tail and turns it's
head in every direction, endeavoring to
shake off the plucky mongoose. TIL strug-
gle is desperate and successful, for sud-
denly the mongoose is away out of reach
of its dreadful fangs. Painting and almost
breathless. it rests for more wind on one
side of the room, while the serpent, bleed
ing and almost exhausted, coils itself in
the center.
We wonder if the mongoose is wounded
as with It's tongue it laps the blood off it's
body and curiously examines itself with
it's nose. But see, 1t is all alert; watch it's
beautiful, twinkling eyes. 1t still has all
the marks of cunning mischievousness Pc
culiar to it's species. Again it is ready for
the fray and seeks its enemy. The serpent,
with watchful eyes, would escape if it
were possible. But no such chance is Civ
On. Up goes the bleeding head, sore, wild,
and angry. 1t freely bleeds from mouth
and neck, but it is full of active, venom
GUS life. Oh, that terrible bloody headl
The most horrible of all earthly scenes.
Never shall l forget it, 1t used to disturb
my dreams, and for days was in my wax
ing thoughts.
The mongoose now engages our sympa-
thetic attention. Will it even yet come off
victorious? 1t leaps. misses by a duck,
leaps again and lands this side. Again a
rush; they ave closed. The tumult is
wild. with blood, serpent and mongoose.
We watch with suppressed emotion. The
mongoose has its favorite hold. In the
struggle. quicker thar human eye could
follow, somehow it has caught the serpent
by the jaw and holds 1t close to the ground.
But the serpent has wrapped its folds two
and three times around the body of the
mongoose and is e~ndeavoring to squeeze
by contraction its precious little life away.
Welare almost compelled to rush to its
rescue and remark, sit is all up with the
mongoose." One of the bystanders replies,
"Be patient; the mongoose is all right"
But look. and you can almost hear it's bones
crack as the serpent contracts its black
coils and to crush. The mon.