Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-11-19
THE CITIZEN .
The Serpents OF Java.

4 corresnondeut of the Illustrated
Family Newspaper relates the following
regarding the venomous snakes in Java;
The limbo sugar estate in Java COM
prises over !, 900 acres, about one third
of which is in cane. This is one OF the
most densely wooded parts OF Java, and
the bush is like a wall, impervious even
to many wild animals, but snakes Hour
ish. and there are no less than ten varle-
ties that are deadly poisonous. Eight OF
of the coolies employed on this estate
have died inside of four months from
snake bites The chain viper IS most
dreaded, as it will not get out OF ones
yyav. and when trodden on by the bare
footed natives strikes fatally. Twelve
mi es away is the ruined city OF Choru,
wilderness of temples built OF stone, cut
in designs as fine rs lacework. On the
north side of these buildings are long
arched passages, and here wild animals
resort to get out of the heat. Leading
from these avenues are hundreds OF small
chambers having no windows. In these
lurk more snakes than can be found any
where else in the island.
1t is not surprising that the eastern ma
tions look upon Englishrnen as lunatlcs,
they do so many foolish things from no
apparent motives save to risS their IVeS.
Two wears ago an English naval lieuten-
ant was here visiting nelghborlng plan
ter. and his peculiar craze was making
collection of Javan reptiles. His on y
attendant was an English sailor LAD ABOUT
sixteen, and these two, against all warn-
ing, went roaming around the lorests
without a guide In Choru, the ruined
citv, the lieut. enant found rlch harVes,,
and killed a magnificent black yaguar,
but an adventure with snake ended MS
sport. One day lie and the boy were
under ore of the long archways OF the
big temple, and, looking through the
doorway of one of the dark chambers,
saw something yellow in the tar corner.
Without a moments thought he entered
and gave the mass 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 huge Darl snake, the
most aggressive and dangerous OF our con-
strictors. His left shoulder was crushed
in the brute's teeth, and quick as flash
a coil was aroInd his body, and he felt
the steel-like compression.
But the grit of the boy saved his mas
ter's life. He had heavy, sharp knife,
and he struck the reptile two heavy
blows lust back of the head, the most
vulnerable part of the body, because the
thinnest. Its backbone was divided.
The coil relaxed, but the powerful tai
lashed out, breaking the boys leg. 1t
was two hours before they were found
and brought up in cart. The heuten-
ants shoulder was crushed beyond snr-
gerry, and the arm was useless. Both mas
ter and boy recovered after a spell OF
fever. l saw the snake, hidious object,
black and yellow, and fifteen feet long.
Such brute would crush horse.
Cunning one day near the WASH River
in the interior Of the island, watched a
number of wild hogs coming TO the water
to drink. suddenly the head OF snake
rose above the grass and hog squealed.
A python had siezed a full grown one,
easily three feet high at the shoulder, and
was throwing two coils around the body.
Under the tremendous pressure the hog
seemed to lengthen, and when the snake
uncoiled l saw only strip of meat, moth
ing distinguishable but the head. l
shot the snake. 1t was over II feet long
and inches through and yet its coils
had crushed the bones of its prey like
chips. There is no doubt that hidden
away in vast swamps of the interior are
many anacndas of enormous size. Parties
have been made up to hunt them, but the
malarious climate drives them back. In
TIE museum at Batavia Is the skin OF a
serpent that must have been fifty feet
long when living. Such brute would
kill a II an as easily as it would a rabbit.