Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1897-05-12
A cANNIBAL BLACK SNAKE.

While hunting in the Orpuche dis
Srict of Trinidad, says a writer in
the New Orleans Times Democrat,
made my way into the richest part
OF the tropical forest, where clear
ing several acres in extent was be-
ing made preparatory to the plant
ing of new cacao estate.
In the middle of this clearing, sur
rounded by the dark walls Of the
primeval woodland on every side,
was an "ajoupa, = or field hut, con-
sisting of roof of palm leaves
mounted on posts. Beneath this the
negro overseer had swung his ham
mock, and there swung mine also,
regardless of the vampires which
every night fitted in and out at their
pleasure. Into the surrounding
woods and along the adjacent river
bank made my daily hunting ex-
petitions.
One day in the thicket near the
river caught young black and
white tiger snake (spilotes vari-
abilis) and put him into the usual
linen bag, hoping to find others be-
fore sunset to keep him company.
Hungry and fatigued, was return
ing unsuccessful in the evening with
only the tiger snake to console me.
just as was about to come out of
the woods into the clearing stepped
into thicket of young palms to rec
onnoiter. Seeing nothing from
where l stood, moved out into the
open, making my way over the great
trunks lying PROSTATE across my
route. Coming to one of these of I'M
usually big diameter, climbed upon
it and was about to jump down on
the other side when I noticed long
black snake slowly making his way
among the clods and bits of charred
branches with which the ground
was strewn I at once rushed at
him, pinned down his head with my
stick and took hold of his neck. He
was surprise. / had never seen the
like of him in Trinidad. He was
jet black colubrine snake and with
out loreal shield-a telltale head
plate, the absence of which marks
the deadly elapide. I pried open his
jaws, but found that he was not an
elaps, for he had no fangs, but four
rows of teeth in the upper jaw.
There was, however, a red spot in
the upper gums almost under the eye
in each of the upper teeth rows.
Perhaps this is something entire
ly new, " thought I to myself, as
joyfully slowed him away in the
bag with the tiger snake and con-
tinued my course toward the hut.
After supper the overseer and
chatted and smoked for some time
and then threw ourselves into our
hammocks he to dream of wood
cutting and of snake hunting. The
snake bag was hanging under the
caves of the sajoupa' SO as to be
we'll out of the way and safe from
any animal that during the night
might wander in from the woods It
must have been somewhere about 2 |
o'clock in the morning when voice
from my neighbours hammock
aWoke me.
Get up, " said he, "and light the
lamp. There's surely something
wrong with those snakes There
has been great scrapping and hiss
ing in the bag for the past half
hour"
Springing up and lighting the
lamp, I took down the bag and open
ed it. The negro was right; some
thing was wrong. The black snake,
my new discovery, was in the act of
swallowing my tiger snake. Indeed,
he had him already half swallowed,
and this must have taken consider
able time, for the tiger snake was at
least 5 feet long and fully as thick
as the black one. Wishing to save
my tiger snake, shook them both
out on the floor and made the swal-
lower disgorge. Then put him back
in the bag, but the tiger snake was
dead. How the other had killed him
/ was unable to learn, but he was
evidently a cannibal snake, and
could store no more snakes in the
bag with him.