The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-25
THE MALAY'S SNAKE.

One hot morning in June we anchored
off Belize. From the masthead watched
the fish in the drifting gulf weed, not no.
ticing tar bucket hanging near me till
swell struck the ship and my head struck
the bucket and dashed the tar all over my
white duck suit.
The "slop chest''-a cask containing
clothing which the seamen me allowed to
purchase at any time-being empty, I
could hope for no assistance from that
quarter, and SO there was no alternative
left me except that of wearing my tar
daubed' suit until I could wash, rinse
and dry-a labor at which, to tell the
truth, I was never very expert-the clothes
in the washeub.
AS many of my shipmates would have
done under similar circumstances-in fact,
after the manner Of mankind at large-I
bestowed a number of wrathful blows and
a number of forcible expletives upon the
poor bucket, as if that was to blame and
should be punished for the accident which
was the result of my own carelessness.
When 1 was relieved from the masthead
I descended to the deck in no very pleasant
frame Of mind, and rolling up my shirt
slesves made my way directly to the tub
in which I had left my clothes
A Malay, man of go, with a long face
and nose and small, twinkling black
eyes, sat upon the windlass bit watching
me in such a peculiar manner that stop
ped, thinking he wished to say something
to me.
He turned aside his head, however, as
our glances met and looked to leeward.
He and were not on very good terms,
al I had interfered on the previous day to
prevent him from pounding our little cabin
boy s head with a crowbar. He had sworn
eternal enmity'' to me from that moment,
and doubted not that he would seek to
injure me before we quilted the ship.
\
ion.
Look out for him." he had said
"Check is viper and may try to poison
you with some of those curious liquids
looked up in his chest
Never fear, " had answered. 81 shall
keep a sharp lookout"
could not help shuddering, however,
as thought Of the singular and horrible
curiosities in my enemy's chest.
He had been a juggIer in his native coun-
try, and the trunk contained, among other
things, several bleached skulls, a number
of poisoned arrows and large bottle in
which were three or four small spotted ser
pents.
AYE. aye, he's a singular fellow, this
Check" I now muttered as 1 moved on
toward the tub. What could have been
the meaning of that curious look he gave
me? Thsre was a treacherous, malicious
sparkle in that eye Of his which did not
fancy"
So saying, stopped over the tub and
was about to thrust my arms in it, when
was prevented by the voice of the captain.
$50 it was you, was it, that's been a.
wasting all that ere water" he cried.
"Glad I caught you. Jest take Check and
another and the yawl and reokonoyster the
shore for some fresh water, and don't be all
day about it!'
There was no use of my attempting to
explain that it was salt water that I had
used for my additions The tanks were
empty and the skipper had evidently been
waiting to set upon somebody.
And I was the unhappy fellow picked
out to row along shore in the hot sun TO
sniff out spring.
1 had some work to get chum to go
with me, but the lanky Malay jumped at
the offer.
We searched along shore for good
while and yet had spied no fresh water
pouring into the bay. The season was
against US.
At last we came near getting aground,
thanks to the swell that was rising, when,
as had the boat hook in hand, and my
mate his oar, the Malay sitting on the
thwart doing nothing, the latter began
whistling between his teeth.
Now, it is all very well for man to take
his ease when he can, but when he won't
be satisfied with that, but whistles over it
tauntingly, it provokes a man.
So I turned round, going to ''talk to
him like father when, whishl some
thing long and horrible darted by the side
of my head, and my mate tumbled back
asteFn.
That action of mine had saved my good
for nothing life, for the Malay had whis-
tied the snake out OF the covert, and
stood in it's line of motion.
As it was, my messmate' 8 STUN bling aft
caused him TO lose his balance and fall
backward into the boat
Never shall I forget the wild, horrible
cry that burst from his lips he quickly
lifted his head from the bilge in which it
had been submerged
He tossed his arms wildly about, started
to his feet and a nom ent after fell with
ing in strong commissions.
'Why, confound you, what is the matter
with your exclaimed my mate, but drew
back cry of terror bursting from his lips.
There lay the unfortunate Malay, with
protrrding tongue, bursting eyeballs and
livid countenance, rolling over and over
and vainly striving to disengage from his
neck a deadly snake which had coiled
about it and was now darting with forked
tongue it's venomous poison into his flesh.
The struggles of the unfortunate man
were of brief duration, and while and my
companion hacked and pounded the serpent
to pieces the death rattle sounded in the
victims throat and with one farewell gasp
he rolled over on his back and expired.
My mate, Tom Squid, now threw his
hands around my neck.
you have had very narrow escape, !"
said he, land / will praise the high ad-
miral all my life for saving you as he has
done -
$50 ought I, Tom,' said L ''It certain
II was lucky that my turning round to
jaw the beggar was the means of sparing
me from the doom he lured on himself. -
The big snake was brought aboard, and
/ every one had his stare at it, when 1T was
tossed over the side, after which the re-
Z mains of the Malay were consigned to the