The times., 1897-04-04
THIS SNAKE OWNED AN ISLAND
Walter Raiston, of the Smithsonian
Institution, Writes How He
(aUtUFPd In.

Miami, Florida, April IA huge BEa-
lillian boa constructor which nas ruled
Black Point Key for q long time mas just
been captured BY Walter Ralston, snake
agent Of the Smithsonian Institution ut
Washington, who came here for the pur-
pose. The snake measured fifteen feet
in length and weighed fully seventy-five
pounds. 1t is supposed 10 have killed
several persons Who landed on Black
Point Key ana have never since been
heard or.
Prof Ralston tells narrowing story
of his adventure with the snake and it
seems almost "A miracle mat he lived
to relate it. He watched the python
without food or sleep for twenty four
hours before the opportunity came winch
enabled him to try 20 master il with
some possibility OF success. The pro-
fessor had prepared the following state
ment which tells in graphic language
exactly what his fortunes ana nliSfor-
tunes We're:
ITO the Editor OF The Times:
Il have been working twenty-six years
in the interest Of science ana in all that
time never experienced an adventure
so perilous as the one that bereI me on
Black Point Key. l had heard Of q
create snake being there before l come
here, ana made up my mind that IL must
be a specimen worth looking after. The
story as il came 10 me was that snip
containing specimens from South Amer
lea for circus in the United states
had foundered off this coast and it
was supposed that This snake. " bich
was really king Of Black Point Key, had
been part OF the cargo Of the Il-lated
vessel
"BIack Point Key lies Just off the coast
and at the edge Of the Everglades IL
is low ridge topped by a growth OF
pines While an island now. - nrigi-
nally was a neck Of land The people who
lived on the adjacent Keys were in a state
of terror rega riding the snake, and in
constant fear that il would leave the
Key on which il had been for so long,
pay them visit, ard possibly eat them be-
fore they could do anything abOutit The
length OF the snake. they declared. was
phenomenal, andIt is an actual fact that q
number Of men who said they had seen it
were willing to make affidavit thatit was
fully thirty-nve feet long and must L least
weigh hundred pounds.
II knew that % snake from South : erica
could ne Of that size and 50 faucicd there
must be q good deal Of exaggeTa ton. L
made up my mind I would 40 least axe a
look at the monster if I could not capture
it, and made two trips to Black Point
Key FOR the purpose. could not even catch
glimpse of the snake, and not being de
sirOus of placing myself in such 1t posi-
tion that it could catch me uHawares il
it really proved to be as horrible as my
iufDrgr'u'~ HaU stated. J Nus. 'nt u
the underbrush aud avoided places where
it could drop on NE from trees.
Il nearu OF the snake again soon after
my second trip and So decided TO make q
third attempt / went To that portion OF
Black Point Key Jhat IS known as the
Prairie. being thar section Of it nearest the
land. IL 1 could fIHd the snake there, L
knew would have q tetter fighting chance
to attack it. Fortune seemed with me
this time. for | mad barely landed when
l found traces Of the snake. I traiied
il FOR half Il mile AM ar last came within
sight OF it IL was lig one ana no mis-
take. nut there dbl not seem any pport unity
for me 10 capture IT, alive or dead L
realized that it would lie impossible 10 get
il alive for Though ( COuII crowd O. Pretty
big snake into the canvas bag I carried,
this one was altogether 100 large for any
thing OF that sort.
Il thought the situation over. and con-
cluIed the only thing for ne to do was
to watch ami wait for my chance. knew
was fifteen miles from the nearest per-
son, and that / might cry for help loud
as | liked. without the slightest prOta-
Lility OF any response. This was about
o'clock in the afternoon. 1t seemed
as II it knew | was watching it, for it
kept as sharp an outlook as any snake I
ever saw. | waited until darkness came
Il was impossible for me 70 do anything
at night. still, was afraid 10 gn away,
lest the snake should disappear. and it
might he weeks before | would find 10 ii
place so favorable TO apture-
so | got into my canvas tag and re-
mained where l was. When daylight came
| resumed my watch. but the snake was as
wary as ever. The hours wOle away, until
it was nearly ? O'Clock. I had been watch
ing the snake twenty-four hours, and in all
that time had not slept wink. or eaten or
drank anything Presently | saw the
snake move y short distance away was 4
rabbit, and almost as quickly as l can
write this the snake went after him and
seized him. Then began tie process pre-
liminary to the swallowing of food by n
| boa. This completed, the snake commenced
to swallow its victim.
II waited a few moments until TIE Tab-
bit had gotten fairly into the snakes
throat. and then I went after tie boa L
seized it by the neck, and tiled to shove it,
! beod first into the canvas bag I had
undereStimated the powers Of my adver-
! sary 1 had supposed the snake would be
| in such a state, owing to the meal il was
making. that there would he little trouble
| in handling it, but before knew it ] ielt
| the snake folding around my limbs. In q
| marveIouSly short space Of tine tie snake
was about me as far rs the abdomen
| clung to its throat desperately. realizing
| that if l once lost my hold IT would be like
| signing my death warrant. 1 would bs
squeezed to Jelly.
| 1t is impossible for me TO describe with
pen such a frightful position. The snake
| turned its face toward me and hissed in
! INV face. darting out its fork sd tongue as
| if it would pierce me with it. | expected
| to he slowly squeezed to death, but, to my
| surprise. the folds did not tighten. and
| then | realized that, owing to the position
OF the rabbit in the snakes throat, the
| pressure of my hands thereon was having
an effect Besides this, the snak1 was not
| seemingly in the possession of its full
powers My hands are rather muscular,
| and 1 doubt if that fact will ever stand
NE in better steal. l squeezed the snake s
throat as vigorously as possible, and it
kept up a continual kissing, gIaring at