The San Francisco call., 1897-04-04

lHEI HUGE Brazilian boa constructor
AS which has ruled Black Point Key
A<A for long time has just been cap
tured by Professor Walter Ralston OF the
Smithsonian Institution at Washington
who went there for the purpose. The snake
measured fifteen feet In length and
weighed fully seventy five pounds. 1t is
supposed to have killed several persons
who landed on Black Point Key and have
never since been heard OF.
Professor Raiston tells a narrowing
story of his adventure with the snake and
it seems almost miracle that he lived to
relate it. He watched the python with.
out food or sleep for twenty-four hours
before the opportunity came which en-
abled him to try to master it with some
possibility of success. The professor tells
in graphic language exactly what his
fortunes and misfortunes were.
II have been working twenty-six years
in the interest of science" said he, ''and
in all that time l had never experienced
an adventure so perilous as the one that
befell me on Black Point Key. 1 had
heard of n great snake being there before
l came here, and made up my mind that
it must be specimen worth looking after.
The story as it came to me was that a
ship containing specimens from South
America for circus in the United States
had foundered off this coast, and it was
supposed that this snake, which was really
king OF Black Point Key, had been part
of the cargo OF the ill-fated vessel.
"Black Point Key lies just off the coast
and at the edge OF the Everglades. 1t is a
low ridge topped by growth of pines.
While an island now it originally was a
neck of land. The people who lived on
the adjacent keys were in state of terror
regarding the snake, and in constant fear
that it would leave the key on which it
had been for so long and pay them vsit,
and possibly eat them before they could
do anything about it. The length OF the
snake, they declared, was phenomenal,
and it is All actual iact that u numbe OF
men, who said they had seen il, were
willing to make affi iiavit that it was fully
thirty-i We feet long and must weigh at
least 100 pounds.
II knew that no snake from South
America could be of that s'ze, and so
fancied There must be good deal of ex-
aggeration. | made up my mind l would
at least take a look at the monster if
could not capture it, and made two trips
to Black Point Key for the purpose.
81 heard of the appearance OF the snake
again soon after my second trip, and so
decided to make third attempt to
capture it. l went to that portion of
Black Point Key nearest the mainland.
If could find the snake there l knew l
wou d have better fighting chance 10 at
tack it. Fortune seemed to be with me
this time, for l had barely landed when
found traces of the snake. trailed it for
half mile and at last came within sight
of it. it was big one. / realiz,d that it
would be impossible to get the snake alive.
81 thought the situation over and con-
ciuded that the only thing for me to do
was to watch and wait for my chance to
capture it. I knew I was fifteen miles
from the nearest person and that / might
cry for help as loud as liked without the
slightest probability of any response. 1t
seemed as if the snake knew was watch
ing, for it kept as sharp an outlook as any
snaKe ever saw. Iwaited until darkness