The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-13
THE MALAY's SNAKE.

ops hot morning In June We anchored
Oh Belize. : From the masthead watched
the fish In tho drifting gulf weed, not no
ticing tar bucket hanging near me till a
swell struck the ship and my head struck
the bucket and dashed the tar all over my
white duck suit.
The "siop chest oask containing
clothing which the ssamen are allowed to
purchase at any time-being empty, l
could hope for no assistance from that
quarter, and 20 thsre was no alternative
left mo except that Of wearing my "tar
daubsd" 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 washtub.
As many Of my shipmates would have
done under similar circumstances fact,
after the manner Of mankind at large--I
bestowed a number Of wrathfni blows and
number Of forcible explosives upon the
poor bucket, as II that was to blame and
should be punished for the accident which
was the result of my own oarel6ssness.
When was relieved from the masthead,
I descended to the deck in no very pleasant
frame Of mind, and rolling up my shirt
sleeves made my way directly to the tub
In whiohI had left my clothes.
A Malay, a man Of 30, with long face
and nose and small, twinkling black
eyes sat upon the windlass bit watching
me In such peculiar manner that stop
ped, thinking he wished to say something
to me.
He turned aside his head, however, as
la, ,,ata nd 49,
He and were not on very good terms,
as had interfered on the previous day to
prevent him from pounding our little cabin
boy head with orowbar 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.
The cabin boy entertained the same opin.
Ion.
'Look out for him." he had said.
"Check Is a viper and may try to poison
you with some of those curious liquids
locked up in his ohest.''
Never fear," I had answered. II shall
keep sharp lookout"
Icould not help sbuddering, however,
as thought Of the singular and horrible
curiosities In my enemy's chest.
He had been a juggler In his native coun-
try, and the trunk contained, among other
things, several bleaohsd skulls, number
of poisoned arrows and large bottle in
which were three or four small spotted SER
penis.
faye, aye, he's singular fellow, this
Check" 1 now muttered as / moved ON
toward the tub. what could have been
the meaning Of that curious look he gave
mep There was 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 init, when
was prevented by the voice Of the captain.
$50 1t was you, was 1t, that's been a
wasting all that ere water" he cried.
"Glad caught you. Jest take Check and
another and the yawl and reckonoyster the
shorefor some fresh water, and don t DO all
day about itl''
There was no use Of my attempting to
explain that it was salt water that had
used for my ablutions. The tanks were
empty and the skipper had evidently been
waiting to set upon somebody.
And was the unhappy fellow picked
out to row along shore in the hot sun to
sniff out spring.
had some work to get a 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 Inst 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, 1t 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, 1t provokes a man.
So turned round, going to "talk to
him like father" when, whjsh some
thing long and horrible darted by the side
Of my head, and my mate tumbled back
astern.
That action of mine had saved my good
for nothing life, for tine Malay had whis-
tied the snake out Of the covert and I
stood In its line of motion.
AS itwas, my Inessmate's stumbling aft
caused him to lose his balance and fall
backward into the boat
Never shall / forget the wild, horrible
cry that burst from his lips as he quickly
lifted his head from the bilge in which 1t
had been submerged.
He tossed his arms wildly about, started
to his feet and moment after fell writh-
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
protruding tongue, bursting eyeballs and
livid countenance, rolling over and over
and vainly striving to disengage from his
neck q deadly snake which had coiled
about it and was now dartipg with forked
tongue its 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
victim throat, and with one farewell gasp
he rolled over on his back and expired.
My mate, Tom Squid, now threw bis
hands around my neck.
You have had very narrow escape"
said he, land l will praise the high ad-
miral all my life for saving you as be has
done"
$50 ought l, Tom," said l. st certain
|y 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 it was
tossed over the side, after which the re.
mains of this Malay were consigned to the
leep in the usual manner. New York