The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-05-20
JLous SNAKE on cHINA.


Province Of Aunnan.
In this country gold dust Is found In
great quantities. that Is TO say, In the
rivers and lakes. while In the noun
talns gold Is also found In pieces oil
larger size. Gold is indeed so abund-
ant that they give one saggio OF gold
for only six OF the same weight IN
small change they use the porcelain
shells. rs / mentioned before. These
are not found In the country, however
but are brought from India In TINS
province are found snakes and great
serpslts Of such vast size as TO strike
fear into those who see them ana 30
hideous that the very account OF them
must excite the wonder OF those who
hear II. ! will tell you how long and
big they are. You may be assured that
some Of them are ten PAGES In length;
some are more and some less. Ana IN
bulk they are equal to a great cask'
for the bigger ones are about ten palms
In girth. The head is very big The
mouth is large enough 10 swallow
man whole and Is garnished with great
pointed teeth And. In short, they are
80 fierce-looking and so hideously ug-
~ that every man and beast must stand
IN fear and trembling Of them. There
are also smaller ones. such as OF eight
PAGES long. and Of five, and Of one
pace only. The way In which they
are caught Is this: You must know
that by day they live underground be-
cause Of the great heat and In the
night they go out to feed and deyour
every animal they can catch. They 20
also TO drink at the rivers and lakes
and springs And their weight Is so
great that when they travel In search
OF food or drink. az they do by night
the tail makes great furrow In the
soil. az II fun ton Of liquor had been
dragged along Now. the huntsmeil
who go after them take them by a GER
tain gin trap which they set In the
track over which the serpent has pass
ed. knowing that the beast will come
back IN the same way. They plant a
stake deep In the ground and hN on the
head OF this a sharp blade OF steel made
like a razor or lance point and then
they cover the whole with sand 10 that
the serpent cannot see Il. Indeed, the
huntsman plants several such stakes
and blades on the track. On coming
10 the spot the beast strikes against
the iron blade with such force that II
enters his breast and riyes lcuts) him
10 that he dies on the spot. and the
crows. on seeing the brute dead. begin
TO cav. and then the huntsmen know
that the serpent Is dead and come Ia
search Of him. This. then. Il the way
these beasts are taken. Those whI
take them proceed 10 extract the gal
from the inside. and this sells al 1
great price. for you must know Il fur
nlshos the material for a most preciou
medicine. Thus. II a person is bitter
by a mad dog and they give him hu
small ponnywcight of this mcdicinl
90 drink he Is cured In moment
Again. " one has any disease OF th'
. skin and applies small quantity o
, this gall he shall speedily be- cured
SO you see why Il sells at such a higl
price. They also sell the flesh Of thi
serpent. for II Is excellent eating AM
the people are very fond Of H. An
, when these serpcnts are very hungr
sometimes they will seek out the lair
Of lions or bears or other large vii
beasts aud deyour their cubs. withou
the sire or dam being able to proven
, IL. Indeed. n they catch the big one
themselves they devour them. too. the
can make no resistance.