Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-26
COBRA TACKLES Al BICYCLE.
Experience of n Wheelman in
Southern India, x

Southern India. x
From the Madras Mail 100
Every one who has been, to the Annamal-
lay Hills knows that after he PASSES Poda-
nur junction the road crosses an undulat-
ing country, and the cyclfst has to toll
up ridge after ridge although, of course he
has the compromising pleasure of letting
his machine go when he runs down the
slopes. 1t was when I was spinning down
one of these ridges that this adventure
came upon me. I was looking at some
gathering clouds on the horizon which fore
told thunder storm, and / was meditating
on my chances Of arriving at my destina-
tor with dry coat. when suddenly 1 saw
right IN front of me across the road
long snake. 1t was impossible to swerve
to either side and avoid the loathsome rem
tile, for the slope was too steep, and
was going fast. The only thing to do
was to stop. I back pedaled with nv
whole weight. The rising crank lifted
me out of the saddle as I Strengthened nv
knee. l put on the brake with all the
force that my right hand could exert. But
the momentum was too great or the hill
was too steep The brake-rod had not
been adjusted so as to make the brake
very powerful, and it only checked the
speed or the front tire, which still slithered
round under the rubber cushion as the
bicycle went over the snake. which
rose with hiss to meet me and extended
us hood. Quick as lightning it struck
at the front wheel. and as it struck 1 in
instlnctlVely lifted both hands from the
saddle bar out of harms way and leaned
PACK IN my saddle, the thought flashing
through my mind that shoes and hose
my hands were naked.
The instant my hand was off the brake
the bicycle shot forward, for in my fright
hau forgotten to continue to back pedal
ana the road was very steep and 1 weigh.
l regret to say, more than fourteen stone
SO that the bicycle simply gave a bound
down hill. But only one bound I had
not had time to replace my hands on the
handles, when, with unutterably sicken-
ing horror, I saw that the snake was half
through the front wheel, and that the
heel was drawing it through the fork
with horrid "whish' and sensible slack
enihg OF speed. Then there was thud
as the head of the snake was drawn
through the fork and hit the road on the
left and fraction of second later, a
flap on the tail-end of the snake as it was
n riaht through through and hit the road on the
again as 1t was once more drawn through
the fork. There was no time to think.
The one idea that possessed me was to
aceeie .s TINS process I leaned forward
down the hill! The trees by the roadside
passed pas me like ribbon. The dreadful
continued, but the "whish" was not SO
loud, and did not perceptibly affect the
speed OF the cycle. as the snake softened
under ~ .ho the ne. treatment; The leYel ground
racing speed. and I rushed the opposite
sicpe as long as I had any, bEHath in me.
Then I ventured to get Mat,s The snakes
mead was gone as far as the +sbectacies on
high road; on the right side eff the wheel
the snake tapered off into a. few feshless
yertebrae Two herd boys In the fields
by the roadside came to isee what had
happened, and with sticks helped me to
remove the carcass from my front wheel.
When l reached Pollachi. l. had a whisky
and soda l think that no man knows
now good whisky and soda can be until
he has had a cobra in the front wheel of
his bicycle for a mile orr more. the while
he has been pedaling for dear life! }t,.f-