The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-13
SNAKE STOKES FROM INDIA
Hooded Cobra in the Moonlight Deceived
n British Soldier.

Hooded Cobra in the Moonlight Deceived
"A British Soldier.
From the New York Sun.
1T was three years after the close of
the Indian mutiny that came near los
ing the number of my mess in fright
full way" said John Balm, who served in
the British cavalry in India until thirty
odd years ago. My company had been
ordered into the Deshwur district $50
miles north of Cawnpore, to break up
the dacoits, who had become very
troublesome there. l was one of de-
tail sent, under command of a lieuten-
ant, against band of these robbers
who had made a stand in little jungle
village. We arrived there in the night,
stormed their intrenchment by moon
light, killed or captured round dozen
of the dacoits, and chased the rest into
the jungle. Some of us followed them
on foot among the reeds and bushes,
but soon got tired of this useless business
and were quite willing to stop and turn
back at the sound Of the recall. Our
hospital steward, native, and a good
one, was by my side. My canteen had
been emptied on the march. and | was
parched with the thirst that follows
fighting. Something among the bushes.
glistening on the ground like water,
caught my eye.
/" It's a stagnant poo, left by the
rains. but ii Will serve to wet my
throat | said, and was for throwing
myself down on my very belly 10 drink
from II. But the steward pulled me
back
Nay, sahib, stay, Lend me your
sword for moment he said
He took the sword and lightly stirred
the pool with it's point. From the mid
die Of the pool a cobra's hooded head
arise, and there came the sound of its
hateful hiss With sweep of the sword
the steward cut the reptiles head off,
and at once what had seemed to be a
water pool became the writhing coils of
a serpent that had been fully six feet in
length.
That was your pool, sahib.' the
steward gravely said. 1t is well that
you paused before attempting to drink
from it,
THE white belly and the greenish
back of the cobra lying in the MOON
beams, had looked exactly like water
pool. But for the stewards warning |
should have thrust my face down into
that hideous coil
There was a case / knew in which a
cobra saved a British army officers life
not intending In the least to do so, of
course. The officer had gone with de-
taclfinent to a district in Northern India
TO bring to order one of the hill tribes
that had been making robbery and had
killed a civil officer or two. His quar-
tiers were at the bungalow of the magis-
trate of the district He had got things
Quoted down among the tribesmen, and
everything safe, to all appearances, and
was preparing to take things easy,
when one night, sleeping at the bunga-
low, he heard cobra moving about in
the chamber. A cobra looking about
for prey, or when ready to fight. rears
it's head and about one-third of its body
straight upward from the ground, and
as the bed on which he lay was q Low
one the officer knew that If the cobra
came TO it he was very likely to get Bit
ten. At any movement he made the
cobra would hiss. showing that it was
in an unpleasant temper, and, to make
things worse. the officers night lamp
had gone out. SO that he could only
judge Of the snakes position by sound.
He stood the strain as long as he
could and made up his mind that he
would at any rate get to a place where
the snake could not reach him. A tall
dressing case stood against the wall,
about six feet from the head of the bed.
The officer reached out TO a chair, set it
half way between the bed and the dress
ing case and then stepped from the bed
to the chair and from the chair to the
top OF the dressing case, There he was
safe from the cobra AS he perched on
the dressing case in the dark, thinking
how ridiculous and uncomfortable his
position was. two h!llmen stole in at the
door. rushed TO the bedside and struck
fiercely with their tulwars the heap of
bedclothing where the officer had lain.
before they discovered that he was not
there The snake set up Il loud kissing.
which seemed to convince the assassins
that the officer could not be in the room,
and they Went away without seeing him,
passing the dressing case not step
away. The cobra presented crawied out