The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
COBRA STORIES FROM INDIA.
A British Soldiers Mistake-HOw q Hooded
Snake saved an Omcer's Life.

A BrItish Soldiers M~istaLe-How u Hooded
Snake saved an Omcer's Life.
at was three years after the close of the In
dian mutiny that i came near losing the mem
bcrs OF my mess in u frightful 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 da-
colts. who had become very troublesome there.
I was one of a detail sent. under command Of q
lieutenant. against a band Of these robbers who
had made a stand in a little jungle village. We
arrived there in the night. stormed their in
trenchment by moonlight, killed or captured a
round dozen of tho ldacoits. 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, q native, and
a good one, was by my side. My canteen had
been emptied on the march. and was parched
thing among the bushes. gllstening on the
ground like water, caught my eye,
Its a stagnant pool left oy the rains, but
throwing myself Town on my very belly to drink
from Il. But the steward pulled me back.
Nay. sahib. stay! Lend me your sword for
HE took the sword and lightly stirred the
pool with its point SdoI., From rom the middle die Of the
came the sound OF its hateful hiss, With q sweep
Of the sword the steward cut the reptiles head
pool became the writhinR coils of q serpent that
had been fully six feet In length.
gr ~rThas sai TaS Teh u w pGpl ih ssh yeS p sns sts ssiors
Attempting TO drink from IT.
THE white belly and Rreenlsh hack Of the
exactly like a water pool. But for the stewards
warning ] should have thrust my face down
There was a case ] knew in which a cobra
saved \ British army officers lifem.not intending
in the least to do so. Of course, The officer had
that had been making .hobbery and had killed. a
S'xls Is"ssF Of o. the sST ma sls H"e'' Of the Ge'S dI st iee
He had got things Quoted down among the
tribesmen. and everything safe, to AL ap-
sssy. When emo o %s' Pn isSt.'n Sleeping 90 lsH' at tn't tie
bunsaioy, he heard !, cobra moving about
prey. or when ready to fight, rears ITS head and
about one'third OF It's body straight upward
from the ground, and as tho bed on which he
cobra came TO 1t he was very likely to get bitten.
At any movement he made the cobra would hiss,
and. to make things worse. the officers night
lamp had gone out. so that he could only judge
lie stood tho train as long. as he could and
made up his mind that no would at any rate get
to a place where the snake could not reach him.
about six feet from the head OF the bed. The
officer reached out TO n chair, set 1t half way be-
tween the bod and tho dressing case and then
steppcd from the bod TO the CHI ir. and from the
chair to the top of the dressing case. There he
was safe from the cobra. As he ,perched on q
lous and uncomfortable his position was two
hillmen stole In at the door. rushed to, the bod
side and struck nerccly with their tnlwars the
had lain, before they discovered that he
was not there. The snake set up & loud hissinR,
the officer could not be In the room, and they
went away without seeing him, passing the
emily crawied out Of The room through the door
they had left open. and the officer was able "a
get down, from the, dressing case and raise an
| he slept with a sentinel IT his door during the
] rest ef his stay In the district"