The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-14

hours before the opportunity came
which enabled him to try to master it
with some possibility of success. The
professor has prepared the following
statement which tells in graphic Ian
guage exactly what his fortunes and
m:sfortunes were:
Il have been working tWenty-siX
years in the interest of science, and in
all that time never experienced an adj
venture so perilous as the one that be-
fell me on Black Point Key. 1 had
heard of great snake being there be-
fore l came here, and made up my
mind that it must be a specimen. worth
looking after. The story, as 1t came
to me, was that a ship containing spe-
cimens from South America for a cir
Gus in the United States had foundered
off this coast, and it was supposed that
this snake, which was really king Of
Black Point Key, had been a part Of
the cargo of the Inflated vessel.
BLACK Point Key lias just off the
coast and a the edge of the ever
glades. 1t is a low ridge, topped by a
growth of pines. While an island now,
1t originally was a neck of land The
people who lived on the adjacent keys
were in a state of terror regarding the
snake, and in constant fear that it
would leave the key on which it had
been for so long, pay them a visit, and
possibly eat them before they could do
anything about it. The length of the
snake, they declared was phenomenal,
and 1t is an actual fact that a number
of men who said they had seen it were
willing to make affidavit that it was
fully thirty-fve feet long, and must at
least weigh a hundred pounds
WENT AT IT CAREFULLY.
ct knew that no snake from South
America could be of that size, and so
fancied there must be a good deal of
eXaggeration. 1 made up my mind
would at least take look at the mon
ster if L could not capture it, and made
two trips to Black Point Key for the
purpose. l could not even catch a
glimpse of the snake, and not being de-
sirous of placing myself in such a po-
sition that it could catch me unawares.
If it really proved to be as horrible as
my informants had stated, I kept out CT
the underbrush and avoided places
where it could drop on me from trees.
81 heard of the snake again soon
after my second trip ana so decided to
make third attempt. 1 went to that
portion of Black Point Key that Is
known as the prairie, being that section
OF 1t nearest the land. If 1 could find
the snake there, L knew I would have a.
better fighting chance to attack it.
Fortune seemed with me this time. for
I had barely landed when I found
traces of the snake. l trailed it for half
mile, and at last came within sight
of it. 1t was a big one, and no mistake,
but there did not seem any opportunity
for me to capture it alive or dead
realized that it would be impossible to
get it alive, for though I could crowd
q pretty big snake into the canvas bag
I carried, this one was altogether too
large for anything Of that sort.
81 thought the situation over and
concluded the only thing for me to do
was to watch and wait for my chance
/ knew l was fifteen miles from the
nearest person, and that 1 might cry
for help as loud as 1 liked without the
slightest probability of any response.
This was about 2 o'clock in the after
noon. 1t seemed as If it knew I was
watching 1t, for it kept as sharp an
outlook as any snake 1 ever saw. 7
waited until darkness came. It was
impossible for me to do anything at
night Still 1 was afraid to go away.
lest the snake should disappear, and it
might be weeks before / would find it
In place so favorable to capture
$50 1 got into my canvas bag and re-
manned where l was. When daylight
came 1 resumed my watch, but the
snake was as wary as ever. The hours
wore away until it was nearly 2 o'clock.
had been watching the snake twenty
four hours, and in all that time had
not slept wink, or eaten or drank
anything. Presently / saw the snake
move A short distance away was a
rabbit, and almost as quickly as I
can write this the snake went after
him and seized him. Then began the
process preliminary to the swallowing
of food by boa. This completed, the
snake commenced to swallow its victim.
THE SNAKE VERY STRONG.
'T waited a few moments until the
rabbit had gotten fairly into the
snakes throat, and then I went after
the boa. I seized 1t by the neck and
tried to shove it, head first, into the
canvas bag. had underestimated the
powers of my adversary. had sup
posed the snake would be In such a
state, owing to the meal 1t was max
Ing, that there would be little trouble
In handling 1T, but before knew it