Phoenix weekly herald. [volume] (Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz. Territory) 1896-1899, 1898-01-20
CATCHING BIG SNAKES IN INDIA

Preparations are made by ascertain
| ing from the natives Il promising
snake district. which is usually Il tract
of jungle with thick bamboo or grass
under growth In such lands snakes
are found by thousands, and after a
promising patch is discovered a be-
ginning is made by the clearing or
burning the underground from a strip
entirely encircling the snake farm.
Then a broad expanse of perhaps an
acre is cleared on one side, and there
Is set the snake trap. a netting eX-
tended for 800 or so yards on each side
of the cleared tract, it wings gradual
ly contracting to lead the reptiles into
cul de sac from which there is no
escape.
Several hundred natives are assem-
bled. and on day when the wind
blows from the right quarter they sur
round the district chosen and at a
given signal set fire to the jungle. AT
ter the fire has fairly started the ma
tives are called behind the netting, as
there is no need of their services on
the other side. for every snake tenant
of the brush fees ia the same direction
toward the fatal netting.
Behind it stand ,frowS of men armed
with clubs and sticks, ready to give
their snakeShipS a lively reception AS
the fire approaches the netting the
snakes come in crowds, by hundreds,
sometimes thousands. AT the wings
the men are concentrated. with their
clubs. ready to kill those attempting
20 escape, and as the main body of the
wings are pushed forward toward
each other, the stakes supporting the
MEETINGS are driven firmly into the
ground and the snakes are Enclosed.
After all the smaller reptiles which
can work their way through the me-
shes of the net have been killed atten-
ton is turned to the larger ones that
remain
In various parts of the netting there
are loops which can be united and
then refastened, and after the slaught-
err of the little snakes has been finish
ed the work of capturing the most
promising specimens begins. The sup
erintendent points out an anaconda
that will bring a good price, and as
the animal thrusts its head against the
netting in fruitleSS efforts to escape a
stick with a wire loop at the end is
introduced. the snake is lassOed i'm
mediately back of the head, the wire
is frightened and the future occupant
of menagerie cage. kissing and with
ing. is dragged through and seized by
a dozen natives at once. Bundles of
ready been prepared. Three or four
men straighten the snake and lay him
on bamboo. sometimes placing three
or four smaller SplintS around him,
and then flashing him securely down
with bamboo withes every inch of his
length. Generally the flashing is found
to be sufficient, and only when the ser
pent is very large and powerful are
the extra bamboos tied around him,
for fear he might break the stick to
which he is fastened. This operation
is not carried on without much protest
from the snake. But kissing and
wrigSling are all in vain; the Hindoos
lash him down. finishing the opera
ton by forcing his upper jaw upon the
lower and tying the two together to
the stick in such Il way that he can
not even hiss. After all the best spe-
cimenS have been selected and tied.
the remainder are killed. beheaded
and the heads sent to the nearest Gov
station for the bounty The
captives are packed into carts for |
TO Bombay. where they |
are disposed of to the European |
lgentS.-London Mail