The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-01-21

life. Failing in this endowment, man,
once so insignificant unit in the total
of this vast sum, had been crushed be-
tween the upper and neither mill-stones
ofgiant physical forces and cataclysmic
disturbance. This faculty predomi-
mating, he has attained to an undoubt-
ed supremacy in the natural and spirit
ual kingdom.-RomeJ Journal
CATCHING BIG SNAKES IN
INDIA.
Preparations are made 10y ascertain
ing from the natives of promising
snake district, which is usually tract
of Jungle with a thick bamboo or grass
underground. In such lands snakes
are found by thousands, and after a
promising patch is discovered begin
ming is made by clearing or burning
the underground from strip entirely
surrounding 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 extending for 800
or so yards on each side of the cleared
tract, its wings gradually contracting
to lead the reptile 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 surround
the district chosen and at given sig
nal set fire to the jungle. After the
fire has fairly started the natives 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 in the same direction to-
ward the fatal netting.
Behind it stand rows of men, armed
with clubs and sticks, ready to give
their snakeships 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 to
escape, and as the main body of the
reptiles approaches the netting the
wings are pushed toward each other,
the stakes supporting the netting are
driven firmly into the ground and the
snakes are incloscd
After all the smaller reptiles which
can work their way through the meshes
of the net have been killed attention is
turned to the larger ones that remain.
In various parts of the netting there
are loops which can he united and then
refastened, and after the slaughter of
the little snakes has been finished the
work of capturing the most promising
specimens begins. The superintendent
points out an anaconda that will bring
a good price, and as the animal thrusts
it's head against the netting in fruit
less efforts to escape a stick with a
wire loop at the end is introduced, the
Esnake is lassoed Immediately back of
the head, the wire is frightened, and the
future occupant of 4 menagerie cage,
writhing and kissing, is dragged
t''rou-h and seized by dozen natives
1T one. Bundles of bamboo. cut into
proper lengths, have already been pre-
pared. Three or four men straighten
the snake and lay him on a bamboo,
sometimes placing three or four small
er splints round him, and then lashing
him securely down with bamboo withes
every inch of his length. Generally
the lashing is found to he sufficient,
and only when the serpent is very
large and powerful are the extra bam-
boos tied round him, for fear he might
break the stick to which he is fastened.
This operation is not carried on with
out much protest from the snake But
Kissing and wriggling arc all in vain;
the Hindoos lash him down, finishing
the operation by forcing his upper jaw
upon the lower, tying the two toe ether
to stick in such way that he can
not even hiss. After all the best speci-
mems have been selected and tied, tie
remainder are killed, beheaded, and the
heads sent to the nearest Government
station for the bounty. The captives
arc packed into carts for transporta-
tion to Bombay, where they are dis
posed of to the European agents.
London Mail.
Two dusky small boys were quar-
rellinY; one was pouring forth tor
rent Of vituperative epithets, while the
other leaned against the fence and
calmly contemplated him. When the
flow oflanguage was exhausted he said:
Are you troo?''
"Ies!"
"You amt got muffin more to say
NO"
"Well, all dem tng> YOU called me
| Won