New-York tribune., 1898-11-27
THE GROWING SNAKE or SiuOA.
A REMARKABLE POISONOUS REPTILE. SAID TO
LIVE ~ TREES


From Forest and Stream.
The question of snakes in 4 tropical country Is
one of much interest to a woman. 1t forces
itself on the attention just soon as one dis
covers how close the jungle or bush rs 70 the
ordinary places Of residence. In Edmoa tnis
distance Is but step. Along the beach Is a
narrow strip If cocoanut grove. with hreaatrull
filling the spaces in between the lotter trees.
But Just behind the shore orchards tie puSh IL
as tangled and traCkleSS as II WouIu ID" IL
human habitations were miles away instead of
yards. From cultivated ground you plunge III
stantly into the soggy shade Of forest ,ifnper'
lacing boughs blocking out the rays OF the sun
and steadily dripping the waters stored rom
frequent and cD2ious rains In every erotch 81
limb and branch grow orchids ana CLUSTERS Oh
the BIRDS nest fern Every vista between me
trunks is tangled with swaying lanas. which
in the obscure lights misht be taken Tor amos.
any fcarsCme thing. Under foot IS a thick ma.
of roars,, grasses and aromatic ginger, ana
many tail succulent herbs. which smut out rom
sight the real surface If the saturated, sp0nsy
soil. Such scenery may be all very wen ip' an
artist hunting after color erFctS ana hthpS,
nhere but it has too much The look Oi Sooi
snake country 20 make one 1t All conn lao,r
| when making a trip through such Dush IL
comes as a positive relief 20 learn mat tnere
are no venomous snakes IN samoa Always eH-
ccpting the snake which crows
| In proof Of the existence Of tins reptile. there
may be offered he testimony ot Witnesses. eye
witnesses. ear witnesses
Any quantity of SamoanS. and white people AZ
we'll Will give you detailed accounts oi no" they
| hna ard the snake the dense lP'rSSto u nv
bush They tell bow their ears cauSht 'nff
| sound of stealthy movements in the trectops
| overhead and how the faint sound Stoppeh
when they halted 30 listen closer. or 10" IL pc
| can as soon as they resumed the march, or
| how their invisible pursuer was berayen
! through the miles Of his fellow travelling ny
| the rustng Of leaves and twiSS IN the forest
canopy. Inevitably the narrator coses ms ac-
count by 4 description Of his escape. ne eilne,
overlook some other wandcrer IN the hush ana
| found security in numbers. Or else he made
\ rlv lOfnpW1r1.
inombercd 4 charm which had much power
When for any VI these reasons. the snake iouhu
that he was t. lose his victim. ne altered DIS
silent tactics. He could he heard thraShlhs the
trees and growing like any rooster only many
times as loud. ard as he nolsily sought some
7 other part IF the forest IN" crDwng was ire
nunntv rcpoatc,l until at last it vanished in the
distance when asked more particularly rs 70
his Growing. the Sam"ans LAY 'hat IL IS eA-
actly ike the growing of rposterS.
There is an equal most oi i'nsSa,S' men
who have seen crowing snakes They never
gary from one another IN th"ir heScriptiohS ~
what they have seen. Except Tor one spot OF
special conditions II is never seen On the ground.
bui always on the tops Of the hlghest trees
either stretched ont along branch or gliding
from tree 70 tree with remarkable rapidlty IL
Is long and slender; rarely IS one spoken OF as
under two armspans. ~ twelve feet. seli )m Is
one described exceeding twice that measure
mont It's color is spoken Of aS uniform. a
st,eI blun or slate and free from spots or other
markings When At rest it IS difficult to dis
tinguish il from the branch IN which II may
be etchcd Out, when IN mouOh IL goes lar 'oo
fast for any detail to be observed
white people are more chary about mention
ing This remarkable reptile. Yet there are many
reliable people who say that they nave elther
heard it Or have seen Il.
This is about is much as can be SAID fhe
trcsses have heard the Growing. the eye
witnesses have seen an arborsai serpent oi large
i've The proof will not be complete until some
one shall be both eyewitness and ear-"itneSS.
shall see the snake in the very act or a Growing
which shall reach his ears. Until that c"mDi-
ic there
are in doubt rs 10 the Growing snakes N Upolu.
but il is safe 10 say that proof or no proof the
Samoans Will always believe in the animal as
a peril Of the jungle