Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-02-18
CATCHING SNAKES IN INDIA.
oueer but Effective Method Oh >"p'
urinx Great Ssrpents'

uriux Great Ssrpents'
uon.g.ries are always in neeo Oh
,,.,las and ms India abounds IN theSe
reptiles. perhaps to grea'ei -,
th,, any other country III the "oru' 70
mi, yo the managers when the'i
,,,.,,s begin to run low. Snake NUM-
inc In India. unless one uhue'S'"n"
,h.. trade is a perilous business l"r
-, ,,ryar percentage of the lndlah ser
,,on,s AFRO uosonous than In any other
mart of the globe, and even ii'"""o
has no desire to die of snake-Di'e' "'i
w;tb;u the crushing folds or con
s,ric,or Besides. however. the ue'
mands from the menageries. the ihu'""
government pays bounty on SNAKE
heads 81 there is a double incentive
to Indian snake hunters. and when
there are sufficient orders on hahd iro'''
,he meuageries, a hunt Is organizeu u"
Il grand scale.
PRESENTATIONS are made by ascertain
ing from the natives promising sna~e
district, which Is usually a trac' "
iunple with a thick bamboo or grass
nndersrowth. In such lands snakes are
found by thousands. and after prom
Using patch is discovered, beginning
is made by clearing or burning the uh-
deryrowth from a strip entirely ehc'r-
cling the snake FARM then Droau tx
panse of perhaps an acre Is cieareo o'
one side and there Is located the snake
tran. a netting extended for 2VO OF ''r'
wards on each side Of the cleared tract.
its wings gradually contracting 10 iead
the reptiles into cul de sac. ITO"
which there is no escape. Several nun
dred natives are assembled. and on 4
day when the wind is from the right
quarter they surround the district Sc
lected. and. at a given signal. set nrc
to the jungle. After the fire has 1alriy
started the natives are called behlhd
the netting, as there is no need or their
services on the other sides. for every
snake tenant Of the brush fees In the
same direction toward the fatal net
ting.
Behind it stand rows 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 by 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. tho
wings are pushed forward toward each
other. the stakes supporting the netting
are driven firmly into the ground and
the snakes are Enclosed. But snakes
can climb almost as well rs monkeys.
and so the men at the wings are kept
busy killing those that endeavOr to es-
cape over the ropes. At the cul de sac
the netting extends above as well as on
the sides. and the larger portion of the
reptiles are finally concentrated within
this Enclosure. There are scene Is one
Of lively animation. for the snakes arc
of all sizes, some of the venomous rep
inches in length. and, as their move
ments are very quick. the barefooted
beaters are kept lodging about in a
manner at once grotesque and anus
ing. their anxiety to escape the small
serpents that 60 through the netting
like a fash being even greater than
their eagerness to kill as many snakes
as possible and thus receive a larger
share Of the government bounty. No
snake is permitted to escape. and after
all the smaller reptiles which can work
their way through the meshes Of the
net have been killed, attention is turn
ed to the larger which remain.
In various parts of the netting there
are loops which can be 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 at an anaconda that will brins
Il good price. and as the animal thrus,s
its head against the netting in fruit
less efforts to escape stick with wire
loop at the end is introduced, the snake
Is lassoed immediately back of tn.
: head. the wire is frightened and the f,l
ture occupant Of menagerie cage, hiss
. Ing and writing. Is dragged through
and seized by dozen natives at once
= | puhuicS VI UuulDOO, cut INTO DfOOo
lengths. have already been prepared
> three or four men straighten the snak,
> and lay him on bamboo, sometimes
: placing three or four smaller splint
= around him. and then lashing him &c
!. curely down with bamboo withes ever
inch OF his length. Generally the lasl,
ing Is found to be sufficient, and onl,
when the serpent is very large an,
powerful are the extra baml,oos. tie,
around him for fear he might brea]
n the stick to which he Is fastened. Thi
= operation Is not carried on without a,
y Immense amount of protest from tn
j. snake, which Kisses in the most terri,
b Tying manner and wriggles wildly n
II an EFFORT to escape. But Kissing an
It wriggling are all in vain; the Hindoo
'e lash him down. finishing the operat,o
y by forcing his upper jaw upon tn
y lower and tying the two together to tn
l. stick In such way that he cannot eve
lie hiss. After all the best specimens hay
been selected and tied, the rema;ndo