Evening journal., 1899-01-30
A DUEL WITH SNAKES.
Rival Snake Cbarmers In India En-
gage in IA BlOod-Curd-
ling Scene.

On the morrow (Which was the third
ity) there was a long delay; the pro-
iogue was spun out and spun out Each
Of the masters wasin very keen anXi-
tty as 10 the snake the other had been
rcserving for the great effort Al last
Souter came TO the end of his patience,
and bade them peremptorily play or
pay. Thereupon Anant Ram set a small
cloth on the ground very gently and
called loudly TO have the first go. The
Lord of Devils" did not stand upon
tie order Of his going; agreed on the
instant; and his two pupils turned up
large basket in the middle of the ring
and shook out of it about nine feet of
tuat poisonous constructor, the great
hamadryad, or King Cobra 1t is the
only snake in India that attacks OF it,
self at all times. rs ferceness and
courage are only eQuIled by the bright
ness of its coloring and the strength
Of its coils. IT can poison as mortally
AID strangle as surely as any snake in
the world. The Egyptian cerastes at
tacks and bites; the fer-de-lance OF st.
Lucia drops from the tree, vicious and
fatal on the horseman. But they are
not constructors. The great hamadryad
rcars its green length of active, two
fold, ferocious death in unparalleled
drcadfulness.
Auant Ram threw up his arms over
fis head as the double horror rushed
Kissing AT him; in a breath its coils were
around him. its fangs tearing his arms.
lie lung himself down at the pain; and,
put about by this sudden act, the snake
stopped biting a moment to tighten its
cells. Then it reared a quarter of its
body above his head, and as quickly as
IL could bend and strike bit him horri-
bly, in the neck under the left ear. On
the instant it ierlled out its fangs with
shrll whistle and fell all slack about
him; he had bitten clear through its
back and was tearing its body asunder
with frenzied hands. lie rose bleeding
dusty,wild-eyed and ghastly; staggered
t. the cloth that hid his snake and
yelled; Quick! to the trail! All three
of you! Qulcl,!"
The Lord Of Devils" and his pupils
hustled round him; he whipped away
the cloth and barred TO their eyes a little.
crooked, gray-broWn stick. They stared
at it, they stared at one another; and
slowly knowledge came 10 them. They
knew how Anant Ram had conquered
the hamadryad; that he had won the
devils to fight for him. They moved
around the little stick with out
stretched twitching hands, their start
ing eyes glued TO it. striving to beat
down .heir dread, to force themselves
TO touch it, to awake il to malignant
Efe. Slowly their dread mas'.red them;
their faces grew gray an, ION green;
one man gave back a step, then another;
cIe 10y one they tore away their eyes
from the dormant horror; glared at one
another i'm the agony Of utter fear;
turned with one accord and Aed-hed as
men Zee with the fear Of death at their
backs, and the devils OF the lone night
and The waste on their heels. But Anant
Ram lay. needless of the screaming iov
of the victorious panjab. sucking The
blood Of the dead hamadryad for dear
lie, while his pupils, in feyered haste.
Piled him with remedy ON remedy. Iu
The confusion Souter secured yet more
material to make surer his discoveries
and 90 render this mystery OF the east
a working medicine against the terror
Of the serpent. Anant Ram came ouf
OF it alive and rich; but be swoars that
in winning his great fight he lost the
secret Of ages. He breads Souier as hc
breads nothing else; and to him alone
win he reveal the mysteries of his craft.
Pail Mall Magazine.