Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-11-23

volunteer recently returned from the
Philippines:
Yes, | saw some hard fighting, but
the only time was really scared was
by snake. They say that those huge
boas that the natives keep in their
houses to catch rats are harmless. /
know better. ! had been with my
company under fire all day. and as
night came on / lost my way in the
swamp and was separated from my
command completely. Frustrated with
the heat, often unconscious for a time,
! had lost my gun and everything, and
lay down to wait for morning near a
deserted shack. where some native had
once had home, and was soon fast
asleep. / had lost one shoe in the
swamp, and my bare foot had been
severely cut and scratched in my race
Tor life, and as / went to sleep it panied
me so as to affect my dreams. /
dreamed that / was still in the swamp,
and that my left foot and leg were
SO heavy chat ] was being slowly
pulled down into the mud by them
and that the swamp was boiling hot.
| awakened to find the pain in my foot
intolerable, though dulled by the feel
ing we experience when we say a limb
is asleep. / felt that | could not move
my leg. sat up and looked at 1t, and
put my hand under my knee and gave
1t pull. In the dim light my leg
seemed to extend off into the Jungle
indefinitely. Then | felt twinge OF
pain and a sense of something gripping
me about the shin.
Wide awake and excited now. /
saw that | was being swallowed by a
| huge boa. My swollen, bleeding foot
had attracted him, and he had already
swallowed it and was swallowing my
leg inch by inch, by those slow auto
matte rulsations with which these hor-
rible reptiles get themselves outside
their prey.
I ran my hand over the creatures
head and eyes, / felt his great lower
jaw beneath my calf struck the head
with my fist, | screamed and yelled for
help. / struggled to vertical position.
bending the snakes body upward. and
even fell over him. but all had no eff
feet. The swallowing went on. Every
minute would feel a prickling sensa-
ton an inch higher up on my leg. and
sense of suction, and was aware that
/ was an inch deeper down in the mon
ster's anatomy.
Then | lay quiet moment, think
ing for my life Each gulp of the snake
sent sickening chill over my body.
but my head was clear. / thought
with some satisfaction that the boa
couldn't swallow but one leg, since he
had not started upon both. Yet
knew he would never willingly dis
gorge the part of me he already pos
sessed, and unless l was found early
in the morning, my chance of life was
small. | had no knife or gun, but !
was able to reach good bamboo club
and began to beat the great serpent
on the body AMI over the head, toe, as
hard as l could. But my blows hurt
my leg inside the snake more than
they seemed to hurt him.
At any rate, the swallowing went
on, and the snakes nose had reached
my knee-cap. ! had nothing in my
pockets but my pipe and tobacco and
match box. Should / smoke and wait
the turn of events? No, would make
fire and see if could roast his snake
ship while he was swallowing me.
Fortunately a pile of debris from the
house, consisting in part of broken
furniture, implements and the like, lay
not far from the snakes body, and
doubling him over l reached it, and
soon kindled it into a lively flame.
Reaching out with my hands and
stretching my body toward some
bushes that grew to the right, l caught
a young bamboo firmly and dragged
the great body squarely across the fire.
AT first he didn't seem to mind it
much, but presently began series OF
must vigorous and powerful lashings