West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-10-19
SAMPLE SNAKE STORY
From The Philippines, AS Told BY A
Returned Volunteer Soldier.

Returned Volunteer Soldier.
Yes, | saw some hard lighting, but
the only time ] was really scared wns
by IA snake. They say that those huge
| bons that the natives keep in their
houses TO catch rats are harmless.
know better. had been with my
company under fire all dav, and as
night come on lost my way i'm the
swamp and was separated from my
command completely. Frustrated with
! the heat, often unconscious for a
| time, had lost my gun and everything
ana lay down TO wait for morning
near deserted shack, where some
native had once huG "a home, and WINS
soon fast asleep. | had lost one shoe
IN the swamp, and my bare foot Ind
Ocen severely cut and scratched IN my
race for life, and as went 10 sleep Il
plned me SO as TO affect my dreams
| dreamed that / was still in the swamp
and that my left foot aud leg were SO
heavy that l was being slowly pulled
down into the mud by them and that
] 4
TO und the pain in my foot intolerable
though dulled by the feeling we ex-
perience when we say IA limb is asleep.
felt that i could not move my leg. /
sat mp and looked at il, and put my
hand under my knee and gave it, pull
In the din light my leg seemed to ex-
tend off into the Jungle indefinitely
Then felt n twinge Of pain and
sense OF something gripping me abou.
the shin.
Wide awake and excited now,
saw that was being swallowed by
huge boa. My swollen, bleeding foot
had attracted him, and he had already
swallowed it, and was taking down
my leg inch bT inch, by those slow
automatic pnlsatious with which hor.
rlole reptiles get themselves outside
their prey. / ran my hand oyer the
creatures head and eyes, felt Of his
great lower jaw beneath my calf. /
struck the head with my fist, | scream
ed and yelled for help. ! struggled To "a
vertical position, bending the snakes
body upward, and even fell over upon
him, but all had no effect The swal.
lowing went on. Every minute would
feel prickling sensation an inch
higher up on mY leg, and sense OF
suction, and was aware that was an
inch deeper down in the monsters
anatomy.
Then lay quiet for a moment
thinking for my life. Each gulp of
the snake sent sIckening chill over
my body, tut my head was clear. /
thought with some satisfaction that
the boa could swallow only one leg
since he had not started upon both
Yet knew that he would never will
lingly disgorRe the part OF me he al
ready possessed and unless / was
found early in the morning, my chance
OF life was small. had no knife, nor
gun, but ! was able to reach a good
bamt hoo club and began TO beat the
great serpent on the body. and oyer
the head, too as hard as / could But
my blows hurt mY leg inside the
snake more than they seemed 20 hurt
him.
''At any rate. the swallowing went
on, and the snakes nose had reached
my kueecap. ] had nothing in my
pockets but my pipe and tobacco and
matchbox. Should I smoke and wait
the turn Of events? ? No, would make
FIRE and see If could roast his snake
shin while he swallowed me. Forum
ately "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, / reached IL and soon kndled
into a lively flame Then, reaching
out with my hands and stretching my
body toward some bushes that grew to
the right / caught young bamboo
firmly and dragged the great hose Of
the bOa's body squarelv across the fire
At first he didn't seem 20 mind IL much.
but presently he began a series Of most
vigorous and powerful lashiuQs with
that 1.-the aud tremendous body and
tail often nearly pulling me from my
hold on the tree and twisting my leg
until It seemed he would wrench 81
| from its socket
And yet those automatic waves Of
swallowing were not checked. felt
the creatures head inclose my knee.
and, indeed, I am sure the eulps by
which l was being taken In we're quick.