Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-07-03
TROUBLE WITH A PYTHON.
By william T. ornaday of


| Iu6Te ue Is!
Close beside the opening in the floor
lay about a bushel of big brown and
yellow coils, and above the pile hov.
cred the massive head of the python,
threatening to strike the first living
thing that came within reach. The
noise and jar of the carpenters efforts
in removing the board had greatly ir.
ritated the reptile.
Mr.. Ditmar., our curator Of reptiles,
had provided himself with large bag
Of heavy cloth, hoping to be able to
throw 1t moutht downward over the
coils of the serpent-the usual way OF
capturing snakes at large. But there
was not sufficient space between the
| floor and the serpent to carry this plan
into effect; and moreover, the serpent's
head was altogether too threatening,
Pending further efforts, we procured
boards and endeavored to cut of the
python's escape, front and rear.
The python waited until we had
placed the boards to the best possible
advantage, then uncoiled himself,
showed the boards out of position as
if they had been SO many straws put
there for his amusement, and quickly
disappeared under the ant-eater's cage.
The carpenter fell to work again to
remove several other boards of the
floor, while the messenger boys were
stationed outside the building to see
that our quarry did not get out and cs-
cape to the forest.
In short time the python's head
again appeared at one Of the long,
narrow openings made by the carpen-
ter, but as Dir. Ditmars took favor
able position for grabbing the crea-
turc by the neck, closc up to the jaws,
it struck at him most viclously.
"Look out" cried some one, en-
phatically.
Clearly, 1t would not do for any Of
our men to be seized by that savage
creature; for although the python was
Of course not poisonous, and although
we might even prevent it from wrap
ping itself around any one Of us, the
laceration Of a mans hand by that big,
muscular mouth, filled with four rows
Of hook-like, backward-pointing teeth,
would have been, a serious matter.
Presently'the snake left It's place un-
uer the ant-cat,r's cage, gliding along
the side Of the building farthest from
the door, alert, aggressive, and so
ready to strike any one who came near
its head that I forbade the men to
take risks.
AS its five yards Of length semIcir-
cled around the cook-stovc, part of its
body passed under one Of the floor
openings. This was our opportunity,
and In an instant two of Us seized it
and rlumphantly hauled up about six
feet fsthe serpent,s body and tail.
big gSaHd muscular Il was! s. Its
skin was as both and glossy MS sat
In and cleaned with rainbow irides.
cence. 1t writhed and, worked in our
grasp, and pulled downward with such
power that,it required all the strength
of the chief forester and myself to
retain any portion Of 1t within our
grasp. We bra ced ourselves, heaved
hard, an4 by main strength tried to
pull the python out backward; but not
one inch could we gain. On the con-
trary, inches were drawn away from
us in spite Of all we could do. I be-
lieve that ten men could not have
pulled that python out backward, al
though they hight possibly have torn
it in two.
All this time Mr.. Ditmars kept trying
to seize the python Jy the neck, but it
was constantly alert, anxious to seize
him, and gave him no opportunity
whatever. 1t was evident that with
our unaided hands we never could
master that savage creature without
an accident to some one.
Bidding keeper take my place at
the tail hold" and hang on with all
his strength, ran to the storeroom,
and with two yards Of mason's line,
q long, thin hammer-hande of hickory
and staple hurriediy driven into the
end Of it for the line to pass through,
/ quickly made very serviceable
moose Back ran to the oook-house.
Mr.. Merkel and Mr.. Munzlc, red in
the face and perspirlng profusely,
were cllnging desperately to the last
two feet of the python's tail; and the
python was in perfect rage. 1t dart
ed to and fro under the half-demol-
ished floor, striking out vlclously
whenever it seemed possible to reach
a man, and manifesting great willing
ness to fight any one. At the same
time, however. it most cunningly kept
its head under cover.
I readjusted the loop of my line at
the end Of my stick and put it close
to the python's head, expecting the
snake to make strike through the
moose. He refused. I waited PATENT
ly. Inch by inch the tail was going
under the floor.
1--WE can't hold on here much long
er" exclaimed the forester, desperate
~.
at last the python started to move
straight toward my face. AS I shifted
my moose into line, he ran his head
through 1t, the moose flew taut behind
his jaws, and he was caught.
The instant jerked the line taut
the python drew back and endeavored
to retreat, pulling with the strength
Of man. I gave him about a yard
Of my line and then held him BY main
strength.
"That small line will cut his head
OFF, cried Mr.. DItmars, In real alarm
for the safety Of our prize snake.
Better let me cut it" He whipped out
his knife and poised the open blade
over my precious bit Of line.
"No, no! Don't cut it. We've got
to control his head this way or we'll
never master him without getting
hurt. Let go the tail and grab up the
4hro,,-l, tho% rnvf