Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1901-01-25

iduftSt ttHlDci di1lBAlS anu lhttiti 6NAtft.
They were all caught by my own
1ands. Out in the country. on the yeiat
md in the bush, had watched them
Is much as possible in their native
state, and now supplemented this ssudg
by keeping them afterward under my
ayes at home This work | had carr
lied on since September, 1875. so that
/ had acquired a pretty extensive
knowledge Of the snakes OF southern
Africa.
All the venomons kinds were already
in my collection. and Of the harmless
snakes | bad ovcS 90 diifagsat speeies.
There was. however. much desired
me still wanting to me- one Of the iarg
sst, most interesting, most graccfnland
beautifully colercd Of all the snakes Of
The African woodland-the famous
rea-snake. Bucephalns capensis. the
boomslange" or tfee-snslze OF the
Dutch settlers. Miles Of bush hunted
through, but could never ind a boom
slange.
One day had strained my foot, and
1t panied me SO much that declared
at the breakfast table that until It was
better did not propose to do any
walking, but would give my foot rest.
Before we rose from the table, a
Katiir boy came to the door with a
letter from Tidmarsh, the director Of
The Grahamstowa Botanical gardens,
which said; Come down here as
quickly as you can. have a large
boomslange in the oak trees over the
avenue"
Up jumped from the table. seized
my hat and stick. and away ran on
he strained foot. Now it didn't pain
me. How could l think OF pain, while
he much-desired boomslange was
waiting for me?
At the other side OF the town lay the
Botanical gardens, but the distance
didn't matter; in few minutes / was
here. Painting. rushed in at the
gate; voices rang -out; a dozen men
rallied me. They were gazing upwards
into the trees. evidently watching the
snake. They stood in the middle Of
The avenue, each side of which was
bordered by a line OF leafy oaks so
branching as almost to meet over the
roadway.
When 1 got to where the Kafirs
we're gazing upward. they pointed cut
to me the snake aloft in she tree-tops.
/ looked sharply, hut no snake could
see. Hes a big one.' eaid they. He's
six feet long, But size didn't make
him easy to discern among the leaves.
Strain my eyes as | might. couldn't
get a glimpse Of him.
One Of the men threw up a stone and
then he moved. and as he moved saw
him. And as saw MIN. ran eagerly
to a tree and began to climb. .'Kesp
your eyes on him now. every man Of
gou,p | shouted q can't watch him
and climb at the same time
To take ones eyes from him for a
moment would be to lose him, 90
closely did his colors harmonic with
the greenish isaves and purplish gray
branches and twigs among which he
lay
Shining up the tree, ! was soon
among the limbs. and began to make
my way toward where the boomslang
was watching the group Of upsurned
Kafir faces beneath. AS I was now
among the foliage. could not see
him. and had to let the lSaffirs from
below direct my progress through the
leaf-elad branches. It was difilcult
work, for the long snaks=st.ck which
took with me hampered me BY running
foul of the branches,e
'Upward-now over your left
shoulder!a shouted the Kaflirs; and
accordingly upward over tbs left
shoulder | climbed. Soen was near
The snake. / could see him ceIled part-
iy, and partly stretched ont. at the tip
Of a branch. His tail was well lashed
around.its his body half hidden By tho
leaves. while his long slender neck
and bulldog head were thrust out a
foot and a half in my direction.
Evidently was net taking him at
all unawares. for his eyes, exceedingly
large and bright, were intently watch
Ing my Efforts to reach him, and his
lnquiring tongue every moment shot
forth its trembling, double-polnted
tips. menacing me. as thought, for
intruding IN his leafy domin.ons.
Otherwise he was as motionless as the
branch on which he lay
l climbed toward him until my face
came within six feet Of him. but still
he never stirred except fer that Qlliv-
efing, double7pointed tongue, which
now almost continually vlbrated It's
One thresdslike extremitiss in the aif.
The warm sun was Shining full npon
him. and his great bright eyes seemed
to glitter With malice, but still he re-
manned laotlonlesss and vet, / believe,
he was fully as anxious and as nervous
as was.
1ltft Wdo Lace ~ tuCS Win uttfl ~
the tree-top. What TO do, I knew not.
Was he venolnons? Were they true
those tales had heard Of his virulent
poison, those stories of lingering
chronic sores caused by his bites
where the bitten part sealed off year
after year. and sioughsd away? l.
thought of these things now and was
frightened.
knew that he had not the elaborate
poison apparatus Of the deadly puff
adder and cobra; but still, i bad seen
in the dead ones which l had dissectea
and examined. that the boomsEang was
edoubtful-snake1-that is. that he
had large channelled or sgoosed teeth
at the posterior end each dental
row. and that outside each Upper jaw
there was small gland beneath the
skin. What was this gland for. il moi
to secrete venom? Ana why was the
tooth ehannelled. if not to convey ven.
ON into the wound made by it These
thoughts troubled NE, and made my
heart beat fast with apprehension.
How was to catch him with safet.-i
Seize him with nay naked hands, as
was in the habit OF Selling the saHAel
thSf r-rra deeidrdsV haTnlsse Har1i,