The age-herald., 1901-09-03
SNAKES WORTH TALKING OF.
Capt. Thompson Tells of the Anaconds
 Helmet.

Helmet.
 From the New York Sun.
 Speaking to a Sun reporter the other day, Capt Mortimer Thompson, well known New York skipper who has tray eled about in South Africa, said:
 Every man who tells about a big snake is laughingly asked by somebody, What sort of whisky were you drank ing?' but let me tell you right here that the python In Bronx Park, which Is re- ported to be the largest snake in captaV- ity, is a mere garter compared wlth some of the anacondas below the Isthmus.
 '.In South America anaconda Is the common name for all big snakes, includ- ing the python or rock snake, and there are other species with which your scien- tihc men have yet to become acquainted. Ma1y men have been In battles and have come out of them without a scratch, put that Is no proof that battlefield is perfectly safe place; and many travellers have come upon huge serpepts that paid little or no attention to them, but that is no proof that the reptiles are always peaceable and law-abiding twisters.
 Now, let me tell you my own exper1- ence wiA, an anaconda. In June, 1873, l was on board a steam launch in the At rato river, about six miles rom US mouth. I chartered the boat to go a1ter rubber. Along the banks Of that r1ver there are rubber trees in abundance, put few people care to explore the country ct pour cause, as our French 1rlehos say. The region Is infested with poison- ous reptiles and man-eating anacondas- an uninviting land for settlers surely "On the left bank of the river, as l said, about six miles from the mouth, I noticed an abandoned hut. Tired or the boat I decided to make the nut my hotel With two Indian guides went ashore We proceeded cautiously toward the hut. The guides, closely watching inc wild vegetation and beating the tall grass with their long sticks, advanced slowly to the open door. Before entering they eyed the interior closely and then reported everything all right l went In. There was a table and one overturned chair in the hut Everything in side gave evidence of decay. The hut must have been abandoned many months' possipiy years, before our visit.
 "The guides at once put the proVlslohs | which they had carried from the boat | on the musty old table. and in short or | der built fire in the rear Of the nut De- | cause the breeze was from the r1Ver' l Soon our supper or dinner If you please, was cooked. The menu was a queer Kino | of vegetable soup and some game. Al | the head of the table l occupied me chair My friends seated themselves on | Q broken branch of a tree which they had carried into the banquet hall. The soup was excellent and was enjoying It. when suddenly the window, or rather the place where the window used te | be. was darkened. The Indians conVul- sively clutched their machetes, but seem ed to be as powerless as if they had been turned to stone. I turned my eyes to- | ,t,,dA HanNanQl there the head of an enormous anaconda
 .Slowly he heightened his hideous neck. until it almost touched the cell ing. Then he lowered his head, and loosening an additional coll, reached out first toward one of my guests, then to- ward the other, and finally toward me He seemed to hesitate, as if he had the embarrassment of the choice.
 'In dream you have probably been brought face to face with death in one shape or another, while the means of escape seemed simple enough, but hor- | TOT paralyzed all your energy. You could not help yourself We'll, that was pre- cisely my condition in the presence of my terrible visitor. That was also the condition of the guides. The serpent had | taken us unawares, and the shock was too much for us. I had a rife and two reyolvers, but l could not move a finger | My guides, armed with their machetes could not budge.
 "There is something in the very mo- | ton of a big serpent, especially when yot are close to him, that spellbinds you, ol l puts you in a wide-awake nightmare, | | YOU prefer that way of expressing it. We were completely at the mercy of tha great anaconda, although less than one quarter of him had put In an appear ance at our supper table. In fact, he onl. craned his ugly neck inside of the win dow, leaving the rest of his huge body outside.
 "As If he were near sighted he took close look at each one of us. and ther slowly retired until his head reached th open window. As he drew himself bacl he hissed like a steam pipe, filling tho room with a queer odor that was almost suffocating but not sickening. It wa something like musk. I suppose that i was his way of bidding us farewell. A all events, he left us.
 ''The spell was broken. We seized oul | weapons and rushed to the door. Ther, the spell bound us again. The reptile was uncoiing himself; the whole mass was in motion, the great coils outside the | window unwinding, while the head, some | yards away was pointing toward the river. At last I managed to raise my rife. aimed at that head. I let gc seven bullets at 1t, but l was in a poor condition for shooting. hit the river seven times but I didn't hit the snake He went away about his own business never once altering his gait or lowering his head.
 'Of course, you want ito know how long was that snake. I cannot tell you but I imagine that he must have beer more than fifty feet In length. The thick est part of his body would easily meas ure as much as the body of common. sized pony. You may hink exaggerate but my honest opinion is that I rathel underestimate both the length and girtl of that anaconda-"