The St. Mary banner., 1901-09-21

you, my snaky friendr' muttered Snyder
as he glared at the reptile
Then, true to its hostile reputation,
the snake rose higher, with the whistling
hiss peculiar to the Elapidr, and started
to glide from behind the box The situa-
ton was almost too interesting.
had swung around at Snyder's warn
ing and faced the snake, which had risen
to my left At the same time l made
ready the snake-noose, but before it
could be used the king stood up higher.
making the length of its reach almost
as long as the snake-sti To use this,
under these conditions, would be more
than dangerous, for these large colubrine
snakes strike fully half their length; and
as this particular reptile was fully thir-
teen feet long, it could lunge nearly sew
en- feet, dangerous thrust to dodge or
parry in close quarters. The reptile
made for Snyder, who backed off slowly
tlourishing his stick.
At the same time another shrill hiss
sounded from behind, and another cobra
rose into view. The snakes had given us
no chance to ascertain their whereabouts
before beginning hostilities.
Hearing the warning of the second
snake in his ear, Snyder prepared to act
at once Taking deliberate aim, he hurl-
ed the blanket at number one, and faced
about to engage number two. Struck
squarely by the blanket, the reptile
backed of with alacrity, lowering its
body. This was my opportunity. l
slipped the moose of the snake-stick over
its head, making it prisoner, although
it thrashed the floor in mad effort to
escape. Hand over hand the snake was
hauled, tail first, into one of the gunny-
sacks, while its companion did nothing
more, fortunately, than direct a CLASSY
stare at the proceeding.
AS the bag was being fastened, some
thing occurred which might shake the
nerves of even those long familiar with
snakes The box beside us rocked sud
denly back and forth, a head which gilt
tered and scintillated with prislnatic col
ors shot past US, and with sound like
the sudden escaping of steam, the second
big python disclosed his whereabouts,
but missed his aim. l am not ashamed
to acknowledge that cold shivers went
up and down my back From the ex-
preston on Snyder's face, believe he
had similar sensations. But he threw
the blanket at the python, and 1t skunk
back, as if quelled.
After the bagging of cobra number one
we felt somewhat elated and relieved.
Thoughts of what might have happened
if things had gone wrong flashed across
my mind The king bites to kill.
1t does not merely stab with its poison
fangs and instantly draw back for an
other blow, like the rattlesnake or moe
casin. Should the king-cobra's aim
prove true, its fangs are ground savage
ly into the flesh, and retain their hold
for a substantial part of minute. All
this time the venomous secretion is tiow-
ing Drop by drop it is taken into the
circulation. A fraction of drop will
kill man, and this creature can eject
about ten drops from either fang.
As we maneuvered to get the second
cobra at disadvantage, the big python
again unlimbered on our flank and be-
came so energetic that it again required
attention. This time the blanket was
thrown over it, reducing its demonstra-
tions to a steady blowing the huge body
rising and falling as the air was inhaled
with a dull roar, and exha!ed with a
sound like that of distressed safety
valve. Meanwhile cobra number two
showed plainly that it didn't intend to
be noosed.
Now, much to our relief, we discov-
cred the third cobra-in which, although
we did not desire it for the Zoo, we were
compelled to take an interest 1t was
| peeping round the corner of big crate.
about eight feet from us, and its forked
tongue danced and quivered at every
movement that we made.
Number two was getting impatient,
and slid forward few feet. Without
warning, it aimed savage blow at Sny-
der, who executed backward broad
jump of admirable energy The mo-
mentum of the snakes blow brought the
body forward, and as it reared once
more, we found ourselves face TO face
with a king-cobra at close quarters
Moreover, it was between us and the
door. And the third cobra was becom-
ing impatient.
With jump, landed on the case be-
side the big python, which snorted loud
ly at such a liberty Snyder, who was
nearest cobra number two, backed off to-
ward the window, holding a gunny-sack
in front of him. There he was brought
to halt and could go no farther. Now
| must act or never. A miscalculation
must have consequences too disagreeable
to contemplate.
Reaching the moose over the top OF
the case, got it almost over the head OF
the nearest cobra, when it drew back like
flash and caught the end Of the stick
On this it chewed until the yellow poison
flowed freely, and catually spattered ths
floor. A desperate plan suggested itself
This was to release the snake-stick, ii
the reptile continued to hold the same
seize the blanket that covered the bis
python and throw it over the cobra
which could then be captured by hand.
| dropped the stick and the cobra con