The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-06-08
FREOERICKsBURG, Va, SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 1901
FROM A Former FEEpEHIcEs-
BURGER
Interesting Information About the Mon
goose and the Cobra

To lW tkEf LAMB
A dipping ia reference 10 mong0ose
appeared in your issue Of saturday
June l-t and beg space 10 your yalua-
bic and newSy columns % write a com
ment upon the little animal which l. the
-ubiect of your article and whose az
quaintancr made from actual experience
The writer in the Philadelphia ledger
.tn whirh the article is cre'lited) states
that there exists rrfusal tO allow "a sin
gIe live mongOose % be- nded in this
country ! wish % correct his error for
one Wa landed from the : :. Baltl
more upon her return "a New York IN
september Oi hast wear from China and
the orient y the writer has pointed
ont the rules regarding their IRtrOduc-
tion arr very stringent. but neyerthe-
less they arr brought IN occasionally by
visitors and our ships Of war from all
parts of the globe wherein this little AMI
mal may have it, home They arp caught
tanned and -od 10 travellers and tour
ists and arr prized very highly a. house
pets for which purpose they are admi
rably suited being easily trained and
soon become gentle and docile Their
love and devotion 70 their master IL
strong and almost human in it, inten-
ity The pos-eS~or of the one mentioned
above WA offered 81 Tor him. bat 80
attached wa the young man to his lit
tle stranger that he would not part
with it. but carried il safely t. hi- home
IN Chicago
Mention of lew ot the characteristics
of the mongoo-e may prove Of some in
tere-t to your renders lts origin H.
credited 70 India. bnt il i very plentiful
IN Ceylon and other tropical isles. In
-in. they arr about equal 20 our Ameri-
can barn rnt. while they greatly resenl-
blr in appearance the opDssum. The
mongOor. r. much respected and reyered
in it, tropical homr. ior the natives look
withawe upon thi- plucky little animal
whirh has proven itself master over the
ieadly cobra. in India more feared than
any beast- roam that it, forests.
once had the pleasure II witnessing a
l -.I.. -. IN. - 49,. fifrt. ~
lows and a cobra. Two Of the world
renowned Indian -iuggler- came aboard
our ship in Crylon and after giving Lev
eral ottheir phenomenal exhibitions. pro
,eeded To- give W. an exhibition of snake
charming ucOvering the willow bas-
ket-. 70 the accompaniment ut their mu-
-ic. the rwo reptiles crawled out upon
the deck and an angry mOugoose was
wa thrown among them, bat the ma
yician" never allowed the latter 20 bury
his teeth in hi- valuable cobras. After
the Indian hal his two reptiles thorough
ly maddened and just a. che contest was
getting interesting he piped the snakes
back into their baskets and prOceeded to
leave the -hip We were not satisfied
and requested the Indian to allow his
pets 20 tight 10 n finish. After our prom
i-es Of ample recumpense, he again took
up his hute and uncovering the oas-
ket containing the venOmOus Indian rep
tile (which il distinguished from the less
dangerous Ceylon species by it, diamond
| hood proceeded To give ~ an exhibition
seldom witnessed The serpent was not
inclined 70 battle. while the mongoose
seemed anxious for the fray After r.
peated Efforts, the Indian succeeded III
arOusing the serpent to frenzy which
boded No good for it, little antagonist
| With head erect, his beautiful hOOc
spread 20 it, fullest, his glittering eye'
and gaping mouth, which displayed hh
formidable and death-dealing fangs. th'
cobra faced the mongoose, which crouch
ed upon the deck, awaiting the strike o
the serpent. He did not have long e
wait. for. with a rapid dart the snak'
seemed to sink it, fangs into the throat
of the mOngoose But we were deceiv
ed. slowly the reptile relaxed its coil
and to our surprise we saw the mon
goose had, with one bite OF his strong
Jaws. carried away the entire lower jaw
and part Of the throat Of his herre an
tagonist, and had won the fight.
so while these little fellows may b
such a nuisance, certainly they are worthy
Of some respect for their ability TO cops
with such formidable antagonist ~ th'
dreaded cobra OF India. Sincerely,
WILLIE Fl. WOLTz,
| 1l30-1l31 Park Row Building. New
York City, June Sd, 1901.
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