The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-08-03


create in them an entire new system
of nerves, and I wondered how my
men would act IL we should really
encounter that creature with the beady
brown eyes, forked tongue, and teeth
all pointing inward-the wrong way
for an assailant. Up to that point
the search had gone on as quietly as
IL we had been seeking lost piece Of
rope.
Fortunately the floor boards Of the
cook house were nine inches wide, and
| In q short time one of them was re-
moved. Down went four heads, and
oil four came up again, very hastily:
There he is!'
| Close beside the opening in the floor
lay about a bushel of big brown and
yellow coils. and above the pile how
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.. Ditmars, 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 ut 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
IL 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 es-
cape to the forest.
In q short time the python's head
again appeared at one of the long,
narrow openings made by the carpen-
ter, but as Mr.. Ditmars took favor
able position for grabbing the crea-
ture by the neck, close up to the jaws.
1t struck at him most viciously.
Look outw cried some ono, 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. filed with four rows
of 'hook-like, backward pointing teeth
would have been a serious matter.
Presently the snake left its place I'm.
der the ant-eattr's cage, gliding along
the side of the building farthest from
the door. alert, aggressive, and sc
ready to strike any one who came neal
It's head that l forbade the men to
4 take risks.
AS Its FIVE yards Of length semicir
cled around the cook stove, part of Its
body passed under one Of the floor
openings. This was our opportunity
and in an instant two of us seized II
and triumphantly hauled up about si1
feet of the serpent's body and tail.
q How big and muscular it was! 1t!
skin was as smooth and glossy as sat
in and cleaned with rainbow irides
eence. 1t writhed and worked in oul
grasp, and pulled downward with sucl
power that 1t required all the strength
of the chief forester and myself t.
retain any portion Of it within ou
grasp. We brsced ourselves, heave'
hard. anu by main strength tried t,
pull the python out backward; but no
one inch could we gain. On the con
!. trary, inches were drawn away iron
, us in spite Of all we could do. be
lieve that ten men could not hav
| pulled that python out backward. al
though they might possibly have tor
1t In two.
All this time Mr.. Ditmars kept tryin
, to seize the python by the neck. but
| was constantly alert, anxious to seiz
, him, and gave him no opportunit
whatever. 1t was evident that wit
our unaided hands We never coui
master that savage creature withou
an accident to some one.
Bidding a keeper take my place O
| the tail hold and hang on with a
, his strength, I ran to the storeroon
and with two yards of masons lint
, long, thin hammer-handle of hickor
! and staple hurriediy driven into til
! end of 1t for the line to pass through
! I quickly made a very serviceabl
E moose Back ran to the cook house.
{ Mr. Merkel and Mr.. Munzie. red
the face and perspiring profusel,
t were clinging desperately to the la'
] two feet of the python's tail; and til
python was in a perfect rage. 1t dar
n ed to and fro uuder the halfdemo
e ished floor, striking out viciousl
J, whenever it seemed possible to reat
y a man, and manifesting great willin
l. ness to fight any one. At the san
l. time. however. it most cunningly kel
IS Its head under cover.
d / readjusted the loop Of my line |
It the end Of my stick and put it clio.
t. to the python's head, expecting Il
It snake to make strike through Il
q moose. He refused. waited patein
~. Inch by inch the tail was goir
r under the floor.
?; 1--WE can't hold on here much lon
d err exclaimed the forester. desperat
If ~.
K At last the python started to mo-
d straight toward my face. AS shift,
e my moose into line. he ran his he.
,e Through 1t. the moose Jew taut behiI
u his jaws, and he was caught.
ae The instant / jerked the line tn