Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1906-06-22
STORIES OF SNAKES
vEnoMous REPrlLEs THE CURSE
OF INDIA.
Thousands Of Natives Annually Are
Victims Of the Deadly Fanss-pia.
belieal Form Of Murder BY the Aid
Of Cobra.

4ho Ou1SldI icPOiSS kOA kCCcub year
gave the number OF deaths from
snake-bite throughout India as $4,000.
No doubt In the remoter districts ma
tives often report the deaths Of their
relatives as having been due to snake
bite In order to avoid the troublesome
inquiries which they detest; and all
evidence having been carefully de-
stroyed, 1t Is impossible to arrive at
the truth. OccaSlonally. too, a report
ed death from this cause Is In reality
a case OF murder. But after making
all deductions the number OF
persons killed every year by
snakes is enormous. This is
caused partly by the fanatical
dislike which the ordinary native has
for killing, or even interfering with.
n Wild creature, and partly by the
common habit OF going about with feet
and legs bare. 1 have myself seen a
native soldier walk boldly into a patch
OF grass In my compound to drive out
a cobra which had been seen to glide
Into It. The fact that his legs were
bare to the knee did not cause him
the slightest hesitation. Fortunately
he did not meet the snake. says a writ
er in the Pail Mall Gazette.
1t Is commonly reported, though
with what truth | do not know, that
natives sometimes adopt a particular
diabolical and ingenious method. Of
getting rid of an enemy, in such wise
thai the death shall lie correctly at
tributed to snake-bite. A small cobra,
or a kalait-a snake quite as venom.
ous-is caught uninjured, and n piece
Of string Is fastened to its tail. The
string Is then run through the hollow
stem OF a bamboo just large enough
to contain the body of the snake, and
by II the creature is dragged, tail
first. inside the cane Great care is
taken not to injure the reptile in any
way.
Armed with this abominable weap,
on the murderer waits for a suitable
opportunity for using 1t. Nothing Is
easier than to approach the hut OF his
intended victim when he Is asleep
snd creeping through the open door
way to bring the end of the bamboo
into contact with some part of his
body. The snake, enraged and terri
fed by the treatment which It has re.
Ceived. bites as soon as It's head
touches the a II the victim Is
sleeping soundly he is probably no,
even awakened by the slight puncture
of the coDra's n~eedle-like fangs. He
passes insensibly into death. The
next day his body Is discovered, with
all the unmistakable symptoms oil
snake poisoning; and save through an
accident, 4 Is not even suspected thai
n crime has been committed. The muir
derer, having liberated the snake and
destroyed the bamboo, is perfectly
safe. Even II suspicion falls upon
him 1t Is impossible to prove his guilt
Snake stories, or less incSedible
abound. The following. which was told
to me On such authority that l am
forced to believe II, Is n fair specl
men: A cobra was discovered in the
compound or garden surrounding an
officers bungalow, and the entire
male portion OF the household turned
GU to destroy 1t. The snake was drIv.
en- from one hiding place to another
n Mt last 1t took refuge in a narrow
culvert. All sorts OF expedients were
tried to drive II out. Shots we're fired
through the pipe and bundles Of burn,
Ing grass were thrust into It, without
effect. Finally the culvert was dug
up and the snake was found and
killed.
1t was a large and handsome one
and therefore the skin was taken on
and hung upon n nail driven into the
wall OF the veranda outside the bunga.
low. The next morning the owner of
the house was astonished by finding
on the ground beneath II a second
cobra skin.
The natives. one and all, declared
that the mate OF the uead snake had
come along during the night and shed
It's skin there through grief at It's loss.
This explanation being considered In
credible. It was supposed that some
one had INDUCED In q rather polntless
practical Joke, though the circum-
stances OF the case made It dificult
to see how this could have been DOS
sible. But whatever might be the
true explanation, there were the two
skins.