The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-08-22

IL
escaping steam, and the movement
beneath me became so violent as to
partially raise my body from the
river-bed. Dashing the mud from my
eyes as best I could, threw out my
hands for some available support. NY
right grasped mud, but the left
caught hold of cold. Shiny, wrig-
Cling body. And then the truth Of
my situation dawned upon me, liter
ally. freezing my blood with horror,
while the most sickening sensation
have ever experienced passed over
me. l lay in the folds Of great boa
constructor!
Had I been In the best of physical
condition. unarmed / should have
been no match for this great reptile,
and situated as was-practically in
a semi-conscious state-I must sure
~ fall an easy victim.
The thought of my position made
me frenzied. / attempted to regain
my feet, but now my left leg was
Dinioned with my right, and. strug-
gle as would, could not free them.
In frantic rage clutched the Shiny
coils, to fling them from me; but
only to be dashed down with stun
ming force.
Again and again tried to wrench
myself free, but all in vain. With
clenched fists beat the great body,
and endeavored to tear the creature
to pieces with my nails. but the thick
scales were as proof against my at
tack as armour-plate. Meanwhile we
rolled over and over in the river
bed, as with strength born of des-
peration fought the loathsome mon
ster, which was slowly crushing the
life out of me. The thought. of my
pistol flashed through my mind. and
felt for my holster. but it was emp
~; had placed the weapon in my
saddle-bags. Frantically I endeay-
ored to tear from my body the ever
Tightening folds, but. struggle as
would, 1t was of no avail. was
fast becoming exhausted, dizziness
seized me, and the trees and shrubs
seemed to be tumbling and wrirling
about in wild conclusion. Suddenly
my strength seemed to desert ME all
together. and I ceased to struggle.
while just above my face, swaying
now to the right. now to the left, was
the snakes head, like pendulum of
death, whose every stroke was bring
ing me nearer to destruction.
Strange thoughts fitted across my
mind; incidents of boyhood life long
since forgotten were brought wildly
to memory, and l seemed to stand
again in the old homestead with my
friends about me. though all were
strangely silent. AS I watched. the
scene began to melt away like a
mist.
A binding flash, accompanied by a
deafening report; the rush of q dark
body over me; then all was darkness.
When next l opened my eyes my ma
tive guide was rapidly unwinding the
now lifeless serpent from my body.
while on the ground beside me lay a
blood-stained dagger and a pistol.
still smoking. Having freed me from
the reptile, Juan brought water and
proceeded to remove the worst of
the filth from my person. The cold
water also served to revive me, but
lay helplessly upon the soft g-ass
While my guide recaptured my horse.
This done, Juan assisted me into the
saddle and supported me until a
settlement was reached, where / re-
NAMED at the house of friendly ma
tive until had recovered somewha.
from the effects Of encounter. NY
nerves, however, remained in q
wretched state for months: my
dreams were haunted by great dra-
CONS and hydraheaded monsters, who
chased me over river and jungle.
Just as they were on the poict OF
crushing me to death would awake
with a wild yell, bathed in cold per-
spiration and trembling In every
limb, but by degrees this wore of
until became my natural self.
Juan, good fellow that he was, Sc
cured and preserved for me the skin
of the reptile which so nearly made
an end Of me. 1t measured fourteen
and half feet in length and eleven
inches in circumference. In due sea-
son had it mounted as little souve-
mir of my sojourn in the Philippine
Islands, and with the revolver and
dagger which put an end to its ca.
reer.-The Wide World Magazine.