The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-06-04

Looking at map of Natal and fol-
lowing the course of the Tugela River
from its mouth, you will see a small
tributary marked Insult River, which
has its source in the N'Kankhla
Mountains, Zululand. This river fol-
lows very tortuous course as it
rushes to join the Tugela, and is fed
by numerous streams which dash
down the mountain sides in water
falls and cascades, cutting down
through the rocks and forming long
spurs with gorges hundreds of feet
deep between.
Some years ago l was running a
Kaffir store, which was situated on
tho slope of one of the long spurs
aforementioned, overlooking the
N'Kuzana stream. At the time of
which l am speaking there were
good many prospectors in the valley,
and syndicate was working claims
up the N'Kuzana stream. Besides
trading with the natives l did fairly
good business with these plucky pio-
neers of civilization.
Game was pretty plentiful, and also
snakes; more salubrious region for
these creatures / was never in. /
had an instructive feeling of repug-
nance for snakes, and never passed
one without at least trying to kill it.
One evening, after telling the UNI
faan (native lad) to close the store,
was sitting outside my wattle-and-
daub hut enjoying a smoke, when
suddenly the boy came rushing up,
shouting, "Baas, baas, inyoka UNI
kulu, kakulu!" master, big-a
very big-snake!) Springing to my
feet, / asked him where it had gone
and what kind of a snake it was. He
replied that it was too dark to see,
but it was very large; he had seen it
go into the store just as he was about
to close the door.
"All right" l said, "go and shut
the store up now"
But the LAD remained where he
was, shaking with fright, and it was
obvious that he dare not go near the
place while that snake remained in
side
My other boys had been sent
away on errands in the morning, and
had not returned. At first | thought
| would leave the snake until the
morning. but remembering that had
Just received fresh supply of goods
which were lying about the store and
would give the creature plenty of
hiding places, | thought it better to
have it out with the brute there and
then, otherwise it would mean turn
Ing the store inside out next morning
to look for 1t. From the boys de-
scription | took 1t to be a young py-
thon, able to inflict severe bite, but
not venomous.
Selecting good stick and taking
a lighted candle with me, | went to
the store, slipped quietly in, and
closed the door behind me. Placing
the candle on the counter, l looked
around In the dim light. Hearing
slight noise at the end of the store |
crept towards it, and presently saw
the head Of snake appear Just above
bale OF blankets, it's body being on
the other side. | struck at him, but
as he lodged the blow | saw that II
was not python. Jumping back
tripped and fell with a crash among
the tin-billies and Kaffir-pots. In
falling ! saw a Kissing streak of
black, which struck at me as 1t
flashed past and made for the door.
ANY doubts | had as to the kind of
snake 1t was were now dispelled, for
by the sickly smell of musk | knew
the creature was black mamba, and
the largest of its kind had ever seen.
Heartily l cursed myself for my
folly In not bringing my shotgun with
me, for now was fairly trapped, the
Drt ing between me and the
door. The black mamba, may men
tion, is one OF the most dangerous of
deadly snakes, for, besides the yiru.
ience of its venom, 1t is very fero-
cious, and when at bay will attack a
human being with Incredible fury.
Thj extraordinary quickness of its
movements makes 1t still more to be
dreaded; II win dodge a blow from a
SUCK and strike back before its op-
ponent has time to recover. And
here was |, shut up. through my own
stupidity, with serpent of this de-
scrlption, which appeared to me to be
about twelve feet in length
Meanwhile the brute. finding its
retreat cut of, turned toward me
again; could see its eyii looking
eyes scintillating In the dim light OF
the candle. l caught up some
weights and hurled them at 1t. In the
nope OF injuring It sufficiently to stop
u from springing, but this only had