Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-12
FOUGHT A PYTHON
Fearful Plight of a Man Trapped
In the Big Snakes Den.

squeezed by a python have lived to tell |
of their sensations while in the EN- !
brace of the big snake. An English |
man employed in the London zoologi- |
cal gardens was, however, one OF the |
fortunate few.
The Britisher while in Antwerp Wis |
tied the Jardin Zoologique, where he
observed that a big pythOn-a female
about fourteen feet ia length-was SUI
fering from carries Of the jaw, with ul-
ceration OF the mucous membrane, a
condition often fatal TO snakes in con-
finement.
Having pointed this out to the resi-
dent director, the Englishman obtained
permission TO make trial of an ONT
nent that he had found efhcacious in
the early stage Of the disease among
his own snakes.
Now, as i'll luck would have 1t, the
regular keeper was absent ON this par
ticular occasion, and his place was I'LL
ed for the time by another from some
other department of the institution
This man spoke nothing but Flemish,
q tongue Of which the Briton was ig-
norant
The Englishman went into the py-
thon's den with this attendant, taking
it for granted, OF course, that the man
was accustomed TO snakes and hand
! ing him the box of ointment to hold IN
| til the Briton should be ready to use 1t.
When the EngliShman had brought
the python fairly down to the floor he
gripped her hard by the neck, which
action had the effect. as he intended 1t
TO have and which it always has with
| snakes, OF making her open her mouth.
! While holding her thus he pressed her
| head away from him at the same time
| to prevent her catching hold Of any
portion Of his clothing in her efforts TO
/ overcome him.
In her fright and rage she drew her
body up across the Britisher's back and
twisted her tail round and round his
other arm. All that the Englishman
now required of the keeper was, by
teasing or pinchtng her here and there
or by unwinding the tail when necessa-
~, to cause her 10 shift her coils con-
stantly and prevent her resting long
enough on one spot to apply undue
pressure.
The EnglisAman turned TO make a
sign to the Fleming to be ready to hand
him the ointment. To the foreigner $
diSmay the Fleming's face, with sort
Of full, impartial interest, looked at him
through the glass in front, the door
closed on the outside! He had become
frightened by the python and had quiet
ly departed.
At the same instant that the British
er turned the serpent frightened on him
so suddenly and violently that he mo-
mentarily lost consciousness. Then he
found himself staggering about the den
fighting for life. He expected his ribs
to give way every moment, yet his
chief fear at the time was of falling
through the glass.
He pushed the reptiles head away
from him with all his strength lest it
should cross his breast, and he can re-
member catching sight of himself, a
mulberry COlOTed figure. in the mirror.
All the time that he fought he knew
that he was trampling over the other
pythOns. who, furious at the disturb
]
. above and all around him in every di
TeCtiOn
The Britisher exerted every energy to
keep his feet. for he had retained suf-
ficient presence of mind TO realize that
were he to go down all would be over
with him. The heat was sitting. He
felt that he could endure it no longer.
The cage spun madly round before his
eyes, and he let go the snakes head.
The big serpent now twisted sharply
over his right shoulder close to his face
and slid off TO the ground.
The Englishman remembers falling
against the door with outstretched
hands, but nothing more until he found
himself sitting on the steps outside
. coughing violently, while the phleg-
d. matte keeper was for some occult req
. son putting a hot key down his back.
, Fortunately the snake had only q
small part of her body across the Eng
lishman's left side and back Had she
encircled him with complete coil he
would have been crushed like an egg,
: shell.-Harper's Weekly.