Year: 1865




We Immediately drew into cover, and
awaited the coming of the latter.


We were not delayed long, for pres
emily a column Of animals, from tile ele-
plant to the hoo-doo, appeared in view,
trotting at good pace to the river
Their fanKs were Soon presented to US,
and each selecting his object, fred. Nc
Call shot a fine young buffalo COW, whilst
Capt. Grant was equally successful with
hoo doc, and several spears cast by our
attendants stopped the career Of one or
two different animals of the herd.


At this juncture, however, occurred an
unexpected adventure, that finished the
sport of that day. had sprang forward,
Immediately after firing, in order to OBJ
tain a fair shot at huge elephant that [
wanted to bring down on account of his
immense tusks. I got the desired aim,
and pulled the trigger of the second bar
rel. At the moment of my doing SO, a
Wild cry of alarm, uttered by one Of the
blacks, called my attention. CHANGING
around, my eye CHANGED to range up in
the foliage of the tree beneath which
Capt. Grant and myself had lain for sew
eral hours previous.


My feelings may possibly be imagined
as I beheld an enormous boa constructor,
whose hideOus head and neck projected
some distance into view, showing he was
about to make fatal spring. His di-
rection was certainly toward me, and as
he flashed from his position like thun-
derbolt, I gave myself up, for ere aid
could have reached me, fold after fold of
the monster would have crushed my
strong frame into a quivering pulp. l
fell, seemingly caught in a whirlwind Of
dust, and strange, indescribable strug
gle ensued. In the midst of this terri
bic strife, I suddenly became conscious
of the presence of another victim, and
even after the time that has elapsed since
then, I still recollect with what vividness
the thought shot across my mind that
this second victim>was Capt. Grant, my
noble companion. At last, after thus be-
ing whirled about for several seconds,
each second seeming to be interminable,
there ensued a luII, a stiffness as of death,
and I opened my eyes expecting to look
upon those unexplored landscapes which
are seen only in the country beyond the
tomb. Instead of that saw Captain
Grant leveling his rife toward me, while
standing beside and behind HIM we're the
blacks, in every conceivable attitude Of
the most intense suspense.


In moment I comprehended all. The
huge serpent had struck young buffalo
COW, between which and him had un-
luckily placed myself at the moment Of
firing upon the elephant. a most siDgu-
lar good fortune had attended me, how
ever, for instead of being crushed into a
min gIed mass with the unfortunate COW,
my left fore arm had only been caught in
between the bufalo's body and one sin
gle fold of the constructor. The limb
laid Just in front of the shoulder at the
roof Of the neck, and thus had a soft bed
of flesh, into which it was jammed, as il
we're, by the immense pressure Of the
serpent's body that was ironlike in hard,
ness. 49, -s-z- ID ~


As I saw Grant about to shoot, ter.
ror took possession of me, for if he re.
Trained might possibly escape, after the
boa released the folds from the dead COW
But should he fire and strike the reptile
| it would, in its commissions, crush or drag
me to pieces. Even as the idea came tt
me, beheld Grant pause. He appear
ed to comprehend all. HecOuld see hov
I was situated, that 1 was still living, anc
that my delivery depended on the will o
the constructor. We could see every
line on each others face, so close werl
we, and I would have shouted or spoken
or ever whispered to him had I dared
but the boa's head was within a few inch
es of mine, and the wink of an cyclic
would, perhaps, settle my doom, so
stared like a dead man at Grant and th
blacks.


Presently the serpent began to rela.
his folds, and after re-tightening then
several times, as the crushed buffalo buf
falo Quivered, he unwound one fold en-
tirely. Then he paused. The next iron
like band was the one that held me prise
ner, and felt it little by little unclasp
ing; my heart stood still with hope ant
fear. Perhaps upon being freed the be
numbed arm, uncontrolled by my will
might fall from the cushion like bed il
which it lay. And such mishap nigh
bring the spare fold around my neck ant
chest, and then farewell to the sources 0
the Nile. O, how desperately I strug
gIed to command myself glanced a
Grant and saw him handling bis riff
anziousIy. I glanced at the negroes ant
saw them gazing as if petrifed with as
tonishment. I glanced at the serpent