Year: 1870

disturbance and of the danger also became ap-
parent on close inspection. On the limb OF the
tree overlooking the path lay huge, black
anaconda, piled in great masses, fold over fold, E,
is its wont, with the end of its tail just curled
round the limb on which its great bulk rested,
and its head left free, and elevated about two
feet above the rest of the body. In this position


it was quite prepared for action, and holding on
oy its tail, could at once draw its great length
down with resstless force on any unhappv
animal, or even person, that might pass below
and when once secure in its gigantic folds, the
rest was certain, whether to man, goat, deer, or
sheep. Mr.. Barclay, however, was not inclined
to give it such chance as this on his account,
and waited quietly at distance till, by some
cautious maneuveriGg, he got full view of the
creatures head between the bright blue sky.
Then he fired, and with one charge of slugs so
shattered the huge reptiles head, that after
writing for single moment, II came in long
heap to the ground 1t was far from dead how
ever, and plunged wildly, so that for time he
burst not approach it as it lay knocking the
leaves and branches about in all directions At
last it lay still, when he got close shot with
his second barrel, and this so completely shat
tered the serpeuts head that it never moved
again. Like a cautious woodsman, however,
Mr.. Barclay did not feel secure till he had di-
vided with his knife and not without great diff
Guilty, the vertebre in the center of the back
The serpent measured near twenty-nine feet in
length and was evidently, from its great thick
ness, immensely powerful.


The only question which remained to the sue
cesstul hunter was, what was to be done with
the carcass. He was 10th to leave it where it
was; besides, he wanted the skin-as what
victorious hunter does not P-and above ALL he
wanted to show Mrs. Barclay how easily such
monsters could be killed. Not uunaturally then
though in an evil hour, he determined to drag it
home. For this purpose he undd the stirrup-
leather, and making IL fast over the head of the
snake led his horse along, which, as il towed
the snake left a deep mark in the herbage and
sometimes trail of blood on the grass over
which the carcass was dragged


AS he advanced with the huge reptile trailing
at his heels, some evil genius put it in his head
that now was fine opportunity to give Mrs
Barclay lesson that would cure her of her fear
of serpents. He never seems to have thought
of the matter unkindly, or to entertain for n
moment an idea that woman's nature would
not as soon or as easily get over its repugnance
to these reptiles, as he in his wild rough life had
easily been enabled to do There is no doubt
that nothing more than rough practical Joke
entered his mind and this was perhaps the only
kind of joke the point of which he was capable
OF perceiving His simple plan of mischief was
soon laid. He determined to take the serpe mt
into the sitting-room, and coil it in such a man
ner that its wounded parts could easily be
nldCen. lie dragged III, therefore, with some
trouble along the yeranda, and soon managed to
coil away its great folds in such manner that
its injuries were hidden, and it looked indeed as
if alive When all had been quietly arranged by
himself, he went out and called for the servant
to fetch down her mistress, who, as is tho Gus
tom of the country, was sleeping out the great
heat of the day in her own room. Little sus-
pecting what was to follow, she came down at
once, and the instant she entered the sitting
room Mr.. Barclay slipped out and fastened the
door behind her. What passed afterward can
only be guessed with horror. Her screams of
" The serpent the serpentP' ~ were at first so
shrll and loud as to quite drown Mr. Barclay s
calls to her that the reptile was dead, and that
she must look at it calmly, and he was only first
alarmed by n noise of struggling and the pierre
ing cries of some half dozen famale servants
who drawn blythe shrieks of their mistress had
entered the room by another door. What they
saw on entering, was Mrs Barclay attacked by
huge anaconda, which had followed up the broad
track left by the body of its slaughtered mate
The instant their cries alarmed it, it rolled back
its folds through the window by which it had
eutered. Mrs. Barclay was found nsensbe,
and only slightly torn about the ince, and partly
on the bosom by the fangs of the boa. She was
quite insensibe, however, and never rallied. In
spite of all restoratives, she remained in a coma
tose state till the succeeding day, when convul-
sion succeeded convulsion till her death left Mr..
Barclay u widower and the father OF stll-born
child