Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 193, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1912 — ADVENTURE WITH BIG SNAKE [ARTICLE]

ADVENTURE WITH BIG SNAKE

Algot Lange’s Description of His E»counter With ■ Fifty-Six Foot Boa Constrictor. In his new book, "In the Amazon Jungles,” (Putnam), Aigot Lange tqlls of his encounter with a fifty-six fifot boa constrictor: “On a soft muddy sand bar, half hidden by dead branches, I beheld a somewhat cone shaped mass about seven feet in height. From the base of this came the neck and head of the snake, flat on the ground, with beady eyes staring at us as we slowly advanced and stopped. The snake was coiled, forming an enormous pile of round, scaly monstrosity, large enough to crush us all to death at once. We had stopped at a distance of about fifteen feet from him, and looked at each other. I felt as if I were spellbound, unable to move a step farther or even to think or act on my own initiative. “The snake still made no move, but in the clear moonlight I could flee its body expand and contract in breathing; its yellow eyes seeming to radiate a phosphorescent light. I felt no fear, nor any Inclination to retreat,*" yet I was now facing a beast that few men had ever succeeded in seeing. Thus we stood looking at each other, scarcely moving an eyelid, while the great silent monster looked at ns. t slid my right hand down (o the holster of my automatic pistol, the 9mm, Luger, and slowly removed the safety lock, at the same time staring into tha faces of the man. In this manner I was less under the spell of the mesmerism of the snake, and could to some extent think and act. "I wheeled around while I still held control of my faculties, and, perceiving a slight movement of the snake’s coils, I fired point blank at the head,/ letting go the entire chamber of soft nose bullets. Instantly the other men woke up from their trance and in their turn fired, emptying their Winchester* into the huge head, which by this time was raised to a great height above us, loudly hissing in agony, ' j “Our wild yelling echoed through the deep forest. The snake uncoiled itself and writhing with- pain mad* for the water’s edge. By this tima we were relieved of the terrible suspense, but we took care to keep at » respectful distrance from the struggling reptile and the powerful lashing of the tail, which would have killed a man with one blow.”