Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1876 — A Snake on Shipboard. [ARTICLE]

A Snake on Shipboard.

Mr. A- Nash writes' to the London Tirrtee: Will you kindly allow me to give your reader a short description of an interesting, event which occurred ’at the London dpc&hf* Thursday, being the capture of;atarge boa-constrictor, on board the ship'Surprise, which has just arrived front reftt Natal : laden with wool and hides, ft appears-that. while at the Port, she went within the bar to load, being a jSipqll vessel, and,consequently was close to the btish. One evening, after her cargo had been shipped, while the crew were having a little jollification amohg themsetvfito one of the sailors, who happened to possess a concertina,, was playing various tunes forthe amusement of hk companions.' It is supposed mat’ the- musib attracted the' ° boa” on board, and, being disturbed, it must have found its why into the hold, aA the hatches were qffatthe .time, and concealed itself amohg s the cargo, as it was nbt discovered uptil the Ship was well on hit voyage homeJ Whet she arrived in dock die question arose as to how it was to be captured, but, with the assistance of Mr. Jamrach it was Successfully accomplished. I have seen the reptile, and I should think di i 4 about eight or nine feet In length and As thick as the calf of a man’s leg. It has existed during 'the voyage on rata and other vermin, with which, I am informed, the vessel swarmed while at Port Natal; and now fliere is not a rat to be seen in any part of the vessel, so that in future it may be thought desirable to ship a ** boa-cop-stricter” instead of other animals to catch the vermin. L__ 2