Iowa News

ADVENTURE WITH A COBRA DI CAPELLA.

I had escaped for the day from the irksome routine of military duties, for which the possession of the monsoon of Delhi; the gale winds of India in July celebrated. It was about the dark and heavy grass, I felt inclined to rest; as abundant, and after some hours hard fatiguing through adjacent luxuriant verdure, of noble growth, yielding an inviting shelter from the sun, that, for the monsoon, passed me had set off on a neighboring gun to observe was oppressively hot. The fox beaters that accompanied me had ceased their repeated. Less wayward, I was employed, much to my own satisfaction, in counting over the contents of a well-filled game bag, and mentally portioning off some as presents to my friends. From this state of pleasing indolence, which a sportsman is apt to indulge in after a severe fatigue, I was aroused by the furious barking of my dogs; on turning round I beheld a snake, of the cobra de capella species, directing its course to a point that would approximate very close upon my position; in an instant I was upon my feet. The moment the reptile became aware of my presence, in setural phraseology, it 'bid deadly defiance,' with expanded hood, eyes sparkling, and neck beautified by arched; the head raised nearly from the ground, and oscillating from side to side in a manner plainly indicative of a resolute set-to. I seized the nearest weapon of my wrath, a stout baton seized by one of the beaters, and hurled it at my opponent's head; I was fortunate enough to hit it beneath the eye. The reptile immediately from its menacing attitude, and lay apparently lifeless. Within a moment's reflection, I seized it by the neck below the head, hurried to the shelter of a tree, and very coolly sat down to examine the mouth for the poisoned fangs, of which naturalists speak so much. While in the act of forcing open the mouth with a stick, I felt the head sliding through my hand, and, to my utter astonishment, became aware that I now had to contend against the most deadly of reptiles, in its full strength and vigor.—Indeed, I was in a moment convinced of it: for as I tightened my hold of the throat, its body became wreathed round my neck and arm, I had raised myself from a sitting posture to one knee; my right arm (to enable me to exert my strength) was extended. I must, in such an attitude, have appeared horrified enough to represent a deity in the Hindoo mythology, such as we often used to see rudely emblazoned on the portals of their native temples.

It now became a matter of self-defense: to retain my hold, and prevent the head from escaping, required my utmost strength, as my neck became a purchase for the animal to pull upon. If the reader is aware of the ungovernable dread in which the cobra de capella is held in India, and the almost instant death which follows its bite, he will be able to form some idea of the consternation which pervaded my whole frame, clammy cold as the sepulchral damps of the charnel-house blowing round my neck. To attempt any delineation of my sensations would be absurd and futile: let it suffice they were most horrible—I had almost resolved to let go my hold. Had I done so, this tale would never have been written, as no doubt the head would have been wrought to the extreme circumlocution to inflict its deadly wound—Even in the agony of such a moment, I could picture to myself the fierce glowing of the eyes, and the intimidating expansion of the hood, ere it hastened its venomous and fatal hold upon my face and neck.

To hold it much longer would be impossible. Immediately beneath my grasp there was an inward working and creeping of the skin, which seemed to be agitated by the very firmness with which I held it—my hand was gloved. Finding, in defiance of all my efforts, that my hand was each instant forced closer to my face, I was anxiously considering how to act in this horrible dilemma, when an idea struck me that were it in my power to transfix the mouth with some sharp instrument, it would prevent the reptile from using its fangs, should it escape my hold of it. My gun lay at my feet, the ramrod appeared the very thing required, which, with some difficulty, I succeeded in drawing out, having only one hand disengaged. My right arm was now trembling by over exertion, and my hold becoming less firm, when I happily succeeded in passing the rod through the lower jaw up to its centre, It was not without considerable hesitation that I let go my hold of the throat, and suddenly seized the rod in both hands at the same time by bringing them over my head, with a sudden jerk, I disengaged the fold from my neck, which had latterly become almost tight enough to produce strangulation. There was then little difficulty in freeing my right arm, and ultimately to throw the reptile from me to the earth, where it continued to twist and writhe itself into a thousand contortions of rage and agony.—To run to a neighboring stream, to have my neck, hands and face in its cooling waters, was my first act after despatching my formidable enemy. Thus concludes a true but plainly told tale. As a moral, it may prove— that when a man is possessed of determination, coolness, and energy, combined with reason, he will generally come off triumphant, tho' he may circumvent the subtlety of the snake, or combat the ferocity of the tiger,—Madras Herald.