AN AWFUL DEATH.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 320, 22 June 1875, Page 3

AN AWFUL DEATH.

A vessel lately arrived at Liverpool brings news of the loss of its second officer while lying at anchor off Madagascar, Indian Ocean. The cargo being stored, the ship was waiting for a fair wind, and shore leave was given to the crew in watches. The second officer and his watch were roaming about a short distance inland, when they reached a piece of wooded land or grove, where all hands sat down in the shade to enjoy the lunch they had brought along with them. The mate had chosen a spot a short distance from the rest, and was eating his food by himself, when suddenly one of the men saw a large boa constrictor unwinding his body from the trunk of a tree near the mate. When first seen the head of the terrible creature was drawn back, its bright eyes glaring with fury, and its mouth open just enough to display its fangs ; it was preparing to spring. The snake seemed to be some twelve or fourteen feet in length, and about fifteen inches in circumference. A single glance showed the men this, but before they could even raise their voices, the boa had struck the mate apparently in the back of the neck, and with the rapidity of thought had wound its body round the doomed man. His cries and contortions were frightful, but they ceased in less than two minutes, when it appeared as though his whole frame had been crushed to a pulp of flesh. The monster, with the tenacity of his race, kept the braided coil of his body about his victim, heedless of the shouts and excitement of the rest of the party. The men were pale with fear; they had no weapons but their sheath knives. The mate, however, had brought a shot gun on shore, which now lay near his lifeless body. One of these men stole up and succeed in getting the gun and rapidly retreating again. There was no hope of saving the officer. All could see that he was now dead. Should they leave him to be devoured by the awful boa? They could not make up their minds to do that, tremulous with fear as they were; They resolved to rush up to him at once, each first designating a portion of the body of the snake, and cutting as nearly through as possible, and then running away together. The gun was only loaded with bird-shot, and would do little good, yet one was to remain in reserve, and try to lodge the contents in the boa’s head. The men all rushed together, and each delivered a severing cut upon the snake’s body, who was thus nearly divided in pieces by eight knives at once, while he with the gun poured the load of shot full into the monster’s head. The snake died slowly, but when the men sadly bore the body of their comrade away, the boa was dead.