FIGHT WITH A PYTHON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 50, 28 February 1881, Page 4

FIGHT WITH A PYTHON.

The Slrazts Times gives an exciting Recount of i»d encounter with a python: — " A sportsman wbo pentFated into the jurgle lying between Buddoh and Stibngoou ccrae upon a lone hut, in a district culled Campopg Batto, upon

the roof cf which the ekin of an enormous boa or python was spread out. The hut wai occupied by a Malay ind hit wife, who told the sportsman the following extraordinary ■tory. | One night about & week previous the Malay was awekeoed by tie cries of hip wif#. Supposing in the darkness that* be had been attacked by thieves he seised bis Bharp parang and groped highway to her sleeping place, where hia hand fell upon a slimy reptile. It was fully a minute before he could comprehend the entire situation, and when he did he discovered that the whole of hia 'wife's arm had been drawn down the monster's throat, whither the upper part of her body was slowly but surely following. Not daring to attack, the monster at once, for fear of causing his 'wife's death, the husband seized two bags within reach and commenced atpflling them into the corners of the soeke's jaws, by means of which he succeeded in forcing them wider open and releasing bis wife's arm. No sooner had the boa lost hia prey than he attacked the husband, whom he began encircling in bis fatal coilo, but, holding out; both arms and watching hia opportunity the man attacked the monster so vigorously with his parang that it suddenly unwound itself and vanished through an opening beneath the attap sides of the hut. The Malay's clothes were covered with blood, as w&s also the floor pf the hut, and his wifs'a arm was blue with the squeezing it reoeived between the boa's jaws. At daylight the husband discovered his patch of plaintain trees nearly ruined, the boa having his agony broken off the trees near the roots, and in the midst of the debris lay the monster itself dead. The Malay stated that he bad realised 6OJols from Chinese, who came long distanocs to purchase pieces of fiesh on account of its supposed medicinal properties, and that he had refused 6dols for the skin, which he preferred to retain as a trophy."