Fight with & Python.

Taihape Daily Times, 15 October 1918, Page 3

Fight with & Python.

THRILLING ADVENTURE. WOMAN SAVES HER DOG. The following story affords a noteworthy example of pluck and endurance on the part of an English sportswoman who may well be congratulated on the result of her 'adventure. Miss Collyer, who recounts her experience in the Field, lives in British East Africa: My house is a round log-hut, thatched with grass, and built in a narrow valley between the Olioba River and a smaller stream, known as the Simba, from which I get my water. I had been herding the boys all day breaking up ground for a vegetable garden. It was a very hot day, and at 4 p.m. I went to the hut, told my boy to get me some tea, and in the meantime took off my gaiters and my belt, to which is attached my big whistle with which I call my boys, and my big hunting knife. After tea my three dogs came iand begged me to take them for a walk, so I started off for a short stroll just as I was, and not troubling to take my rifle, nor even a stick. My dogs consist of young Airedale dog, j Pickles, an Airedale bitch, a mighty I huntress, Dona and a large SSouth African buckhound, Big Man, which I for pulling down wounded buck. I walked down the Simba Eiver, and let the dogs try for a jackal. The young dog was on in front out of sight over the brow of the incline. Suddenly I heard him give tongue and thought he had hit off the buck, so I cheered on .the other two. When in ;a second his joyful opening turned to howls and yells of agony. Thinking a leopard had probably got him, I ran about 50 yds and I saw him still on the track which crossed the bed of the stream in the coils of a huge python. Threo coils as big as my body were round him, blood was streaming from his mouth, his eyes implored me to help. The other dogs were barking round the snake, but not going- for it. The snake was open-mouthed trying to get hold of j the dog's head.

ATTACKED WITH A PIECE OF WOOD.

Here I was, quarter of a mile from help, quite alone, and my dog being I strangled to death in the grip of the biggest snake I had ever seen. I felt for my whistle which I had left on my campbed. There was no time to lose, and no use to shout for help. The dog was being killed, and was now past howling. I looked round for some weapon, and seized a heavy root of a partly burnt tree. It was only about 2ft. long, so I had to go right in There was 3ft. or so of the snake feeling round Pickle's head, and I made a whack at the back of its neck. I hit it fairly hard and it came for me like a flash and struck me and bit me on the shin. I jumped back, and Dona, seeing it go for me, grabbed it in the back and the big dog got hold of its tail. Dona was whirled into the air in a second, and either let go, or was shaken off. I went in again and hit twice, as hard as I could, and it made another lighting plunge at me, dragging Pickles with it. It got my other leg this time. I did not move, but banged its neck and head with the root, and Dona got hold again. I think I must have partially stunned it, for, to my utmost relief, it began to unloose the dog. I hit several times more, and then it turned and began to crawl slowly away down between the banks of the stream. I grabbed hold of Dona, and dragged her off, shouted at Big Man to leave it and Pickles lay gasping by his side. Then I began to shout for help, for my blood was up, and that snake was going to die. After what seemed hours I heard my boy's whistle, and knew they were coming. All the army arrived with knives, and my chief boy had the sense to rush into my hut and bring my rifle. OVER 15FT. IN LENGTH.

I told them hurriedly what it was, grabbed my rifle, and dashed dovfii the stream after the shake. it had not gone far, and was coiled up under a big root. I could not see the heaa, so knelt down about 10ft away and put a bullet into the middle of it. This stirred it up, and it came at me again. 1 1 followed on with four more bullets, which all hit, but I was shaking all over by this time. I could not hit the [head, which waved about. However, I 1 saw that the brute was so badly hit it could not get away, ijo sent my boy back for my 12 bore and a No. 6 cartridge. One shot with this iblew its head to pieces, and I put one more in for luck.. We then got the brute up on . the bank, and as it lay, I measured ! it, 15ft; but it was still wriggling, and I daresay if it had 'been straight our, it would have been longer; but I was not going to touch it, and hone of my boys would. The 'dog was not muce hurt. One hind leg was badly bitten, and his head also was bitten; strange to say, no rib's were broken, and he was only stiff and sore.