Two Pythons Attacked by a Bull.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 322, 5 December 1888, Page 6

Two Pythons Attacked by a Bull.

Last Sunday week, says the Natal, South Africa, ' Witness,' one of the most remarkable scenes on record is reported as having been witnessed in the vicinity of Table Mountain. A troop, of cattle, consisting af twelve cows and a patriarchal old bull were grazing on one of the plateaulike Bpur3 of the mountain, which is surrounded on three sides by precipitous ravines, and on the fourth side, that nearest the mountain by dense bush. Some natives higher up the mountain were attracted by the sudden bellowing of the cattle and saw two enormous pythons coming out of the bush and making for the cattle, which had drawn themselves up in a compact group, with the bull at its head. As the pythons drew near, the animals gradually backed till they stood on a small space that jutted out over a tremendous precipice. At this stage a sudden rush was made, but only one heifer succeeded in escaping. The other cattle lowing in the most piteous manner, gradually backed and one by one fell over the precipice, till finally the bull only was left. He suddenly charged at the biggest python, transfixing the reptile on his horns, but the second snake seized the bull in its folds and, having its tail round a huge boulder, commenced to crush the bull, which, moaning piteously, struggled frantically to escape. The tail of the python lost its hold of the rock, but the larger snake, which had slipped oft the horn, lapping its tail around a smaller boulder opposite the one the other snake had just released, seized the bull and compressed the animal in its scaly folds. The other python succeeded in regaining its former position, and the bull was litei'ally suspended in mid-air by the snakes. The whole scene looked like some ghastly triumphal arch. The snakes were "evidently getting the best of the. poor brute', which was, bleeding profusely, when, by a sudden effort, hip struggles forced both reptiles to loose their hold of the-roeks, and the whole three were hurled into the ravine beneath.The cattle were found on the first ledge of the precipice, all being deafl, but the bull and the pythons had, bounded from ledge to ledge, and were "400 feet below the scene of the fight. The bull was merely a' mangled mass, and ihe snakes' were greatly mutilated, the larger one having the vertebrae broken in nine places. The pythons,, which were of the rock species, were male and female, and measured respectively 40' feet 3 inches, and 36 feet 9£ inches.

Tho Sydney Masons have decided to start an orphanage, and have raised £1,000 for that purpose. Who says Masonry is all oyster suppers and li fizz ?" The " Gazette " notifies ttiat from the Ist -December the bird known as the kuru or kotuku by the natives, and as the night jay or morepork by thecdldhists; oqnVes under the operations of the' Anirtfalir 'Protection Aofci \«t ~. <*. -• "< »■" < „■ , . '-