STIRRING UP STRIFE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2300, 2 January 1892, Page 3

STIRRING UP STRIFE.

One morning,says a travellerin Java, I was standing beside a small lake fed by one of the rills from the mountains. Stretching its limbs over this pond was a gigantic teak tree, and in its thick, shining, evergreen leaves lay a huge boa in an easy coil, evidently takiqg his morning nap. Above him was a powerful ape of the baboon species—a leering race of scamps, always bent on mischief. The ape from his position saw a crocodile rise to the surface qf the water, jpst beneath the teak liratj where lay the serpent Quick as thought be jumped plump upon the boa, which fell with a splash into the water just in front of t)je crocodile. The ape saved himself by clinging to the limb of the tree • but a battle royal immediately began in the water. The crocodile fixed his jaws in the snake, which made the water boil by its furious contortions, Wind";" his lolds round and round the body of his antagonist, the boa disabled its kinder legs, apf| by his contractions made the scales and bones crack of his enemy. Over and over the combatants rolled, neither being able to obtain a decided advantage, All this time the cause of the mischief was in high glee. He leaped up and down the branches, came several times close to the scene of the fight, uttered a yell, and a^ain

frisked away. Perhaps 10 minutes passed and the noise of the conflict began to fade into silence. The folds of the serpent were relaxing, and though they trembled along the back, the head hung lifeless in the water. The crocodile also was dead. The monkey perched on a low limb just above the dead bodies of his two foes, and amused himself by making faces at them.