CO THE GREAT BOA. 



being mortally wounded., still continued to writhe 

 and twist about in such a manner as to render it 

 dangerous for any person to approach him. The 

 negro made a running noose on the rope, and, after 

 some fruitless attempts to make an approach, threw 

 it over his head with much dexterity ; and now, all 

 taking hold of the rope, they dragged him to the 

 beach, and tied him to the stern of the canoe to 

 take him in tow. Being, however, still alive, he there 

 kept swimming like an eel. 



The length of this animal, which the negroes 

 declared to be only a young one, and but arrived at 

 half its growth, was upwards of twenty-two feet ; 

 and its thickness about that of a boy near twelve 

 years old, as was proved by measuring the crea- 

 ture's skin round the body of the boy that was 

 with them. 



When they came to one of their stations, they 

 hauled him on shore, to skin him, and take out the 

 oil. To effect this purpose, one of the negroes, 

 having climbed up a tree with the end of a 

 rope, let it down over a strong iorked branch, and 

 the others hoisted up the snake and suspended him 

 from the tree. This done, the former negro, with 

 a sharp knife between his teeth, left the branch, 

 and clung fast upon the monster, which was still 

 writhing, and began his operations by ripping it 

 up, and stripping down the skin as he descended. 

 " Though I perceived (says the captain) that the 

 " animal was no longer able to do him any in- 

 " jury, I confess I could not, without emotion, see 

 " a man stark naked, black and bloody, clinging 



