ANA 
ANA 
whatever elfe might be the caufe, we either miffed 
or never hurt it. In fhort, the animal took no 
notice of our fire; and, after a confukation, we all 
agreed to make no farther attempt, till we had en- 
gaged a ftron^er party for the next day. 
* The Ceylonefe feemed to know the creature well : 
they called it the Anaconda, and talked of eating it's 
fielh when they caught it; which they had no fmall 
hopes of doing, as it feldom quits, for a long time, 
any tree it once chufes for it's dwelling. I detained 
them to dine with me ; and the afternoon was fpent 
in relating the amazing things which one or other 
of the company had feen this ibrt of monftcr per- 
form ; in fhort, they told me a thoufand circum- 
ftances which far exceeded my credulity. But what 
I myfelf beheld the following day, went as much be- 
yond all they had told me, as what they had related 
feemed to exceed truth and probability. 
* The next morning, having affembled to the 
number of more than a hundred, we had the plea- 
fure, if I dare call it fo, of finding our enemy ilill 
at his old poft. He feemed very fierce, and hun- 
gry, and we foon liad an opportunity of perceiving 
tlie amazing efFefts. There are great plenty ofty- 
gers in this country; and one, of a prodigious fize, 
being not much lefs than a common heifer, now 
came under our ferpent's tree. Inftantly we heard a 
dreadful ruftling ; and, f wift as thought, the ferpent 
dropped upon it, felzing it acrofs the back, a little 
below the fhoulders, v/ith it's horrible mouth, and 
taking in a piece of the back bigger than a man's 
head. The creature roared with agony; and, to 
our unfpeakable terror, was running with it's ene- 
my towards iis. It's courfe, however, was foon 
flopped; for the nimble adverf\ry, v/inding it's 
body three or four times round the tyger's, girt it 
fb violently, that it fell down in an agony. The 
moment the ferpent had fixed it's folds, it let go 
the back of it's prey; and, raifing and twining 
round it's head, opened it's own mouth to the full 
extent, and feized the whole face of the tyger, bit- 
ing and grinding it in a moil horrid manner, and 
at once choaking and tearing the creature to pieces. 
The tyger, on this, reared up again ; and words are 
t-oo poor to paint it's agony! It writhed and toiled 
about, but all in vain; the enemy, wherever it 
went, was fiiil with it, and it's hollov/ roaring with- 
in the deftroyer's mouth was dreadful beyond ex- 
prefTion. I was for firing on the monfler in this 
ftate: but my companions protefled againfl it, tell- 
ing me they knew it's cuftom fo well, that they 
were very fure of maftering it in the end, with- 
out any trouble or hazard; but if they were then 
to difturb it, the animal would be fo outrageous 
that fome of our lives muft aiTuredly pay the for- 
feit. They feemed to know fo well what they were 
about, that I readily acquiefced. Several of us 
fpent the v/hole day in obferving this ilrange fpec- 
tacle; and, furely, the agonies of the tyger were 
beyond all that can be conceived, and it's death 
more horrid than a thoufand other deaths with all 
their tortures united ! The tyger was a very frrong 
and fierce creature; and, though unable to hurt or 
get rid of it's cruel enemy, gave it prodigious trou- 
ble. A hundred times would it rear up, and run a 
little v^ay ; but foon fell down again, partly oppref- 
fed by the weight, and partly by the folds and 
wreathed twills of the ferpent round it's body. But 
though the tyger fell, it was far from being entirely 
conquered, or at all manageable. After fome hours, 
it feemed much fpent, and lay as if dead; v/hen 
the ferpent, which had many times violendy girded 
itfelf round the tyger, vainly attempting to break 
it's bones, now quitted it's hold, twifting it's tail 
only round the neck of it's prey, which was in no 
condition either to refift or efcape. It made to- 
wards the tree, dragging with fome difficulty it's 
vi6lim after it; and now appeared the double ufe 
of the tree to the ferpent. Nature feems to inflru6l 
this creature that, tliough it can conquer fach large 
animals, their bodies are too thick for it's fv/allov/, 
and it muft therefore break their bones, and reduce 
them to a foft mafs, before it can manage them. 
This it ufually does, (as we iliw attempted on the 
tyger) by girting the body very (irmly round, and 
then crufliingit to pieces: but, when that method 
proves inefteftual, it has recourfe to the tree, as v/e 
nov/ had opportunity of obferving. Having by de- 
grees dragged the tyger to the tree, and the ani- 
mal being unable to fcand, the ferpent feized it 
lightly a fecond time by the back, and fet it on it's 
legs againft the trunk of the tree; then, winding 
it's body round the tyger and the tree together fe- 
veral times, it girded both with fuch violence, that 
the ribs and other bones began to give way: and, 
by repeated efforts of this kind, it broke all the ribs, 
one by one, each of which gave a loud crack in 
breaking. It next attempted the legs, and broke 
them, feveraily in the fame manner, each in four or 
five different places. This employed many hours, 
during all which time the poor tyger remained alive; 
and, at every crack of the bones gave a - howl, not 
very loud, but piteous enough to pierce the moft 
obdurate heart, and make even man forget his na- 
tural antipathy to the tyger, and pity it's mifery. Af- 
ter the legs, the ferpent attacked thefkull in the fame 
manner : but this proved fo difficult a tafl<, that the 
monfter, overcome with fatigue, and feeing it's prey 
in no condition to efcape, left it for the night at the 
foot of the tree, into which itfelf retired to refl. 
This gave us an opportunity of going home; and, 
for my own part, I could not fieep for thinking of 
the poor tyger, which was naturally fo ftrong and 
vigorous that we left it ftill alive, though broken 
and mangled in this miferable condition. 
* In the morning, on returning to the thicket, 
we beheld a furprizing change : the body of the 
tyger, which now feemed one red lump of fliapelefs 
matter, was dragged to fome diflance from the tree, 
and fhone all over as if covered v/ith glue or jelly. 
W e foon plainly difcovered the meaning of all this, 
the ferpent being ftill employed in producing that 
appearance. It had laid the legs one by one dole 
to the body, and was now placing the head ftraight 
before, licking the body, and covering it with it's 
flaver ; which, coating it over like a jelly, rendered- 
it fit for fwallov/ing. Much time was employed 
in this bufinefs : but, at length, the ferpent having 
prepared the whole to it's mind, drew itfelf up be- 
fore it's prey; and, feizing the head, began to fuck 
that, and afterwards the body, down into it's throat. 
This was the work of fo much time, that I left the 
monfter ftruggling at the fhoulders when I went 
home to dinner; and, by the accounts of thofe who 
ftaid to v/atch, it was night before the whole was 
fairly fwaliowed. 
' The following day, we affembled for the lafl 
time : when the very women and cliildren follow- 
ed ; convinced that, as it had gorged it's prey, there 
was then no danger. I -was by no meai-^s fatisfied 
of this till I reached the place, but then found it 
veiy true. The ferpent had fo loaded it's belly, 
that it could neither fight nor retreat. It attempt- 
ed, on our approach, to climb the tree; but, being 
unable.. 
/ 
