294 
August 14, 1875. 
A Snake Story. 
A Scotchman, resident on the Isthmus of Panama, 
thus writes home to his old friends in the land of the 
mist and heather: 
“ The day was melting. The path was shady, and 
ran through a grove of mango hushes, and being fond 
o’ the fruit I picked and ate till I could eat no longer, 
when what should dart down from the tree, full at my 
face, but one of these nasty blac’& constructors. Luckily 
I put up my right hand and catched him by the neck be- 
fore he had time to bite. I knew the vermin weel, and 
had shot plenty o’ them, and, to tell thereal truth, their 
hug’s waur than their bite, for they don’t belong to the 
poisonous kind. But they are fashious enough for all 
that, for if they come to close grips it taks a pretty stout 
chiel to untwist them. Weel, as I had the vermin safe 
by the neck, I didna fash myself very much, beyond 
wonderin’ whether I would kiil him or take him home 
alive. Mind ye, all the time he was dabbin’ and dabbin’ 
at me wi that forkejl tongue o’ his glintin’ in and out o’ 
his ugly mouth, like the telegraph needles. Kill him, 
thinks I. But first to swing him ofi. for by this time he 
had the grip, and wasna like to yield. I soon found 
that there ware twa to that game. Try as I might, my 
gentleman would not budge an inch. I tried my full 
strength, but na. I cried to Jenny to fetch something, 
for I was not far off the station, but she never heard. I 
was beginning not to like the way things were going, 
for the beast was grippin’ aye the closer, and the arm 
that held him was getting tired. Besides, the grip was 
round the other arm, which I could only move below the 
elbow. The beast was coiled over my left shoulder, 
then round under my right arm, and then across my 
waist, binding, as I’ve told ye, my left arm. If once I 
let go, I knew he would strangle me, and to tell the 
truth, I could not hold out much longer. I always car- 
ried a knife, which I knew was in the pocket of the 
flannel shirt I was wearing, and my only chance lay in 
getting at it. I could just reach it by bending my' left 
arm, and I daurna let go the right. And as I fumbl’t it 
gave me a terrible turn to find that the vermin had 
steekit my pocket as firm as if it had been sewn up. My 
right wrist was getting weaker and weaker with holding 
the snake, and faith the constructor knew it as he 
grinned and hissed at me, and darted fire out o’ these 
u^ly een o’ his. I was sair left to mysel’ Thinfcs I, ‘ Mac, 
ye’ve got your match at la.st.’ I didna care so much for 
my chest, for all his cuddlin’; but my throat, once 
round that, and I would have said, ‘ Mac, ye’re a dead 
man!’ All this time, the vermin was trj'ing to get to 
my throat, and as I found him winding up, the per- 
spiration broke over me. What was to become o’ the 
wife and Jenny, and me awa? That was an anxious 
thocht to me at the time. Weel, just as my gentleman 
was working for my throat wi’ his coils, he gave my 
I>ocket the slip, and left it free. I felt my arm growing 
strong again. ‘ Feel for the knife now, 3Iac,’ says I to 
myself, and in two cracks it was in my hand. ' Then 
bending my head to meet my hand— 1 know the brute 
thocht I was done — I unclasped the gully with my teeth, 
and in an instant after it was slipped in between liim 
and my body, with the edge turned out.” 
Dbgs. 
A few feet from me at this moment is a curious speci- 
men of the long-backed, short-legged German hound 
yclept a turnspit, who came to the establishment a 
silent, reserved, even dull being. But op fair encour- 
agement his faculties became developed. He showed 
signs of a humorous disposition — as though he could 
relish a je.st — and began to utter mysterious uncouth and 
cavernous sounds, as though laboring to find an utter- 
ance. These began gradually to take the shape of ex- 
postulation, angry remonstrance, piteous entreaty, 
weariness, to say nothing of literal yawns, when he was 
bored. They are wonderful creatures, even in London, 
with curious puzzling ways of their own. Thus, lately, 
one dark night, the writer, entering a hansom cab, was 
duly encased within the glass and shutters. As the 
vehicle shot oflF on its course, something white appeared 
to flash on the footboard in front, which by-and-by re- 
solved itself into the outline of a grayish-white cur'dog, 
who had leaped up in a half-professional way, much as 
the little tigers of another generation used to skip up 
behind the cabriolet. There this curious creature re- 
mained, poising itself at the edge, like some spectral 
dog, and balancing itself with ease, as a circus rider 
would. When the cab stopped, he was gone as sud- 
denly as he came. “ Oh! he was there, were he? ” the 
driver merely exclaimed. It turned out that this lean 
and unkempt pariah had drawn near the cab a few days 
before, had received less churlish greeting than what he 
was accustomed to. and had attached himself to the 
cab in this mysterious way, and was now actually to be 
seen hovering in the shadow afar off. There was some- 
thing ghostly in the fashion in which he came out of 
the night and appeared upon the footboard. Again. I 
was once acquainted with a dog that had no less singu- 
lar penchant for seeing a train pass under an arch at a 
particular hour each day. Punctually at five o’clock he 
wotild rouse himself an'd set off at full speed to keep his 
appointment, using cunning devices when he suspected 
he might be detained. Having seen his train go by and 
looked down with a wary and critical air to see that the 
passages were performed properly, he jogged home with 
a contented mind. How did he know the hour so ex- 
actly? Again. Every morning there comes to the door 
one of the neatest, lightest, best-appointed little traps 
conceivable, in the service of our butterman. It is 
drawn by a frisky, waggish little pony, evidently a pet ; 
and on the pony’s back rides a vivacious little terrier, 
who, from practice, can balance himself in a secure and 
dashing style. Both pon}' and terrier understand each 
other, though the terrier capers about the pony’s neck 
in an inconvenient fashion . On cold days pony has his 
cloth, while terrier has a miniature covering of the same 
kind, securely fitted to his person. When the butter- 
man comes up the area the sly pair are watching him, 
and if in his hurry he incautiously slams the back door 
of his cart, a pretense is made of accepting the noise as 
a signal, and off starts pony galloping, terrier barking, 
and almost erect on pony's neck, while driver is run- 
ning along frantically striving to climb into his vehicle 
as it goesT Another dog, a red Irish retriever, whose 
acquaintance I made lately, was sent down forty miles 
into Kent, shut up in a dog box. On his first day’s sport 
he took offense at the keeper using a whip to' him, a 
freedom he perhaps thought was not justified by so 
short an acquaintance. Tne following morning he was 
at the door of his house in Victoria street! How was 
this accomplished ? He must have come straight across 
the country, guided by some faculty that his two-legged 
superiors have not . — London Society. 
.V Duck Hunt in Japan. 
An American gentleman traveling in Japan has sent 
us the following account of a duck hunt in which he 
participated some time ago, some features of which will 
probably strike the American sportsman as novel : 
“ The other day I went on a wild duck hunt with my 
interpreter and one guard. We started earh- and, pro- 
ceeding through the rice-fields some distance, crossed a 
low line of hills lying to the north, and passed up a fer- 
tile vaUey about four miles. Here was a village where 
the people had made preparations for a grand duck-hunt 
in anticipation of our coming. Near by was a small 
lake, snug among the hills and near the biise of a moun- 
tain called the ‘ Dragon’s Claw.’ It was a most pictur- 
esque place, with a pine grove skirting the margin of 
the water, and clumps of bushes and reeds scattered 
along in various places. The entire surface of the lake 
was covered with ducks, while clouds of them hovered 
over the trees and wheeled to and fro in wild confusion. 
The whole neighborhood was literally alive with them. 
This lake had long been the resort of ducks, but the 
people had never allowed a gun to be fired in the neigh- 
borhood, and had contented themselves with now and 
then catching a few with nets. The consequence was 
that the ducks had never known what it was to be shot 
at, and were comparative!}’ tame. When it was known 
that I was coming there to hunt, the customary order 
was revoked, and everybody was given permission to 
come with his gun, and join in the sport. The men 
had constructed low mounds of pine branches, resem- 
bling Esquimaux huts, along the edge of the lake, and at 
the point most frequented by the fowls. As soon as 
each one of us got fairly settled, either in a mound or 
under a tree or bush, we began to blaze away at the in- 
nocent ducks which lay in thick masses before us. As 
the first shot echoed among the hills, a myriad of 
quacking creatures rose in one great cloud from the sur- 
face of the water, and for a time the air w’a.'< completely 
flUed with them. I never before saw such a snectacle; 
the sky seemed darkened with feathered fugitives, and 
the noise made by their wings was like that of a mighty 
rushing wind. Especially wild was the noise as one 
flock alter another wheeled directly over my head; then 
they sudJenly turned a short curve, their white breasts 
flashed for a moment in the sun, and then the rapid 
motion of their wings made a breeze like a great fan 
upon the face. They had not yet learned what the 
sound of a gun meant, and as no person was to be seen 
they, ere long, settled again quietly on the water. An- 
other volley soon started them up again, however, and 
they rose into the air, leaving many of their dead and 
wounded companions on the surface of the lake. Now 
their flight became swift and broken, and as they passed 
close above our heads we fired indiscriminately into 
their midst, causing the flocks to scatter in frightened 
confusion. 'I'he poor things knew not what to do; the 
lake had always been their quiet home, and they knew 
not whither to flee. So, as none of their cruel enemies 
were in sight, down they came again upon the death- 
laden surface of the water. They were completely tired 
out, and as shot after shot skipped along beside them, 
they only ‘ducked’ their heads and remained where 
the}' were. The firing continued the whole morning, 
and the waters around their formerly peaceful retreat 
were reddened with the fruits of the bloody slaughter. 
At one time during the day, while somewhat withdrawn 
from the party, I heard a peculiar ‘whir-r’ of something 
in the air, and turning quickly saw a bullet strike the 
bank beside me. a shower of mud was spattered over 
me, and at a little distance a Japanese wa.s in full flight. 
There was nothing near me for a proper target ; ^nd 
there is little doubt that this was a manifestation of the 
bitter hostility to all foreigners for which, I have since 
learned, this neighborhood is noted. At that very time 
many of the inhabitants had shut themselves up in their 
houses in fierce rage at the idea of a detested ‘ Tojin’s’ 
being entertained among them. A shot fired at some- 
thing (or somebody) else rebounded from a rock and bit 
a young fellow; but this painful wound was at once 
dressed by my guard Meaji, who had dressed more than 
one wound in the civil war here. I gave the best direc- 
tion I could, and the boy was carried to a native hos- 
pital, where he has since died, really from want of 
decent medical treatment. But death makes very little 
impression in .Japan.” — N. Y. Evening Post. 
What is it I 
On our way over to Nahant to call on you yesterday. 
We met with an adventure which caused us to postpone 
that pleasure, and which has created quite an excite- 
ment in our usually quiet household. Our party con- 
sisted of my reverend brother. Miss Mary F , L , 
and myself, with two sailors. VTe were sailing in my 
yacht about half way between Swampscott and Egg 
Rock, the sea being quite rough, owing to the strong 
southeasterly wind of the previous night, when we 
espied a school of black-fish, or small whales, between 
Egg Rock and Little Nahant. "While we were watching 
their movements through our glasses, the head of an 
immense fish or sea-monster suddenly emerged from 
among them, remained above water for some seconds, 
and fell again, causing the water to boil for some dis- 
tance around it, and this performance it repeated at in- 
tervals of perhaps two minutes. This being something 
none of us had ever seen before, we at once headed the 
yacht for the creature. When first seen it was at a dis- 
tance of about two miles from us, and heading toward 
us. I had on board a small breech-loading Ballard rifle, 
calibre 44, conical ball, and as soon as we were within 
three hundred yards I fired at it, but without effect, as 
the motion of the vessel was so great that it was almost 
impossible to get a steady aim. We chased it about the 
bay for two hours, and during that time I fired at it 
about twenty times, at distances varying from one hun- 
dred to three hundred yards. Once we distinctly heard 
the ball strike it, but with no perceptible effect. Finally 
it started out to sea, and when last seen it was heading 
in a southeasterly direction, some four or five miles out. 
During all this time it was accompanied by the black- 
fish, some fifteen or twenty in number, one of which 
seemed to keep close alongside of it. Its description, as 
near as I can give it to you, is as follows.- The head re- 
minded me of a lizard’s head, long, flat on top, from 
two to two and a half feet across, with eyes large and 
prominent, set well back on the upper part; a large 
mouth which we could see open occasionally. This 
head it raised about eight feet above the surface of the 
water, bringing it up slowly, and keeping it up five to 
ten seconds, when it would plunge back with a quick 
motion like a dive, and showing a small portion of the 
back, where we could see a pointed fin about one and a 
half or two feet long, standing .straight up, and in front 
we could see the upper part of what looked like short 
legs, or the flippers of a seal, but it never raised the ex- 
tremities from the water. Its color was a smooth, 
glossy black, except the under part of the lower jaw, 
and as much of the breast as we could see, which was 
white, with a distinct line of demarcation between the 
two colors. I could see nothing that looked like scales. 
We could, of course, tell nothing about the length of 
his body, but there mu.-t have been an immense power 
somewhere to enable it to raise such a head and neck, 
slowly, such a distance above the surface, and to hold 
it there for so long a time. It was distinctly seen by 
one of our fishennen, who passed within a few hundred 
yards while we were chasing it. No one in this neigh- 
borhood ever saw anything like it before, and if it was 
not the original sea-serpent, I should like to know what 
it W!is. — Boston Advertiser. 
HAWKING, , 
The Ijondon Quarterly, one of our most solemn peri- 
odicals, thinks the sport of hawking not beneath its 
weighty pen, as thus; 
“Among modern falconers a variety of opinion exists 
as to the relative attractions of rook and game-hawking. 
Having had the good fortune to witness many success- 
ful flights at grouse and partridges, as well as at rooks 
and crows, we venture unhesitatingly, from our own 
experience, to assign the palm to the latter. In game- 
hawking, the falcon, or tiercel, “waits on” overhead, 
and when the pack or povey is .sprung, descends with an 
impetuous rush on a selected victim, and, if successful, 
generally strikes it near the ground, frequently out of 
sight of the field. In rook-hawking, which can only be 
practiced to advantage in an open country, the hawk is 
not unhooded until the quarry takes wing, or is on the 
point of doing so ; and although the character of the 
subsequent flight may vary in every possible way, yet, 
as a rule, while the hawk is “climbing” in a wide circle 
to attain sufficient height, the rounder-winged rook 
starts off at once in a direct line, attaining a great eleva- 
tion in a comparatively short time. The ffeeter falcon, 
however, soon comes up, and makes her stoop or clutch. 
If a olever “ footer,” a despairing croak from her victim 
reaches your ears, and down they come, like a feathered 
parachute, to the ground ; but, fortunately, the first 
stoop IS seldom successful, and the hawk is then seen 
far below the rook ; and while the latter ascends rap- 
idly, so as to get higher than ever above his persecutor, 
the former, from her length of wing, is compelled to 
perform the same evolution spirally. Then comes an 
