The Boy Travellers in the Far East Volume 3; Part Third, Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey to Ceylon and India, with Descriptions of Borneo, the Philippine Islands, and Burmah (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 Excerpt: ...Calling out "Snake snake " at the top of his voice, he seized a stick that was lying on the floor, and proceeded to kill the object of his fright. As he raised the stick his hand was seized by Mr. Walker; the latter smiled and said, "The snake is perfectly harmless, and one of our pets. Don't kill him." Fred gave an inquiring look at the face of his host to see if he was in earnest; satisfied that he was, he lowered his arm and took a second look at the snake, who did not seem at all frightened at the presence of strangers. The reptile was about five feet long, and of an olive-brown color. Mr. Walker said the scientific name for this snake is Pytas muscosus, and there was a snake in India that closely resembled him, and frequently grew to seven feet in length. "We keep them about our houses and PERFORMANCE OF THE RAT-SNAKE. 237 other buildings," said he, "as you keep cats in America, and for the same purpose--to kill the rats. They are entirely harmless to us, but a deadly foe to rats; they go around the roofs and ceilings at night, and you will frequently hear a lively struggle going on between a rat and a snake. As the ceilings are often nothing but mats spread over poles, the combatants sometimes fall through, and when this happens in the presence of a person newly arrived in the country it is apt to disturb his nerves." To show the powers of the snake the gentleman said something to, one of the attendants, who immediately went out, and soon returned with a wire trap containing a live rat. The snake was instantly all excitement, and showed the impatience of a terrier to get at his prey. The trap was opened, and the rat released in the middle of the floor; the snake darted upon him with the rapidity of a flash, and...