“Susan” In Australia Making Friends With A Koala And A Snake

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28929, 24 June 1959, Page 2

“Susan” In Australia Making Friends With A Koala And A Snake

Like any true daughter of Eve, I was born with an utter horror of snakes. Indeed, if I had known before I went to Australia that I would end up with a snake wrapped around me, I might never have gone at all.

• It came about like this. On my return to the mainland from Hayman Island. I had one last I morning in Brisbane and my own [choice as to how it would be spent. i Had I seen a koala, for instance? Yes. indeed, I said, in [New South Wales. Oh. those don't count, I was told, those i sleepy old brown things. Queensland koalas, I was assured, were ! lively, silver-grey, intelligent, and I could cuddle one. j When time is no object, it is 'pleasant to float in a leisurely [manner up the river to the Lone [Pine Sanctuary, but I had a [Golden Jet Electra straining at 'the leash at the airport, so I ' sped out by car to cuddle my ' koala. j Her name was Something. “We’ll have to call her somej thing,” they mused, when she i was a tiny thing, and Something ishe remains to this day.

! This delightful sanctuary is run by a family named Reid, and iit was lan. one of the sons, of i the house, whom we found putting the teddy-bears through their : paces. It was feeding time. The i young branches of tender I scribble-gum leaves were arriving by tne truckload and all the ' koalas were wide awake, frisky, (bright as buttons. Cuddly Bundle

“11l give you a lesson in feminine psychology,” said lan. “Come along. Something, you ugly old thing, give us a kiss.” Something sat stiff in his arms, gazing with a bland expression of utter indifference into the middle distance. “I don’t mean it, sweetheart,” lan repented. “You’re really a gorgeous doll. Give us a kiss.” This time she turned round, flung her arms round his neck and kissed him tenderly. When he heard about my waiting aircraft. lan Reid hustled up a photographer and put Something in my arms. You must never hold them by their soft fat tummies, he explained. By their wrists and ankles you can swing them round in a loop, but careless handling can hurt and even kill them.

Yet they are astonishingly tough in a fight and can kill a dingo in a real showdown. Also I heard of a man who took one in his arms for a photograph as I did and had his cheek ripped i open to the bone by one sharp ; claw. Something had sharp claws too, but they gripped me gently enough through my silk sleeves and she made an adorable cuddly bundle. Yards of Python "There’s just one thing,’’ said lan at this point. “We always expect our New Zealand visitors to be photographed with a snake aS well.” And he had been such a tease all along that I had nodded. "Naturally.’’ before I realised that he meant every word of it. The last time I was in the vicinity of a snake-house, I had walked past with averted head because I could not bear to look at the loathsome creatures. Picture me now then, mesmerised, as lan came toward me with yards and yards and yards of snakepython I almost said—coiled in his arms.

Heart pounding, senses shuddering. I stood rooted to the spot while he wound it round my neck a couple of times. “Now take the tail firmly in your left hand." he directed. Left hand? How in heaven's name does one tell one’s left from one’s right with a snake wound round one’s neck? "This is your left." he said gently, folding my rigid digits round the snake's tail. I held the outside firmly enough, but the inside kept right on wriggling with disconcerting independence. “Now then." said lan. “Wrap the fingers of your right hand round his throat and lay your right thumb along his head." The Business End

This I did with great alacrity, only too ready to keep the business end pointing in the opposite direction while that long

slick tongue kept darting wickedly in and out. “It’s pretty safe.” said lan. "Hasn't bitten anyone for a fortnight now.’ With so many persons standing round feeling sorry for me. I suppose it was only fair that someone should feel sorry for the snake. , "Actually.” said lan, as he saw my thumb going white, "not quite so tight.” "Right!” said the photographer. “Now smile!” He will never know What that smile. cost me. After this. I was thinking as he clicked the shutter. I will have ghastly nightmares for the rest of my life. Yet the curious thing is that I have completely lost that feminine, intuitive, instinctive horror of snakes. I still would not care to meet a rattler alone on a dark night, mark you, but I no longer shudder at the mere thought of one. Perhaps it is the same with all our terrors. Perhaps if we could just look them in the eye they would diminish and fade away.

While I was thinking these beautiful thoughts. lan brought me sharply back to my present predicament. "Just hold him for me for a while, will you?” he asked casually. beginning to walk away. "My morning tea’s ready." He was late for morning tea arid I was last on to the Electra "All you needed." called my friends as they waved me goodbye. "was; an apple.’’ "The serpent beguiled me and I did eat.” said Eve, the mother of us all. in Eden.

Well, if you put it that way, I suppose the serpent beguiled me too. But there the resemblance ended. It takes away your appetite, somehow, having a snake wrapped round you.