SEA SNAKE INVASION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18602, 9 January 1924, Page 4

SEA SNAKE INVASION.

REPTILES INUNDATE SHIP,

CREW FORGED TO HIDE.

-TEN DAYS IN THE GALLEY [FROM OUR OWN" CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY. Jan. 4. The crew of the steamer -Ikala had a unique experience when passing through the Arapura Sea between Borneo and Java. The vessel was invaded by sea snakes.

" Directly we dropped anchor off one of the reefs," said Captain Meetham, on arrival here on Monday, " great _ green snakes swarmed up the anchor chain and overran the ship. The crew attacked them, but were driven to take refuge in the galley, and were held prisoners there for ten days. They commenced to swarm up the cable and wriggle along the deck. Several of the crew commenced to beat the reptiles back with rope ends and short pieces of wood, but this, instead of stopping their rush, seemed only to infuriate them. After an half an hour's fighting the brutes were still coming over, and those already on deck- swarmed into any hole or crevice they could find, while some went to the top of the rigging. "Half of the crew who were off duty, and asleep were driven , from their quarters, and had to take refuge with the remainder in the cook's galley. For ten days the snakes had complete charge of the ship, and there was not a man on board game enough to leave the galley and try to clean matters up. " Eventually, however, a rather warm day drove the reptiles off the ship, and immediately the last one fell with a splash into the water we lfauled up anchor and continued our voyage." Captain Meetham has had a fairly extensive experience with water-snake's. He states that last year a native fireman was fishing from a steamer in Indian waters when he hooked a snake instead of a fish. In endeavouring to remove the reptile from the hook the native was bitten and died in ' fearful agony a few hours later.