It Chases you to Death.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 7496, 20 April 1899, Page 3

It Chases you to Death.

There ia only one beaat that will track you down to avenge the death of ita mate, no matter how far you go, and that ia a snake. Moreover, it ia the most terrible of all anakea, and the largest of the poisonous variety. Ita name ia the hamadryad. A bite from this reptile will kill the strongest man in two minutes, and, of course, there is no remedy. Mo one bitten by a hamadryad haa ever survived. It chiefly belongs to the Far East. There are generally two hamadryads if there is one, and if yon kill one the other will be on jour track before long in all probability. Short of taking ship across the sea there is no way of easajw unless you watch for the snake and shoot it. It will follow you for miles for the chance of a stealthy stroke, and yon may climb trees or mountains or ford rivers, but there is no way of evading the hamadryad. It is a sort of nightmare hunt to be chased by one,, and when the chase begins either one or the other will have to die within a day or so. The mate of the slain snake never make 3 a mistake, but always kills the slayer of it 3 companion, and him alone The beast grows to a length of about 15ft sometimes, and is fairly common in Malay and JScw Guinea. Specimens have been brought to Europe, but it ia no reptile to play with. One scratch from ita fangs ia certain and instant death.