A THREE-MINUTE HORROR,

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2622, 2 October 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

A THREE-MINUTE HORROR,

(By V,. 3. Mowbray.) A crimson sun was filtering through the thick tangle of blue gums and .-.criugy uurk wiivn i came to oho intersection of the path with a second bush track, winding away to the westward, it was lar too wine lor a sheep track, and I traced it with my eye to the spot where it lost itself among the dense mass of scrub that lay beyond. Then I searched the blue of the heavens above. At first the blinding blood-red glare of the westering sun sent a shower of black discs dancing before my eyes. But at last they grew accustomed to

the glare, and rested on a thin white perpendicular line rising above the tree-tops. A busiiinau’s eye is familiar with this phenomenon. The cross track was a path through the bush to the homestead of a small “squatter,” locally and contemptuously known as a “ground parrot.” The bush track now began to trend perceptibly downward, and this continued so long that I soon began to realise that I was entering a bread, deep valley. Presently I emerged into a deep circular forest of ringbark box. The upper end of the clearing rose a little above the tree tops at the lever end. And over these I beheld a river of no mean proportions.. It lay in the warm sunlight, and the

white roofs of a station homestead far away t:; the left shone like diamonds among the emerald green of the verdant slopes. Spanning the river ran a narrow railway bridge. But although I searched the view to right and left, I could discern no lootbridge by which I, too, might cross the river. As I looked a train shot suddenly on to the bridge and went rumbling across to the opposite embankment. A whistle of dismay escaped me as I watched it go. I had seen such bridges before, and knew but too well how real are the dangers of crossing them on foot. I was, ’ however, bound to go on. My destination lay in that direction, and a busbman allows no obstacle to hinder hi.s progress. So on I went, as before.

Across the clearing and -into the forest of ring-barked box. Down, down, with the slope of the falling ground to the valley bed. At last I stood on tlie brink of the river itself and looked across to the opposite shore. It was about two hundred yards in breadth, and lay still and shimmering in the light of the declining sun. But I could not swim. That was the one defect in my qualifications as a bona fide bushman. So I went quickly along to the distant bridge. Reaching it I mounted the slope to the junction of the bridge and embankment. Then t looked along the glittering rails to the opposite bank. Strong and durable as it undoubtedly was, -the lt'id;J) before me seemed but a skeleton framework, upon which the remainder of the structure should presently be reared. Few of these bridges still remain, save those which span the gorges of Asia and South America. But in the period which I write they were also to be met with in primitive countries. Two huge standards of Pyrmont stone raised their pondrous pillars from the grass on either side of the river bank. Iron supports shot up at intervals from the water itself and terminated alike at a

given height. Right across these ran two stout girders, bolted in sections, and reaching from one embankment to the other. Across these- again were iaid stout sleepers, some two loot apart, and lastly, upon these a single line of steel rails was bolted over all. There were no parapets. The cleansawn edges of the tough and grimy sleepers stuck out like jagged teeth on either side of the skeleton bridge. Far down below the swirling river could be seen through spaces between the sleepers. To cross the bridge on loot was like walking upon the rungs of a suspended horizontal ladder. A false step might send me slipping through to the river below. But what of a train ? Well, that might end in certain death! There was but one escape, and that lay neither to the right nor to the left, but below. And I could not swim. There were reasons, however, for dismissing this consideration. With my own eyes I had witnessed tiie crossing of a train not ten minutes before. In all human probability not more than four passenger trains—two up and two down—went clattering over the skeleton bridge in twenty-four hours. Without further hesitation therefore, I began stepping from sleeper to sleeper between the lino of stecl-bluo rails. It was not a hazardous feat. An eye for distance, an unfaltering step, a

head unaffected by dizziness, and the thing was done; Without iear, therefore, I swung cm the bridge and went gayly along till one-half of the journey was accomplished and I stood immediately over the centre of the river that lav so far below.

And then, suddenly, I heard a sound that brought my heart into my mouth. It was the sharp, shrill whistle of an approaching train. For a moment only I looked ahead. 4, thin white line of steam showed above the ridge that formed the southern slope of the valley wall. Instantly I stood still. It was too near to think of retreat. What could I do? Vainly I turned my eyes from side to side. There was no room to stand even on the very edge of the .projecting sleepers. Dimly, yet with ever-increasing volume, the distant rumbling of the train was wafted to my ear. Desperately I glanced below at the rolling river. Not a soul was in sight. None to rescue me from that pitiless flood. Figura- ¥

lively, at least, I was “between the devil and the deep sea.” . The rumble had now become a roar. Another minute and the train would come tearing .hi to the bridge. And then, a desperate hope flashed through my brain. Dropping upon my 'knees I gat upon one of the sloepcroj and, loaning forward, laid both my hands upon the edge of the one before me. Then, with my legs ' dangling betwr. :*i f slipped’ .suddenly from my seat and hung suspended by my two hands above that deep, still, sunlit river. And now another, and still more ghastly 'peril, menaced me. For as my head dropped below the level of the grimy sleepers my eyes lighted on a small, lithe head, with distended jaws and curved fangs, not two yards distant. The creature was a deadly brown snake, coiled about one of the slimmer crossbars of the bridge’s structural framework. How it came there I could not imagine. The Australian snako does not climb unless forced by danger or some equally pressing necessity to do so. But the brown snake is exceedingly fond of water, and it might, therefore, have been alarmed in midstream and scaled the bridge support as a last resource. And now I had come to disturb it!

The glittering eyes were red with anger. The venomed Tangs shone white and threatening in the cruel jaws. The forked tongue flicked in horrible expectancy. The small head flattened and depressed as it slowly swayed from

side to side. Coil after coil unloosed from the cross-bar, while the fiendish fang-set head flicked nearer and nearer my face. And now less than two coils held it to the cross-bar. The reptile could loose no more. It was making a desperate effort to reach me with its hideous fangs. Once that darting tongue seemed almost to lick my cheek. The strain was intolerable. Not more than thirty seconds could have elapsed since my eye first centred on that glittering head. Yet it seemed so many minutes. Even the train had not yet thundered over my throbbing head. I could hear its roaring and rumbling not far off, and could even discern its shadow on the still-glowing river. A few moments and it would reach impetuously over my head. I could feel the bridge quiver beneath its weight. The sleeper I held seemed suddenly charged with an electric current ms it vibrated and shivered ami numbed my already aching fingers. The strain on my arms, too, was becoming more intolerable. Great drops of perspiration coursed down my face. I was trembling in every nerve and fibre , f my being. Above me that roaring train. Below, that pitiless river. And, in my very face, that venomous head, with its glittering eyes and distended jaws, striving, striving, always striving to deal me the crudest- and ghastliest death of all!

Suddenly the hideous brute drew back its head. The coils of its gleaming brown body swiftly swung round the-black iron cross-bar. They tightened and relaxed with marvellous rapidity. The reptile was making for the sleeper above it. In an instant I realised all that this portended. Rage had made it utterly oblivious of all save myself. 1 had menaced it. It could not reach me from the cross-bar. So it was coming to me over the sleepers. A thrill, half of horror, half of hope, ran through all my veins. I recollected that it was a period when all snakes were aggressive and ferocious. I p went the glittering head, whose bead-liko oyc-s fascinated me with a horrible persistency. The thunder of the on-coming train drowned all other sounds as it swept rosistlcssly on toward mo over the

quivering sleeper, and came close to one of the rails. I saw it again from be-t-con the sleepers. Suddenly the. loose coll stiffened and drew back. r I be snake, its glittering eyes released their grim watch of my roar-expressive face, and had at last became aware of its own imminent peril. Tbo small head dropped suddenly. But its fear had bereft the reptile of instinct. Its scaly back touched the vibrating rail and shrank with the shock. There was a clatter of pistons and revolving wheels, a hissing of escaping steam and a deafening ’ oar. The near bogie-wheel of the engine skidded the writhing body of the- snake to where I hung. Then it went over with a roar and a rattle and severed the head from the body. As it fell the loathsome head passed close to my nock. The writhing body with bleeding neck, dropped upon my right shoulder, and the tail twisted convulsively about my arm. I dared not move a muscle. The train was still thundering overhead. Yet I shuddered and grew intensely siek as that gory thing lashed me like a whip. Never before had I seen so ghastly an illustration of that phenomenal presence of electricity in the body of a snake. My face was covered with blood. A momentarily dizziness swam before my eyes. But I conquered it with a great effort. Then the flail-like lash of that loathsome thing of scales and blood ceased suddenly. It limp and lifeless, arul slipped clammily down to the river beneath.

I looked up. The train was gone. With a superhuman wrench I dragged myself on to the level of the rails and wiped both sweat and blood from my face. Then I hurried over tho sleepers that still separated me from the southern bank of tho river. Certainly not more than three minutes could have elapsed from the moment of my suspension to that when I again drew myself up int-o safety. Yet it seemed like an eternity. To this day the horror of it is still with me. The glitter of those ghastly eyes and the lash of that blood-oozing body make me shudder even as I write. How I hung on to that quivering iron-bark sleeper in tho face of those menacing

fangs is more than I can explain. Pet haps I was too paralysed with fear to do ought else. Had f let go I must inevitably have been drowned. ♦ : [ j So that, if this hypothesis be correct. I owe my preservation to the generally condemned emotion of fear.