Page:The Swiss Family Robinson (Kingston).djvu/351

Rh “No, dear child,” said I, “only fearfully strong and ferocious. And it has no need to tear the flesh from the bones. It swallows them, skin, hair, and all, and digests everything in its stomach.”

“It seems utterly impossible that the broad ribs, the strong legs, hoofs and all, should go down that throat,” exclaimed Fritz.

“Only see,” I replied, “how the monster deals with his victim; closer and more tightly he curls his crashing folds, the bones give way, he is kneading him into a shapeless mass. He will soon begin to gorge his prey, and slowly but surely it will disappear down that distended maw!”

The mother, with little Franz, found the scene all too horrible, and hastened into the cave, trembling and distressed.

To the rest of us there seemed a fearful fascination in the dreadful sight, and we could not move from the spot. I expected that the boa, before swallowing its prey, would cover it with saliva, to aid in the operation, although it struck me that its very slender