buf = '000000111111222222'
a = np.ndarray(len(buf), np.dtype('>i1'), buf)
e = np.zeros(len(buf) / 6, np.dtype('>i8'))
for i in range(3):
    e.view(dtype='>i2')[i + 1::4] = a.view(dtype='>i2')[i::3]
Reading and storing arbitrary byte length integers from a file