Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-06-18
Hugged by a snake and the Escape.


IN Vermont where my father owned large
farm. Not far from his farm was quite
lake, where we used to enjoy ourselves fish
ing and eating. One afternoon L saw a
flock of black ducks flying over the house,
and was sure they lighted on the lake;
so | seized my doubIe-barrel gun and am
munition and started off. When L reached
the landing, saw the ducks away ofby the
opposite shore. at once cut some green
boughs with my knife; and having rugged
up1the bows of small flat -bottomed skiff
we kept on purpose for such work, Il Jump
ed in. and started off, l had got near, e.
nough for shot, and had drawn in the skiff,
and was in the act of taking up my gun,
when the ducks started up. AS quickly as
possible l drew one hammer and let drive.
| hit two of them but they didn't fall into
the water They huttcrel along until they
fell into the tall grass up in the cove
The water was low, and the place was dry
where they were. | pulled up as far as |
could, and then got out and walked up
knew very near where one of the ducks
had fallen, and very soon had my eye on it.
As ran to take it, | saw the head of a
black snake pop out and catch it by the
wing. L saw only the head of the reptile,
and had no idea how large one it was or,
if L had, probably L should have done Just
as did, for | had no idea of fearing such a
thing-so | just ran up and snatched the
bird away. had left my gun in the boat,
and had nothing to kill the chap with, but
as L took the duck, Just put my foot on
the thief's neck.
The ground was moist and slimv. and
as the snake had his body braced among
the roots of the stout reeds, he took his
head out from under my foot about as quick
as man could comfortably think.
thought I'd run back to my boat and get
my gun and try to kill this fellow; and |
had jnst turned, for that. porpose, when
felt something strike my leg as though
somebody had thrown a rope around it.
Hooked down and found that the snake had
taken turn around my left leg with
his tail, and was in the act of clearing his
body from the grass. l dropped the duck
and gave smart kick, but that didn't
'lloosen him, so trieI to put my right foot
on him and thus draw my left leg away
but might as well have tried to put my foot
on streak of lightning.
had forgotten the proportionate size Of
the head ofthis species of black snake.
had expected to sec a snake tour or five feet
and a half. Still hadn't any great fear,
for | supposed that when / came to put nv
hands on him, | could easily take him off.
for was pretty strong in the arms. In a
few seconds he hal his body all clear, and
it was then that the first real thrill shot
through me. There he held himself by
the simple turn around my leg. with his
back arched in and out, he brought his head
on a level with mine. / made grab for
him, but missed him; and then, as quick
as you could snap your finger, he swept his
head around under my arm, clear around
under my body, ami then Strengthened up
and looked me in the face again. | then
made another grab at him, and another, as
quick as could; but he doggcd me in spite
}of all L could do. Gals go ~ il-
| next felt the snakes body working It's
way up. The turn of the tail was changed
to my thigh, and the coil around my stom-
ach began to tighten. About this time
began to think that there might be some
serious work, and the quicker | took thc
snake OF the better. SO L just graspel
him as nearthe head as possible, by taking
hold where he was around me-for he
couldn't dodge that part, you know-and
tried to turn him Of. But this only made
it worse. The fellow had now drawn him
selfso, that he whipel another turn around
me. His tail was now under my left thigh
and the restAof him turned twice around
my body-one of them being Just at the
pit of my stomach, and the other one above
it. All this had occupied Just about
half minute from the time he first got the
turn around my leg.
His heal was now right around in front
of my face, and he tried to make his way
to my mouth What his intention was |
cannot surely tell-though | had always
believed that he thought he could strange
me in that way He struck me one blow
in the mouth that hurt me considerably
and after that | got him by the neck, and
there L meant to hold at least, so that
he could not strike me again The mo-
ment | graspcd the snake by the neck, he
commenced to thigten his folds about nv
bodyl 1 soon discovered that he'd soon
squeeze the breath out ofnle in that way,
and determined to unwind. him. He was
wound in this way: the turn around the
thigh was from left to right4then mp be-
tween the legs to omy right side, and around
my back to myileit side---and so on with
the second, turn-r--thus bringing his head
up from under my arm. l had the snake
now with the left hand, and my idea was to
! put his head around my bacck until
could reach itwith my right and SO unwind
him. L could press the fellows head
down under my arm, but to get it around
so as to reach it with, my right hand |
could not. l tricd-I put all my power
into that one arm, but / could not do it.
/ Until this moment / had not really been
frightened. had believed could unwind
the serpent when tried. never dreamed
what power he had. tried it until knew
/ could not do it, and then gave it up
My next thought was of my jack knife; but
the lower coil of the snake was directly
over my pocket, and could not get it.
now for the first time called out for help
yelled with all my might. and yet knew
the trial was next to useless, for no one
could easily gain the place where was,