Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-10-03
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A Snake Fight.

The capture of a snake fifteen feet long
in Patrick county, Virginia, was brief
mentioned in yesterdays paper. The &C
count of it appears in the Danville Regis
ter, and the responsibility of the paper var
rants us III copying it. A farmer on Bull,
Mountain had missed several pigs, and sen
his son out to discover the cause. The son
in letter to the Register, thus describes
| the battle: -
The old man sent me out to learn the
cause, thinking probably thai the Wild Cats
had taken to them, as they had done before,
there being few Cats in the mountain
Therefore, took my rife and dog, and
started out on search for the intruder, and
after travelling some mile and half upon
the face of the mountain. / came to an old
hollow Chestnut tree, which the hogs used
for shelter in cold and rainy weather-while
standing near the old tree, I heard the
squcaling of a pig about one hundred yards
down the mountain I instantly started
and when l reached the place from whence
the sound came, I stopped to listen-1 heard
a noise in the dry leaves. l Immediately
looked in that direction and what did l see !?
Could it be a snakel no, for 1t seemed too
large. But it must be, for il had the shape
There he lay, with about one-balf Of his
body concealed between two old logs, with
part of his body lying en- one of the logs,
and his head elevated some two or three
feet. He seemed to lock me straight in the
eyes, Ehile his tongue kept up {; continual
vibratory motion, and his eyes sde.Gs9 to
fash fire. There we were face to face, and
he seemed to have peculiar effect on me,
my nerves were para}yaed, AID could not
turn back, but kept continually approach
ing him as if drawn 10y some magic force
Let any one imagine themselves away
on mountain and under the influence
of filthy snake-it is enough to make the
cold chills run over the strongest nerves
| was within about six Or eight feet Of him.
standing with NY eyes fastened on his, and
all at once. my dog, which had followed me
from home, commenced barking about so
yards from me, probably at squirrel l.
No sooner than he heard the noise ho turn
cd his head in the direction, and the spell
left me-my mind flashed on my rife for
the first time while had been standing be-
fore him. presented my rifle, cooked it,
and pulled the trigger, the report followed
Berg so much excited took no aim. and
consequently OILY alightly wounded him
Ha commenced rolling and tumbling about,
Kissing and rafting IN the most frigbtfu
manner, which could have been heard at
least one hundred yards. Ny dog instant
y rushed on him, only 10 receive the death
stroke, for no sooner had he touched him,
than the monster thrust his poisoned teeth
Into his heck ,he turred and fed bowling
as he ran. and started for home, but not to
reach it, for he had received his death blow
| reloaded, and taking good aim at his head,
| sent the ball through the centre of it
He rolled and ratified again but he soon
began to expire, and in about one half hour
he was quite dead.
The snake is on exhibition at Evansville,
in Patrick county, and is to be stuffed and
sent - Washington to the Patent Office.