New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-06-08

flock sof black ducks fy ever the house, and was
sure thsy sghtsd on t.s lake % seized ny double
When reached ne handing, saw the ducks away or
by the opposite shore. q once cut some green
boughs with ny anae and, having nggsd up tho
pose for such work, jumped in and started Of. /
had got near enough for ahat and had drawn in the
scun, and was in The act Of taking up my gun when
ene as ssans4 1ss ss & M Rsss z ssen is
they didn't fan into the water They nsteTed along
until they fell into the tall grass up II Ne covc The
were pulled up as far as Icould and then got out
and walked up. j knew very near where one Of the
ducks had fahen, and very soon had my eye on H.
pop out and catch it by the wing. av only tie
head and neck Of the reptile, and had NO idea how
large !. was. il had, probably shond have done
just as did, for had no idea Of fearing such thing
80 just ran up and snztehed the bird away. had
left my gun in the boat and had nothing 70 kill the
on the thief's neck.
The ground was moist and Shiny, and y the snake
had his body braced amsng the roots of the stout
reeds be took bis head cut from under my foot about
g quick as man could comfortably think. i tho't
k this fellow, and had just sainea Sr thss M purposs
when fet something strike my leg as though some
body had thrown rope around it. I looked down
left leg with his tall and was IN the act of clearing
| his body from the grass. dropped the duck and
gave assnlart kick but that didn't loosen him SO
tried to put my right foot on him, and thus draw my
leg away; but might ss wen have fsied to put my
| foot on streak Of lightning.
had forgotten the pBoportionate size of he head
of thisspecies Of black snake Ihaa expected to SEQ
snake four five feet long, but instead of that he
was nearly eight feet and 4 half. Sill hadn't any
/ great fear, for supposed th.t when came to pot
1 my hands on him could easily take Mnc6, lof was
pretty strong in the arms. In lev wseesnh be had
his body all clear and it was then hst tie fsst real
thrill shot through me. There he held himself by the
simple turn around my leg. and with bis back aiched
Imade grab for hina but missed bin; and fHen, =
quick as you can snap you finger he swept bis head
clear around my body and then straigbtened up and
looked me in the face again. made another grab q
him, and another as quick as could; but be lodged
me in spite of all could do. i j. s-af -,
! next felt the snakes body working its way up.
The turn OF the tail was changed to my thigh and the
coil around my stomach began to tighten. By this
time began to think there might BE some serious
work and the quicker te0k the snake Oh the better
So just grasped him as near the head as possible
by taking hold where he was around me-for be
couldn't dodge that part you hcw-aud tried to turn
him oil. But this only mades 1t worse. The fellow
had now drawn himself up SO high and stretched him.
tail was now under nv LETT % thigh and tSe res III of HIM
turned twice round my body-0ne of them being Just
at the pit Of my stomach and the other above IT, All
this had occupied just abeut half minute from the
time he first got the turn around my leg.
s His head 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
= strangle me in that way He struck me ONE blow in
the mouth that hurt considerably and after that
got him by the necK and there meant to hold him
e at least that he should not strike again. The
moment grasped the neck be commenced to tighten
his folds about my bcdyl I soon discovered that
he'd soon squeeze the breath out Of me in that way,
g and determined to unwind him. He was wound in
this waytbe turn around the thigh wassfrom left to
right then up between the legs to my right aide and
n around my back to my left land 50 with the
second turn-thus bringing his head up from under
| mn arm had fho ator \ fk.a 1aff and
at and my idea was to pat its head around my back
v until could reach itwith my right, and unwind
h him ! could press the fellows head down under my
n right hand Tcoud not tried-I pat all my power
ID into that one arbut it was an mpossibty to dot
s Until this moment l. had not really been terrified
had supposed could unwind the serpent when
tried. I never dreamed what power be had. 1 tried
he'll it until Il knew could not do IT, and then gave up
ia My next thought Of my jack knife but the lower
Of coil Of the fellow was directly over my pocket and
or Fl now for the first time called out for help.
lis yelled with all my might; and yet knew that th
id trial was next to useless, for could easily gal
81 the place where was, except with . boat. Yet
Re called out, hoping against hope. grasped the sna
en- by the body and pulled; tried to break his neck
on This idea presented geam of promise but
ng, amounted to nothing. might as well have tried
ept break rope by bending it. r3 sss
ing full minute had now passed from the time whe
ave tried to pass the snakes head around my back
~ His body had become elongated by his gTadus
pressure around my body that he had room 70 carr
ON his head around in free symmetrical curve.
DR.. had slipped from my grasp, and when next caugt
ew him, found that was weaker than before coul
mrs not hold him! The excitement had prevented N
in from noticing this until now.
me For few moments was in perfect frenzy.
nd leaped up and down-cried as loud as / could-an
ck grasped the snake with all my might But it ayaile
ad. nothing. He slipped his head from my weakene
the hand and made blow at my face. ~ ~
tat This made me mad, and gave the internal thin
red another grasp with both hands, trying once more
twist his neck. The rpsut wa Ont annthf
ure blow on the mouth.
! of But the moment of need was at hand. I felt th
the coils growing tighter and tighter around my bod
md and my breath was getting weak. severe pain WI
uc beginning to result from the pressure, and th
cad the snake would soon have length enough for anoth
ble turn He was drawn tightly that the center of
mn body was no bigger than his head. The black SKI
as drawn to tension that seemed its utmost an
ch, yet Icould tell by the working of the large hal
tile scales on his body that he was drawing himse
,rly tighter still ss
q Stricken with absolute fright, gasped, E VIII.
mel. shall do?" What could do2 The enemy f
whom had at first held SO little thought was killir
late me-klling me slowly, surely-and had no hop.
The stout strong man. was being actually held at Il
'n' deadly will of black snake My breath was no
short, faint and quick, and know / was grown
e of purple in the face My hands and arms were swo
tiles and my fingers were numbedi 4 had let go Of L
will snakes neck, and he carried the upper part
sion his body in graceful curve, his head vibrating fro
this side to side with an unduating motion Of extren
was gracetulness and fascination.
ON At length staggered. was losing my streng
the rapidly, and the pain of my body had become
that ciating The snakes skim where it was coed abo
in me- was tight that it seemed almost Transporter
nent He had found me, or had found him, in state
nifty hunger his stomach free from food and fes muse
lar forces unmpaired. second time staggere
New and objects began to swim before me. dizzy 81
to saton was in my head aintness in my heart,
too pain the most agonizng in my body The snake b
cunt now three feet Of his body free He had drawn hi
of self certainly three feet longer than before He dart
pay his head under my right arm and brought it up
The my right shoulder and pressing his under jaw firm
the down there, he gave sudden wind that made
pose groan with pain Each moment an age OF ago
j, no each second step nearer to death.
sland Ny knife! o, if I could reach ii! Why nc
will Why not tear it out? My arms were free. Nero
Why had not thought Of that before when my har
had some strength in them? Yet could try it.
nted collected all my remaining power for the effort
IL be made the attempt My trousers Of blue colt
of stuff and very strong could not tear i'll thou!
force of the stitches they might not be tenacious
ciay graped the cloth upon the inside of the thigh,
been gave my last item of strength to the effort.
ct of stitches started-they gave way! This result
illion me hope and hope gave me power. Another I
re in with both hands and the pocket laid bare
lama all the force could command with hope of life,
Al. -