Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-09-24

by taking hold where he was round me, and
tried to run him off, But this only made it
worse. The fellow had now drawn himself ND
so high, and stretched out so, that he whipped
another turn about me. His tail was now
around my left thigh, and the rest of him
turned 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 round my leg.
The snake had now his head in front of nv
face, and he tried to make his way into nv
mouth. What his intention was, | cannot surely
tell, though / always believed that he knew
he could strangle me in that way He struck
me one blow in the mouth that hurt me con-
siderable and after had got him by the
neck, and there meant to hold him-at least
so that he could not strike again But this
time another difficulty arose The moment |
grasped the snake by the neck he commenced
to tighten his fold about my body 1t
wasn't over few seconds before | discovered
that he'd soon squeeze the breath out of me
in that way, and 1 determined to unwind him.
He was in this way 4; the turn around the thigh
was from left to right then up between the
legs to my right side, around the back to my
left side, and SO on with the second turn
bringing his head up under left arm. | had
the snake now with the left hand, and my idea
was to pass his head around my back until |
could reach it with my right, and SO unwind
him. | could press the fellows head down
under my arm, but to get it around so as to
reach it with my right hand 1 could not 1
tried ; put all my power in that one arm, but
could not do it. | could get the head just
under nay armpit ; but here my strength was
applied to disadvantage Until this moment
had not been really frightened. | had be-
Iieved that | could unwind the serpent when
I tried. I never dreamed of what power they
he'd. Why only think, as strong as | was
then, and could not prt that snakes head
around my back. | tried it until | knew |
could not do it, and then gave it up My
next thought was of my jackknfe 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. l yelled with all my might, and yet
knew the trial was useless, for no one could
easily gain the place where | was except with
boat. Yet called out, hoping against hope.
| grasped the snake by the body and pulled
i tried to break. This plan presented Itself
with a geam of promise but it amounted to
nothing. l might as well have tried to break
a rope by bending it backward and forward.
A few minutes had now passed from the
time when first tried to pass the snakes
head around my back.
His body had become so elongated by his
gradual pressure around my body, that he had
room to carry his head around in free and
symmetrical curve He had slipped from my
grasp, and when next caught him, l found
that was weaker than before | could not
hold him The excitement had kept me
from noticing this until now. For q few mo-
ments | was in perfect frenzy. [ had leap
ed up and down, cried out as loud as | could
and grasped the snake with all my might
but it availed me nothing. He slipped his
head from uy weakened hand, aud made
blow at my face, striking me fairly upon the
closed lips
But the moment of need was at hand.
felt the coils growing tighter and tighter
around my body, and my breath was getting
weak A severe pain was beginning to result
from the pressure, and saw that the snake
would soon have length enough for another
turn. He was drawn so tightly, that the cen
ire of his body was no bigger than his head
The black skin was drawn to a tension that
seemed its utmost and yet | could tell
by the working of the large hard scales upon
the belly, that he was drawing himself tighter
still
For Gods sake ~ gasped stricken with
absolute terror, "what shall L do Z" What
could do ? The enemy for whom | had at
first held so little thought, was killing me
killing me slowly, openly, and L had no help
l. stout strong man, was actually held at
the deadly will of black snake. My breath
was now short, faint and quick, and [ knew,
that was growing purple in in the face. My
hands and arms swollen and my fingers numb
ed ! had let 60 of the snakes neck, and he
now carried the upper part of his body in a
graceful curve, his head vibrating from side to
side with an unduating motion of extreme
gracefulness.
At length / staggered! | was losing my
strength rapidly, and the pain of my body was
excruciating The snakes skin, where it was
coiled about me, was so tight that it seemed
almost transparent He had found ME, or |
had found him. in state of hunger, his stom-
ach free from food, and his muscular force un-
impaired. A second time staggered, and OBJ
jects began to swim before me.
A dizzy sensation was in my head, faint
ness at my heart? The snake had now three
feet of body free. He had drawn himself certain
three feet longer than before He darted his
head under my right arm and brought it up
over my shoulder, and pressing his under jaw
firmly down there, he made sudden wind
that made me groau with pain. Each moment
was an agony each second step nearer to
death.
Ny knife ? Oh, if could but reach it
Why not Why not tear it out? My arms
were free ! Mercy Why had not thought
of this before, when my hands had some
strength in them? Yet would not try it.
| collected all my remaining power for the ef-
fort, and made the attempt. My trowsers
were of blue cotton stuff, and very strong