Litchfield enquirer., 1857-05-14

10 see y SudKe lQuT VI HSe letG fiouS DuI III
stead Of that, he was nearly eight feet and a
half ! tell ye, looked ten ways for Sunday
about that time. Still, hadn't yet any great
fear, for supposed that when put my hands
on him, l could easily take him off, for was
pretty strong in the arms. In a few seconds
he had 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, and with bis back arcbed in and out, he
brought his head just on level with mine. /
made grab for him, but missed him; and
them, as quick as you can snap your finger, he
swept his head under my arm, clear around my
body, and then Strengthened up and looked me
in the face again. l gave another grab at him
and another, as quick as could, but he lodged
me, in spite Of all could do next felt the
snakes body working it's way up. The turn
of the tail was turned to my thigh, and the
coil around my stomach commenced to tighten.
About this time, | began to think there might
be some serious work, and the quicker took
the snake off the better. So just graspcd
him as near the 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 off. But this only made it worse. The
fellow had now drawn himself up so high, and
stretched so, that he whipped another turn
about me. His tail was now around my left
! thigh, and the rest of him turned twice around
my body-onc of them being just at the pit of
my stomach, and the other one above it. All
this had occupied just about one half u minute
from the time he got the turn around my leg
The snake now had his head right around
in front of my face, and he tried to make his
way into nay mouth What his intention was,
cannot tell, though have always believed
that he knew he could strangle me in that
way. He struck me one blow on the mouth
that hurt considerably and after that got
him by the neck, and there meant to hold
him. at least, so that he should not strike me
again. But about this time another difficulty
arose. The moment | grasped the snake by
the neck, he commenced to tighten his folds
about my body ! 1t wasn't over few Sec
onds before | discovered that he'd soon squeeze
the breath out Of me in that way, and deter
mined to unwind him. He was in this way
| The turn around the thigh was from left to
right, then up between the legs to the right
side and around the back to the left side, and
50 on with the second turn, thus bringing his
head under my 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 hand and SO unwind him
could pIess the fellows head under my arm
but to get it around so as.to reach it with my
my right hand, conld not ! | hied-I put
all my power into that one arm, but | could
not do it. l could get the, head just about
under my armpt but here my strength was
applied to disadvantage and | could do no
more
| Until this moment had believed that
could unwind the serpent when tried. new
err dreamed what power they had. Why-on
ly think, as big as was then. and could not put
that snakes head around my neck ! tired
it until knew could not do it, and then I
gave it up. My next thought was Of my jack.
knife; but the lower coil of the snake was di-
rectly over my pocket, and could not get it.
l now, for the first time, called out for help.
| yelled Justify; and yet l knew the trial was
next to useless, for no one could easily gain
the place where l was, without boat. Yet
| called out, hoping against hope grasped
the snake by the body and pulled tried to
break its neck. This plan presented itself
! with CLEAN of promise but it amounted to
nothing might as well have tried to break
o rope by bending it backward and forward Is
A full minute had now passed since 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, found that was weaker
than before ! | could not hold him ! The
excitement had prevented me from noticing
this until now For a few minutes / was in a
perfect frenzy. leaped up and dowp-cred
out as loud as l could-and grasped the snake
with all might He slipped his head from my
weakened hand, and made a blow at my face,
striking me fairly on the closed lips. This
made me mad, and gave the internal thing
another grasp with both hands, trying ence
more to twist his neck. The only result was
that got another blow upon the mouth I'D
i But the moment of need was at hand
felt the coils growing tighter and tighter about
my whole frame, 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
tire Of his body was no bigger than his head
j The black skin was drawn to q tension that
seemed its utmost, and yet could tell by the
workings of the large hard scales npon the belly
that he was drawing himself tighter still baa
" For Gods sake p gasped, stricken with
could I do The enemy for whom had at
first had 50 little thought, was Killing me
killing me slowly, opealy, surely-and / had
actually held at the deadly will of black
! snakei My breath was now short. faint and
quick, and knew that / was growing purple
i, in the face NV hand, : $40 ,roro e,yrl