Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-07-22
MISCEILANY Y.
Terrific Fight With a Rattlesnake.

We have hitherto supposed the day long
since passed for chronicling big snake
fight in the vicinity Of the Centeral City,
but such it appears is not the case, from a
scene which recently transpred within a
short drive from the Court House. Some
of the older residents will remember
building which formerly stood on Prospect
Hill, about six miles distant from Peoria,
and which was distroved some seven or
eight years since. During the past season
another house was erected near the same
location, and all that has remained as relics |
of the old hotel was a partially filled exca- |
yaion for celler and two well preserved !
brick csterns which had been kept covered |
up. Last week the proprietor Of this place
while busy with his wife in preparing their
Summer flower garding, found himself in
want of bricks for the edge of the walks.
Remembering the eisterns he uncovered
one of them, and finding it dry at the bot
tom, and only six feet in depth. he jumped
in and commenced throwing out some OF
the best brick he could pick from the walls.
( 1t seems there was piece of plank with
one end partially imbeded in the earth
seizing it with some exertioa he pulled it
out and threw it to the top. What was
1 his horror and surprise at the next moment
to find that he had unearthed an enormonse
rattlcsnake, and himself without a weapon
in his hand.
As the cistern was round and only five
feet in diameter, he could not jump out,
and the snake bristling with anger and
lratttling defiance was ready for battle. His
screams brought his wife to the scene but
She was so overcome with fright that she be-
came powerless to render any assistance.
The snake, in the meantime, had commenc-
ed the fight making REPEATED springs at him,
but fortunately he managed on each occa-
siou TO hit him on the head with his boot,
without receiving a bite, the snake all the
, time becoming more defiant and cnraged
i During the whole scene, which lasted sew
several minutes, the man did not lose his
presence of mind, but watching his chance
made several frantic efforts to jump bodily
from his seemingly pit of Instruction Al
the last trial he fortunately grasped bricR
which gave way with him and renamed IN
his hand as he again stood confronting his
kissing enemy. After few more kicks
and watching his opportunity he fired 1t
making probably one OF the best shots OF
: record for it struck the snake on the head
and between the one sent and the wall III
became "pretty well used up sarpint
Weak and exhausted, our hero, by tn
It assistance of his wife, was enabled to cllml
: from the pit, but when once upon the cart
he tainted away, and 1t was some time be
;. fare he could be recovered. For severa
. : succeeding days he was quite unwell, OWN
probably to The poisonous efiluvia inhaled
while his desperate exercises in the en-
counter rendered him exceedingly lame
be The snake was afterwards taken from IN
: cistern, when it was found TO measure seN
en- feet in length and contained thirtee
rattles, The latter have been preserves
E and are placed in Shoaf's Museum for e'
=, to hibition. Peoria Transcript, Nay Is