Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-06-11
From. the Peoria Transcript, May Is.

became my wife.
From the Peoria Transcript, May Is.
Terrific Fight With Rattlesnake.
We have hitherto supposed the day long
since passed for chronicling big snake
fight i'll the vicinity of the Central City, but
such it appears is not the case, from a
scene which recently transpircd within a
short drive from the Courthouse. Some
of the oidsr residents will remember bull
ding which formerly stood on Prospect Hill,
about SIX miles distant from Peoria, and
which was destroyed some seven or eight
years since. During the past season an
other house was erected, ncar the same 10
cation, and all that has remained as relics
of the old hotel was a partially filed cxca-
vation for cellar and too we'll preserved
brick cistcrns which had been kept cover
ed up.
Last week the proprietor of the place,
while busy with his wifein preparing their
summerflower garden, found himselfin the
want of few bricks for the edge of the
walks. Remembering the cistcrns, he un
covered one of them, and finding it dry at
the bottom, and only about six feet in depth
he jumped in and commenced throwing
out some of the best brick he could pici,
from thc walls. 1t seems there was
piece OF plank with one end partially i'm
bedded in the earth that somewhat incom
NODDED him, so scizing it, with some cxcr-
tion he cpullcd it out and threw it to the
top.
What was his horor and SURPRISE at tho
next moment to find that he had uncarthcd
an enormous rattlcsnakc, and himself with
out weapon in his hand AS the cistcrp
was round, and only about five feet in di-
ameter, he could not jump out and the
snake brstling with anger, and rafting
defiance was ready for battle His screams
brought his wife to the scene, but she was
so overcome with fright that she became
powcrlcss to render any assistance. The
snake, in the meantime, had commenced
the fight, making repeated springs at him
but fortunately he managed on each occa-
sion to hit him upon the head with his boot
without receiving bite, the snake all the
time becoming. more dcfamt and cnragcd.
During the whole scene, Which lasted
several minutes, the man did not lose his
presence of mind, but Watching his chance
made several frantic efforts to jump bodily
from this seemingly pit of destruction. st
the last trial, he unfortunately graspod a
brick which gave way with him, and re-
manned in his hand as he again stood from
ting his Kissing enemy. After few more
kicks, and watching his opportunity, he
fired it, making probaly one Oft the best shots
ON record, for it stuck the snake on the
head, and between the one sent and the
wall, he became "prctty well used up
sarpint."
Weak and exhausted, our hero by the
assistance of his wife was enabled to climb
from the pit, but when once more upon the
earth hefaintcd away, and it was some time
before he could be recovered. For seve-
raj succeeding days he was quite unwcll,
owing probably to the poisonous enffluvia
inhaled, while his desperate exercises in
the encounter rendered him exceedingly
lame. The snake was afterwards taken
from thc cistern, when it was found to mca-
sure seven feet in length, and contained
thirteen rattles The latter have been
preserved, and arc placed in Shoaf"s Dlu-
scum for exhibition.
n RANK CoUNrERPEIT. We have re.
Gently seen a counterfeit One Hundred dol
lar bill on the Bank of Camden. The en-
ccution is very good, the signatures of W.
j. Grant Cashier, and w. McWilic, Presi-
dent, are capitally initiated, particularly
that of the President. Ii is payable to j
Workman, and this name is well initiated
The paper and general appearance of the
bill however, are somewhat against it, but
upon the whole green one could lie very
easily deceived. The date would condemn
it, for in May 1852 Wm. Melville had
not been President for some six or seven
years, he having removed to Mississippi in
l845, and his place supplied by w. u.
Johnson Esq, who is now President
The cashier informs us that the Bank of
Camden have no bills of that denomination
out, they have all been called in and 10
new ones issued-bcar this in mind and
no one need be imposed upon hereafter
Camdem Jownal 31St att.
4 RrrIc.-Afcssrs. ,3ason found in the
sand, drcdgcd by their steamer in the
Nlafiit Channel, on Friday, piece of sill
yer plate, supposed to have originally be-
longed to the private stock of Sir Peter
Parker. 1t can be seen at Mcssrs. Ea-
sons mnchincshop corner of Nassau and
and Coumbus .sts.- Charleston 4jicrcury,
24M inst.
!" Dbl notgive you fogging the 9TH
or day" said schoolmasterto trembling
urchin. " Yes, sir" answered the boy
We'll, what docs the Scripture say upon
the subjoct?" "I don't know, sir" said
the other, "cxcept it is in that passage
which says, it is more blessed to give than