Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1863-08-21

THE SERPESTS' DEN.

rt-Ath- 81 uir - iie anu two suus. sfffittl iu
thc north-western portion Of Nir-inis
liis rou-h cabin was built upon the bank
- bcautiiul AMI romantic stream. thar A.
ter meandcring IN the valleys. AMI through
the dense forest. az length cmptr.d n.
water, into thc Ohio
ouc day. IN che opening q i779. Jobs
iwo sons. jesse AL Thoua,. ia conranv
wiih several of the neighborin- .citlcr..
hat made up a hsntin- party. intending O.
BE- gone some DAYS. They took up their
hn~ oi march into dense picce q woods
% th- northwarl. and after uakinr their
exit from this. commcnrsl the ascent of a
steep and rocky ACTIVITY They had reach
81 about half way up. when al a. once. the
foremost of them started back. With su--
PRISE ard horror. a. the well known sound
oi thc raitiesnake fcll upon thcircar In
mediai,l, following th~ alarm. tlev bcheII
numbers % these venemous reptile. direct
y IN th-ir path. some % them ~ huge sire.
and All having their bead. raised and thrown
back in a threatening manner but the ear
u pioneer were not men easily f-i.htencd
oa by such zoe; anl our heroes. after
procuring good hickory cudccl.. pressed
ON to th~ encounter
A. thcy approached. ths .e7,eut.-~hirb.
~liie tde party werr cutting their stav,..
had bccoue pas-isc-a-ain rpusr.I up. AMI
assumed the defensive. dartinr out their
tongue. anl sounding their rattle. f~--.r,
in dehanrr. The battle nov cammrn.,.l
IN rial ea-u~-t-the snakes s,rikin- uitb
great anger at The men. aud thev IN tr-,
avoiding the danger being bitten. a-I
shoWcring h"avv and desperate blow. ur.1n
the reptiles. The latter after prolonged
and savage contest. sna'l, nr,l or ra,bsrrc-
treated. down into the crr,i.e of some
rocks near th- brow 81 the bill
Ihe Attacking party advanced Nth great
caution % the oPenia-. expecting O. .ee
The enemy starr up % renew tlc fsht
Hearing no rattie. h5wcvcr. thr b1lIe.t Of
thc men. gong down upon tLeir kncc..
roervd into che f-su-r b1t n0thin. va. o.
D. seen az the srrpents.
on cuauting the number that had been
KILLED.. thc hunters found that there were
b,tvcen tity af,I SIXTY. s1,nc of the-l Ic.r-.
nearly 6re feet .n length. AMI iu The Ia-r-
csi part 81 th- boIy were a. thick As
man. ie- below thc calf
None ~ the party having received an,
inlar, they au proceeded ou their vay o.
tae p.a-c who're they intended ta hunt.
A'tsr p-o'1nc.n- ti- excursion f,r some
ihr,e or f'1r days. the company returned
in Lsh spirits jesse anI Thamas men
toned thr incident of cucoanterin, tha
rait..snakcs t1 tie.- Aficr. "a 3D.. after 4aes-
tiouins them al. to thc natural pecal.ar.t.c,
of the .T.o'. reioined
Wei. hI.. We win 20 over there to-
morrow. ana III warrant you vel have =
fl- time ofit.~
Accordingly. ihr nest morning. together
vifh Do. '~r s.n. anI .r,rraiof li. uei-.i-
bor.. job rroe,. ..l.I 'a tbc se.re of pr-,i-
ous encounter. And thcrc. piled iu a h,ap.
De- sac th- dead .eTents. just al. tbey BAL
Been De by tte visitors. Bot tLe most
iloroosa search ofthr io,a'.t, faded to
''.''' 'i a '.'-.r h''nS
' WY -'-'' ''..n''..'l aI r-r'-
snt. With 'ie exception 81 lIJob. vAo.
tarrir- o. Jesse. .a,d
I'n- Ne ilhi pole. anil .l .ee % ] can't
pa mem.
iA''s ohih'ncd thr Instrument referred
o. -"''n ~a' n''hin- more ihan large
i.'"' 'f'n il'lcd to ihe eAtr'n-
-'-,' I''.'. hr prorrea.1 to
-' ''ii',' Dat di'ap-