East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-03-16
A Tow Interviews wit, Snakes.
d. CAPTAIN DRAYsoS, r. A.

: d. CAPTAIN DRAYsoN, Y. A.
fTrom tbs So. James Magazine
IT is rarv indeed to find any perso
who has not an instructive horror c
snakes. 1 have, however, known on
or two pooplo who could make pots Q
those creatures, which thoy woul,
allow to crawl over them, and to nestl
; their ccld, clammy coils against thei
hands, or even neck. These people
however, were invariably those VIII
themselves possessed sort of moist
clammy skin, not unlike that of TIN
serpent tribe, and thus possibly ther
was somc fellow feeling between th
two. For ray own part 1 have {
| great antipathy TO all sorts OF rnakos
lizards and other reptiles, and, wheI
brought into proximity with them, ;
strange creeping feeling commences a
Go pit of my ttemach and gradual,
steals upward and downward, unit
tho ends OF my toes and fingers anC
tho crown Of my head sympathiz,
strongly with the before mentioned re-
gion. Possessing this idiosyncrGcy
which / believe is not a very singular
one, L may conside itr unlucky that
should have been brought 30 fire.
quentlY and closely into contact with
the serpent race; yet such has been
my fate, as the following facts will
/ show.
"Pds OPP! pas opr (take caro- take
care was the shout that announced
to mo the dangerous proximity of
some creature whilst / was walking
along the narrow pathway near the
Beree quash at Natal. Ny companion,
Dutchman, had observed ON the
sloping trunk of dead tree large
snake, which, seeing us approach, had
uncoiled itself, and was preparing to
doecend from its elevated position
1t was really very beautiful crea-
ture of a palo green color about
eight feet long and not very stout
Ny experienced friend announced that
it was a stree snake" perfectly harm
less, except to small birds, lizards and
such like, which it could catch and do
stroy. 1t was allowed to Escape
Not SO was the creature near which l
shortly aiterward found myself.
Hunting in the dense bush which
extends up the greater part Of the
shore on tho eastern coast Of South
Africa, l with my kailir companion,
oppressed with the heat, seated our
selves on the ground in little open
glade. Scarcely had wo sat down
and before tho little circular
snuff gourd had yielded any portion
Of its contents into the hollow on the
upper part of the thumb, when the
katiir's eyes suddenly became wild IN
appearance as he looked behind me,
and in another instan started ON his
feet and shouted, "Inyoka" !" Ia snake')
This warning was not to be neglec-
ted, for we were in district whore
the old mays describe as thiclly in
tested with serpents. For here the
deadly cobra might be soon extending
his hood as he threatens the approach
ing traveller. The fat brilliantly
marked puff adder was by no means
IN unlikely object to attract the hunt
er's attention as it lazily basked in the
sun, and seemed almost unwilling to
move, even to avoid being trodden
upon. Endless varieties Of smaller
but most venomous serpents were
common in tho noighborhood, whilst
tho Natal Rock snake was also an in
iabitant Of the locality, and might be
seen of a size quite sufficient to induce
,aution in the visitor to his retreat
,ightaan IN twenty foot in longth being
by no means an unusual length
Thus the cry of "Inyoka," and the
excited look of an experienced bush
lunter, We're sufficient caution to make
ne follow the KGiiir's example, and to
pring quickly to my feet.
My attention was then directed to
small baro mound about seven feet
rom whore L had been sitting, whore
Immediately saw largo venomous-
ooking black-snake. 1t had appar-
ntly just became aware of our in
rusion, for although coiled up it had
aised its head about two feet, and was
xamining us, The KafEir's gun was
DON pointed at the reptile, but / |
Tould not allow him toy fire, as we {
'ere in pursuit Of largo game, and ex- ,
ected to meet some buffaloes in i
ow minutes. at I
A stout stick was quickly cut from I
tree, and with it the blacksnake was /
ssaultcd. Tho monster was very 6
icious; it lunged forward at us, d
oiled, and turned in every conceiv- {
bic manner; but our agility was
lore than match for oil tho ser
ent's cunning, and there in the wild '
ood The battle terminated in favor of n
ian. The snake was fully six feet Q
ng, and quite a foot in circumference a
hist its deadly poisonous fangs I
ere three-quarters Of an inch in q
Myth fT t'e nf gi af I'M
After the snake had been killed, the &
.afiir cut off its head, which he then s:
4refully buried---a precaution not un o
,cessary where mon walk about h
ith bare feot.