Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-11-24
A Snake Adventure in the M.uiIl...

| - SaaAC A0vSAseA@O 80 sA<S A<Ao0u1a9.
1t was while on shooting excursion
one day, with my friend Capt. Allen
that the adventure occurred which am
about to relate
i The dogs led the way with glowing
eyes, and we followed as fast as possible
but the soil was soft and sponey. and
although it received the ilspression Of
our feet, they we're soon erssed or filled
with dark water, rank with vegetation
and slime. We were positive that we
were on the right track ofsthe game
so on we pressed, bending low at times
to escape the branches of trees, or eau
tiously peering into thicket, to siscov.
er the cause of the sudden tustling
which we detected among the leaves,
and perhaps while we listened, hearing
the low angry hiss Of snake as it Gid
ed into the darker recesses of the swamp
or plunged with sudden motion into the
pools of stagnant water, and with head
erect, wriggled to its hole or disappear
ed amid the bushes.
Sometimes it was necessary for us to
leap from knoll to knoll to escape the
bogholes, or else crawl upon our hands
and knees through thickets almost i'm.
penetrable. All of sudden the dogs
uttered a suppressed howl, and with
tails between their legs retreated crouch
ing toward US.
"There is danger in our path Of some
kind" muttered Allen, stopping and
scrutinizlng the trees in our vicinity !;
but nothing was to be seen, and we at
tempted to urge the hounds along, but
they obstinately refused to proceed
'Remain where you are for moment,
and have your rife ready for instant
service, while l make short circuit,
and see if L can find out the trouble.
Don't fire on any account, unless COM
PEELED to, and then be careful your shot
tells"
did not like the idea of being sep
arated from Allen, but I wisely kept
my fears to myself, although I watched
his form until lost to view among the
thickets, and half resolved to follow, on
the ground that it was expedient for
us to keep together in so dangerous
place. of
The dogs had left me for the company
OF my friend, and l was, alone, with a
death-like stiffness reigning over the
swamp, and my imagination coniuring
up all sorts of diseased fancies. l leaned
against tall tree with leaves SO thick
that the sky could not be seen beneath
it, and awaited the return of my COM
panion but while I meditated upon
the madness Of the undertaking before
me, [ saw sturdy branch of tree
move and shake, as though agitated by
a violent blast of wind. | did not stop
to think that when we entered the
swamp the air was quite calm, and no
sign of gale was visible, because my
thoughts were otherwise engaged; and
l don't know that I should have moved
from my position under the tree, had
not chattering monkey under a sap
ling few rods off, suddenly appeared,
and after staring at me for a moment,
made a gesture Of fright, and with a
fierce cry, disappeared. -
started in the direction that the
animal had taken, but before had gone
two steps, the tree against which 1 had
leant was shaken from its trunk to the
topmost branch, and shower of leaves
fell upon my head. Then 1 began to
suspect l was in dangerous neighbor-
hood; and glancing over my head, l
saw something-I could not tell at first
what whirling among the leaves, twist
ing and turning like CLEANS of light
ming, and cracking the tender branches
in its movements, and showering down
leaves like fakes of snow.
think that was not more than five
seconds in placing the distan .e of a rod
between myself and the tree and I
don't remember of having turned back
once to see whether 1 was clear of the
danger that threatened me. What it
was l knew not, but suspected that
wild animal had taken possession of che
tree, and was calculating the propriety
of making meal Of me, when his ca
gerness caused my alarm. = zen.
was not, on the whole, sorry when
Allen returned and reported that the
coast was clear, but that the dogs still
manifested symptoms of alarm, and ap-
peared i'll at ease for trained animals
like them.
"You don't look very lively" Allen
said, after glance at my face: ssWhat
is the matter? Don't feel tired, do you?
Take drink of this" and he offered
me his flask. .T
I did not refuse, although while the
bottle was at my lips I kept my eyes fix
ed upon the tree, expecting to see it
move every moment. -ng
"It strikes me-" l said, returning
the flask, that the cause of this alarm
is in -yonder tree, and that the leaves
hide something disagreeable to view If
you don't believe my words, go out and
examine.
81 will do better than that: I will
send MAZE, for he seems as uneasy as a
young woman without lover" g "
The dog was directed to the tree and
he made one or two efforts to obey or
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