Des Arc weekly citizen., 1867-07-13
A SNAKE STORY.
Thrilling Encounter With Q Den of
 Black Snakes,

'Seuth Mountain Wizard" while out gunning last Friday, had a most thrill ling adventure with den of black snakes, known as "racers," from which he narrowly escaped with his life. As is his habit, the professor had taken his favorite carbinc and gone into the mountain after squirrels. The best part of the forenoon had been spent in beating through the brush and over the rocks without meeting with any adventure, and but ordinary success in procuring game, etc. Suddenly, however, he came to a ledge of rocks about mile from the South Mountain house. Stopping moment to take a survey of the surroundings, he saw a large black snake stretched out on a log summing himself. He at once took up couple of stones and threw one at his snakeship, but unfortunately miss ed him. This aroused the snake, and in an instant he uhcoilcd himself, and stood with his head erect, as if iMdig- nant at this intrusion, and at the same time gave loud, shrill hiss, or, rather, whistle. The professor delivered his second stone with such precisitn as to mortally wound his enemy. No soon- CT, however, had he thrown the stone when he heard fearful rustling among the brush to his left, and another whis- tie louder and shriller than the first. Turning his eye ih the direction from whence came the noise, he saw mon- strous black snake Ca racer) coming di- rcctly toward him. with his head erect cd about five feet from the ground, and his forked tongue darting from his dstcMled jaws as if bent on fight. The professor (who is an acknowledged crack shoD immediately raised his car
 binc, fired, and had the proud satisfac- ton of seeing the snake roll over in the agonics of dcath-having split his head open with the ball. This proved but the commencement of the battle for before the professorha time to con graduate himself upon his success in vanquishin% two of his foes, third one, measuring eleven feet in length, and thick in propotion, had approached to within few feet of him, his head erect, missing, aud darting his tongue out in q manner to appal the stoutest heart. To retreat was out of the question ; 9 fight was the only alternative, and quick as thought, he leveled his carbine at the snakes head, but, unfortunately, missed it, at the same time dropping it (hls carbine) upon the ground. With the rapidity of lightning, the black snake attacked the professor, and com menced winding his slimy coil around his legs and body tighter and tighter at every coil of his loathsome form, until the professor Was unable to move a foot. His efforts to extricate him. self from the ''coils" of death--as they seemed to him-were unavailing, for, with every effort the folds frightened, and the work of respiration became difficulty. Death stared him in the face, and made the cold chills of horror and agony creep over his body. It was fearful moment--a moment of the most intense horror and agony, that made the flesh creep, the blood chill, and the hair literally to "stand on end like quills upon fretful DOT cupine." Nothing but his great pres ence of mind saved him from strangu- lation and loathesome death. Recol- lecting that his hunting knife hung by his side, he siezed it and with his nerves braced by despair, drew it across the body of the snake, severing it at stroke The coils relaxed, the snake dropped dead at his feet, aud the professor was free again. By this time he heard great rustling in the bushes and the dry bark cracking in every di- rection, accompanied by loud, shrill, angry misses and whistling as if the whole surrounding woods were filled with snakes.
 Deeming discretion the better part of valor, he hastily grabbed up his crabine, girthed his hunting knife, and beat precipitate retreat. The profes- sor was pursued by the black snakes for some distunce, but being in hurry he had no time to look back and count