The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-08-15
Thrilling Encounter with Black
Snakes.

Thrilling Encounter. with Black
Snakes.
Professor j Mitchell, the cele-
brated ''South Mountain Wizard" ;"
says the Boonsboro (Md. J Old Eel
lo,o, while out cunning last Friday,
had a most thrilling adventure with
a den of black snakes, known as
'sracers," from which he narrowly
escaped with his life. AS is his
habit, the Professor had taken his
favorite carbine and gone into the
mountain after squirrels. The best
part of the forenoon had been spent
in beating through the bush and over
the rocks without meeting with any
adventure, and but ordinary. success
in procuring game. Suddenly, how
ever, he came to a ledge of rocks
about mile from the South Noun
tain House.
Stopping moment to take a snr-
vey of the surroundings, he saw a
large black snake stretched out on a
rock summing himself He at once
took up a. couple of stones and
threw one at his snakeship, but un-
fortunately missed him. This dis
turbed the snake, and he instantly
uncoiled himself and stood with his
head erect, as if indignant at this in
trusion, and at the same time he gave
a loud shrill hiss orrather whistle.
The Professor delivered his second
stone with such precision as to NOR
tally wound his enemy No sooner
however, had he thrown the stone,
when he heard a rustling among the
brush to his right, and another and
louder whistle than the first. Turn
ing his eyes in the direction from
whence came the noise, he saw a
monstrous black snake, racer,
comiag-directly towards him, with
head erected about five feet from the
ground. and his forked tongue dart
ing from his distended jaws as il
bent on fight.
The Professor, who is an acknoWl-
edged crack shot. immediate raised
his carbine and fired, and had the
proud satisfaction of seeing the
monster snake roll over in the agon
les of death, having split his heac
open with a ball. This proved but
the commencement of the battle, fol
before the Professor had time tc
congratulate himself upon his sue
cess in vanquishing two of his foes
a third one, measuring about clever
feet in length, and thick in proper
ton, had approached to within {
few feet of him, his head erect, hiss
ing and darting his tongue out in {
manner to appal the stoutest heart
To retreat was out of the question
a fight was the only alternative, an(
quick as thought he levelled the car
bine at the snakes head, but unfor
tunately missed it, at the same tim
dropping it upon the ground. Will
the rapidity of lightning the blacl
snake attacked the Professor, ant
commenced winding his Shiny coil
around his legs and body tighte
and tighter at every coil of his loath
some form, until the Professor wa
unable to move a foot. r
His efforts to extricate himsel
from the s'coils Of death''-as the,
seemed to be were unayailing, fo
with every effort the folds tightene,
and the work of respiration becam
difficult. Death and the snake stal
ed him in the face, and made th
cold chills of horror and agon
creep over his body. 1t was a feal
moment-a moment of the most il
4 tense horror and agony that mad
the flesh creep, the blood chill, an
the hair literally sstood on end lik
the quils upon a fretful prcupine
Nothing but his green great pres
ence f'mind saved him from strar
gulation and a loathsome DEATH
Recollecting that his hunting knit
hung by his side, he seized it, an
with his nerves braced by despai
drew it across the body ofthe snak,
severing it at a stroke. The col
relaxed, the snake dropped at ht
feet, and the prisoner was free again
: BY this time he heard a great rus
. ling in the bushes, and the dry ban
cracking in every direction, accon
panied by loud shrill, angry hiss an
whistling as if the whole surronndiI
woods were filled with snake
Deeming discretion the better pa
of valor he hastily grabbed up h
/. carbine girthed his hunting kni
and beat precipitate retreat. I'll
/. Professor was persued by the blat
snakes for some distance, but beir
L in a hurry he had no time to loo
back and count their numbers. T
says had they come one at timef
would not have retreated, but
attack him by companies and d
y visions was enough to frighten sei
man 80 .sas} SIS