The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-02-14

mr,. wooa ON snake charmlng.

NJ MEssRs EDITORS; lam not u natnr-
aIisG, nor yet a hunter but was greatly
interested in paper entitled Charm
ing by Serpents, in No. 20, page BIG,
last volume of the Scientific Amer.
can, and would like to add few Incl
dents that have come under my own
notice.
One day in early spring time, hear
ing an unusual chippering under
cherry tree near the house, | stepped
ont to see what was the matter On
looking through the fence | saw large
garter snake, with glariDg eyes dis
tended to an unnatural size, and mouth
wide open.
A common phebe bird was rapidly
flying --.not in circles, out directly up
and down from a small limb on the
tree-toward the snake. As the bird
receded. the snake closed its mouth,
opening it again as the bird approach
ed l noticed quantity Of saliva OF
foam about the snakes mouth
In few moments the combat" end
ed, if combat it was The bird, with
eyes as bright as the snakes. made a
dive into the mouth of the snake. and
was swallowed l did not think the
bird was injured by bites, though |
did not examine it.
In this country California; snakes
are larger, more numerous, and of
greater variety than ever saw at home
(New York; Here, they are frequent
visitors to tho poultry yards. TO the
great discomfort of young chickens
and turkeys; but whether they get
possession of them by Mesmer's sci
enee, charms or quarreling. do not
know. That they are swallowed in
great numbers is certain | have seen
q large snake, in appearance like rat
tlesnake with no rattle, with sood
sized young turkeys foot in its mouth;
every time the snake drew or sucked,
the turkey would cry ont, and then it
was perfectly quiet, with closed eyes.
On applying a stick to the snako it
let 90 its hold, to make it's escape The
turkey seemed tired out, but in short
time was as well as ever.
1t may be that snakes never charm.
know that they have never charmed
mo- they win only do to look at a good
way off. 1t is rather bold position
to take to tell a story OF what one has
seen with ones own eyes, that looks as
if one believed that snakes do charm,
when there is such good authority
against the old suppOsition
Ny little daughter, then eighteen
months old, was out in the yard. ac-
companied by her little dog Hearing
him bark violently, | called the child;
but receiving no answer, and fearing
lest she I'd fallen into prospect hole
There were many in that vicinity
rushed ont to find her. The horrible
surprise | felt cannot be easily imag-
ined. She was standing near the ve
randall, and but few steps from her
was n grOat ball snake $50 called bere)
with head erect, and eyes terrible TO
look at. The dog was barking. and
running first toward the snake and
then toward the door; his every mo.
ton was delight when ! came, as !
think, to the rescue. The snake did
not notice mo in the least, but was
slowly raising itself from the ground
When I caught the child, the snake
fell as though struck. Her body felt
like a wilted plant. Thought | she had
tainted; but she was standing with
eyes open, when she came to. She
seemed just waking from sleep.
think the strange look in her eyes
lasted not more than moment, tho
it seemed an age. The snake measur
ed seven feet in length, and very large
in circumference, in comparison to it,
/ length.
| do not say there was any charm
about it, but think tia queer per
formance. MRS, r. E. WOOD.
Our Cosy, Napa, Cal, Dec. -, &c.
, TIt was a queer performance, in
: deed. and the facts as narrated appeal
> ;o.establish the fact that snakes hav'
, the power to fascinate, Eds. Scien
4 tific American,