Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-10-04

hard with the next when was attracted
by its movements. Of course, | lost no
time in seyering my connection with this
horrible creature, by cutting the string
had not done which promptly, l think II
quite probable that I should have been
sucked In when my turn came, which
would have been after the third duck, for
the reptile was big enough and ugly
enough to have held us all four. Then, as
I scrambled up among the branches IN
search of safer asylum, what was my
horror to find them interviewer and hiss
ing with serpents of all sorts and sizes,
each and every one of which evidently
looked upon me as an intefloper and intru-
der upon their private premises The
snakes were of smaller kind as contln-
ued to ascend the tree, and thought at
first there might be some advantage In
that, and kept going up. But, ugh just
as was about to grasp branch, for the
purpose of swinging myself into crotch,
[ saw lying stretched out upon it yellow,
vicious looking snake, which at once re-
cognized as a specimen Of the deadly AIT
fret0, or sulphur viper, one touch from the
fangs of which, and in half an hour l
should have been livid co :psel Now l
knew that had got up into the region OF
poisonous reptiles, and wished myself back
with the boas; but on consideration l took
a middle course, and lowering myself down
to the branches among which | had no
ticed the smaller constructors, / unslung
my gun, intending to fire a shot from 1t
every now an then, to keep the noxious
creatures at bay. It would not go OFT,
however, being thoroughly saturated with
water and as night was coming on now, L
dashed myself to branch with my belts,
as well as I could, and strove to shut out
from my mind the prospect of a weary
and horrible night.
"The rain was over and the thunder
could be heard rolling far, far away; but
the night was still dark one, and | knew
that 1t would yet be many hours before
the waters had fallen sufficiently for me to
make my escape.
81 tried for q while to combat the ap-
proach of sleep, but at last | could resist
it influence no longer; my weary eyelids
closed and fell into heavy slumber.
How long had been asleep cannot say,
but know that | was startled into wide
wakefulness some time in the night by one
of the most frightful uproars 1t had ever
been my fortune to hear. .4
"For moment imagined had fallen
asleep in g menagerie, and that the keep
ers were poking at me with their long
poles to rouse me. Some creature-and it
wasn't very light one, l can tell you
went scrambling up my body to gain the
higher branches of the tree, leaving be-
hind it deep traces of its claws on my flesh.
Glaring eyeballs were to be seen every
where / turned, and the tree was trans
formed into wild and hideous orchestra,
with screams of leopards and other beasts
of prey, mingled with the Kissing OF
snakes and the rapping of their scales as
they struggled with one another in the tur-
MOL of the night.
From the lower part OF the tree came
up, ever and anon, the granting and growl
ing of the large beasts, such as bears that
had sought refuge there by swimming
from the neighboring jungle.
Nothing that had ever read concern
ing Pandemonium was comparable foi
horror to the tumult by which l was sur
rounded on that memorable night. Years
appeared to have passed over my head be
fore morning began to dawn, and then, in
the first gray twilight, had glimpses here
and there of the creatures among whom
had passed the night. There were cou
CARS, and spotted leopards, and fierce eyec
cats of all sorts and sizes glaring at ms
from the hooks and knot-holes of the tree
but did not notice single serpent now
and as could see in the increasing ligh
| that the waters had nearly subslded, sup
posed that the reptiles had betaken them
| selves to their haunts amid the roots ant
hollows of the tree. l.
2 "Two huge brown bears leaped from
the lower branches and scuttled away TO
the Jungle as | made my way down thu
tree, from which / dropped on the soft
plashy ground with thankful heart, anC
an inward resolve not to lie caughtin
rainstorm in those regions again-not IL
knew it.
".Abuut week after this adventure
| when everything had become as dry a
finder under the burning sun, went dow
with my Indians, all armed with spears ant
torches, and we kindled great fire roun'
the roots of the old lone mora tree. 1t wa
nearly bare of leaves now from the rail-
and wind, and we could see the terribl
squlrming that took place among its wide
spreading branches as the flames wen
whirling and licking around its trunk.
/ "Monstrous serpents reared themselve
out of the knot-holes and sped like forke
lightning up into the higher branche
which, in some cases, were unable to SUI
port their weight, and the knotted reptile
came whirling to the ground, where the
, were quickly dispatched by the spears
the Indians.
| MANY small snakes-some of whic
were of the most dangerous kinds-can
gliding away from the burning roots of tt
tree but we suffered none of them
escape 3f}n 3@t
:" How | could have stocked museu
f with magnificent specimens of live bo'
had only possessed the means OF tran
! porting them to some seaport town f
, the Indians with me would have lassos
any of them at my bidding.
: "After burning for an hour, the nigh
3 tree sank down into Its ashes, a confus
mass of gnarled, blackened limbs, seethfl
Y and throbbing with the half charred bodi
s of serpents. We killed eighty-four snak
O of many varieties and all sizes on IL
a occasion, and it is probable that quite
b many more were destroyed by the flam'
O. AFTER this adventure, I don't feel gu
O as much confidence in trees as / used
e Has anybody else got story to tell :"
II Nobody else had,
v Husbands at Home.
4