The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1867-08-10
From the Boonsboro md Odd.Fcllow.
Thrilling Encounter with Black
snakes.

UAAkea.
Prof. J Mitchell, the celebrates
South Mountain Wizard Will,
out cunning last Friday, had mos,
thrilling adventure with a den Of
black snakes, known as "racors,
from which he narrowly escaped with
his life. As is his habit, the Pro.
fessor had taken his fayorite carbine
asd gone into the mountain after
squirrels Best part Of the forenoon
bad been spent in beating through
the bushes and over the rocks without
meeting with any adventure. and but
ordinary success in procuring game,
etc. Suddenly, however, be came to
a ledge Of rocks about mile from
the South Mountain House.
Stopping . moment 10 take a sur.
yey Of tAe surroundings, be saw a
large black snake stretched on; on a
rock summing himself lie n, once
took up couple of stones and threw
one at his snakcship, but unforiu
natcly missed him. This aroused
the snake, and in an instant he un.
coiled himself, and stood with his
head erect. MS II indignant at this in.
trusion. and at the same time gave .
loud, shfiil hiss. or rather a whistle
The Professor delivered his second
stone with such precision as to NOR
tally wound his enemy No soonor,
however, had he thrown the stone
when no heard a rus,ling among the
brush TO his left, and another whistle
louder and shriller than the first.
Turning his eye in the direction from
whence came the noise, he saw a
monstrous black snake Ia raccr)
coming directly towards him, with
head erected about Eve fec, from the
ground, and his forked tongue dart
ing from his distended jaws as If bent
on fight,
The Professor (who is an ack nov
edged crack sAci) Immediately raised
his curbinc, fred and had the proud
satisfaction Of seeing the monster
snake roll over in the agonios OF
death--having split his head open
with ball. This proved bu. the
commencement of the battle for be.
fore the Professor had time to con.
graduate himself upon his success in
vanquishine two Of his foes, third
one, measuring about eleven feet In
length, and thick in proportion, had
approached to within icw feet of
him, his head erect, kissing aud dart
ing his tongue out in manner to
appal the stouscst heart To rctrea,
WAS out Of the question fight was
the only alternative, and quick us
thought he leveled his carbine at the
snakes head, but, unfortunately,
missed 1t, at the same time dropping
il (his carbinc) upon the ground
With the rnpidity of lightning the
black snake attacked the Professor,
and commenced winding his shiny
coils around his legs and body tight
er and tighter At every coil Of his
loathsome form, until the professor
was unable 10 move a foot
His efforts to cxtricatc himself
from the coils Of death AS they
seemed TO be-wcrc uhavailing, for
with every effort the folds frightened,
and tho work of respiration became
difficult. Death and the snake stared
him in the face, and made the cold
chills OF horror and agony creep over
hlaA ha5mei lc,sMa .tsaipll, no memsni
ror and a. ny, that made the nesn
creep, the blood chill, and the hair
literally " stood on end, like quilts
upon irctful porcupine." Nothing
but his great presence Of mind saved
him from strangulation and loath
some death, Reeollecting that his
hunting knife hung by his side, he
seized it, and, with his nerves braccd
by despair, drew !, across tho body of
the snake, severing 1t at a stroke.
The coils relaxed, the snake dropped
at his feet, and the Professor was free
again.
BY this time he heard great rust
ling in tho bushes, and the dry bark
cracking in every direction, accom-
panied by loud, shrill, angry Kisses
and vhis,ling, as if the whole sur,
rounding woods were filed with
snakes. Deemiug discretion the bet.
ter psrt Of vnlcr, he hastily grabbed
up his carbinc, gir'hcd his hunting
knife, and beat prccipitaic retreat
The Professor was pursued by the
black snskes for some distance, but
being in q harry he had no time to
lock back and count the numbers.
He says that had they come one at a
time be would not have retrea'ed,
but TO attack him by companies,
b,igades, and divisions was enough
10 Brighten any man
-. - .....o,
uencrai .ta"t apP'o'.s . 'ut se'