The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-07-25
Misrellanp.
The Tennessee Big Snake.

For month or two past great excitement and
alarm has prevailed in the region Of Nolensville,
Tennessee, and the adjoining portions OF North
ern Mississippi on account of monstrous snake
infesting the country. Sheep, swine, and even
cattle were attacked and destroyed by it, and
persons who occasionally got gllppses OF the
monster gave the most exaggerated accounts OF
its size and terrific appearance. Some persons
averred it to be hundred feet in length and
equal to flour barrel in thickness. Men turned
out in large companies with rifles, pixies ana
other deadly implements to kill 1t, but always
failed to encounter the monster. Then huge
trap was constructed, properly baited, and placed
near it's den. The snake entered the trap, but,
although constructed of the stoutest timbers,
the trap was torn to pieces and the snake got
away. At length two men, named Isaac Nelly
and Mr. Irvine, living near the snakes den, hap
pening out in the field in the morning, each hay
ing rifle mo one went without a rifle and
seating themselves on the fence, were talking,
when they became aware of a peculiarly musky
odor pervading the air. We shall permit the
correspondent of the Nashville Banner to tell the
rest of the story:
They had perceived the odor at first, but it did
not excite their attention until it became scken-
ing in its power. Mr.. Nelly looked'around un.
consciously to see what could produce it, and
there, within 20 yards of them, just above, lay
the serpent, the object of their dread. Their
first impulse was to run but, after they had
involuntarily jumped from the fence, they thought
better of it, and, like true men as they were
they determined to fire on it. They laid thei.
guns carefully on the fence, the snake never
moving, and, taking deliberate aim, fired at his
head. At the crack of the guns awful crash
ing and slashing was heard and believing the
awful creature was upon them, they threw away
heir guns and fed for dear life; nor did they
stop until they reached the house.
The country was quickly alarmed, and after a
good deal of careful recommending, the spot was
approached, to find the serpent gone, but leaving
behind him such great trail of blood they knew
he was badly wounded. Without difficulty they
followed this trail, and did not proceed more
than two hundred yards down beside the fence
before they espied him, perfectly limp and dead.
But it took several shots from distance to con-
vince them of this before they dared approach.
The struggle where the monster was shot must
have been terrific, for large bushes were beat to
the earth, and the ground was torn up where
he had dashed it with his tail Great credit is
due to the intrepidity of the gentlemen who shot
him, for few would have dared it.
Mr.. Irvine quickly brought pair of mules to
drag him off, but when the mules caught sight
Of the huge animal they became so frightened
nothing could hold them, and they broke and
tore away like mad. BY this time a great many
people had collected, and they tied rope around
his neck with running moose and dragged him
through the field to the big farm. They now
found a couple of strong horses near enough, and
they with these determined to carry him to
Nolensville, it being the nearest place on the
pike. Hearing of these circumstances, in COM
pany with Mr.. Ben. johnson of this place, start
ed for the scene of action. When near Mr.. Bit
tocks', we met with Esquire Greene, going to
the same point. We had not gone far before we
hove in sight, and here We met with a very
serious accident, for, no sooner had our horses
caught sight of the huge body of the serpent,
than they began to plunge at such rate as TO
throw all three of us, Mr.. johnson and myself
sustaining no injury, but Esquire Greene receiv-
Cd severe dislocation of the ankle that will
probably lame him for life.
However, we soon reached Nolensville, and the
question rose what shall We do with it? We
were anxious to take it to Nashville inst as it
lay, but the carcass would, weknew, become very
offensive from the great heat of the weather So
ing and drying take him down to the city for
inspection. took good survey of him and
found his length not so great as We had imagin.
ed, for he was just 20 feet inches from tip to
tip. His greatest circumference was 3C11 inches
and he was just II inches around the neck, or
rather just behind the head About ten feet of
his tail had spirous ridge like that of an
alligator. His head was the most formidable
part about him, and was truly terrible to behold,
even when dead. 1t was fully 20 inches across,
and was armed with the most formidable set of
sharp, small teeth, with four huge tusks 1t had
hole in it just under the right eye, from the
mimic ball, and had dent in his neck from the
glancirg ball of Mr.. Irvine. Although he seem
cd at short distance to be of uniform color
on close inspection discovered he was spotted
like rattlesnake. in diamond spots, and his
belly was of a bright blush black color. We cut
him across the middle and skinned him both
ways, thus preserving the head Whole 1t was
then we'll sailed and lined, and the ends were
well sewed together, and then, by inserting Mr.
Simpsons bellows, we inflated the monster to its
full size We will let it dry in this fix, and then
stuff it with sawdust.